Not My President

Published October 29th, 2008

For the past 8 years I have lived in a country led by a man I often vehemently disagreed with. I have insulted him in many ways, called him unintelligent, wondered if he was even paying attention to what was happening to this country. The more things he said and did, the less I liked him. The less I agreed with him. I wished he would be impeached and tried for what I perceive to be crimes against the Constitution. I believe his regime to be a selfish and corrupt one. I joked that he was “not my president” and that I hadn’t voted for him. In short - I was as about anti-Bush as could be. In 8 years he made maybe only a handful of decisions I was OK with or agreed with. I often invoked my 1st Amendment right to free speech. I was disappointed more often with Clinton than I was pleased with Bush.

All that time I had to put up with the prevailing noise that a certain portion of this population truly believed that God had bestowed upon them the White House, had installed a Good Christian Warrior just for them. I have heard the claims that America is a Center-Right country, dealt with “Liberal” being a sort of slur. Put up with the authortarian “mandate” that a 1% victory supposedly gave him. That my views of equality and fairness were, in a word, wrong. Worse, some of my views were characterized as treasonous and dangerous.

Yet, throughout all this, I never wished the man dead. While many liberals threatened to move to Canada, I’m sure few did. I never believed that he would bring the end of the US nation. I never, ever have advocated his assassination. That way lies madness. It goes against all the things I support. Though I did not vote for him, he was my president. And there wasn’t much I could do about it. I often wondered what I would do if I met the man. I still don’t know. But whatever I did, it would have been non-violent and probably respectful. We all feel passionately about things and might get a little loud in our support for certain views, but I do not at all believe it gives me the right to assault or commit violence against those who disagree with me. I wish more would see it my way, sure. But if someone disagrees with me, eliminating them is not an option. And I believe I do my best to find out the truth and not listen to lies. I try not to spread lies or base opinions on half truths or worse. Everyone deserves a fair shake from the start.

So what is my point in all this? Well, for 6 years the liberal community lived under a government unified against their interests. A Republican Congress, a Republican President. Finally the Congress was flipped - but it did not at all live up to Democrat voter expectations. They accomplished very little of what they were supposed to, in my opinion. So though it was an empty victory of sorts, it was a victory achieved peacefully and through the system. There were no mass Democrat riots. There was no beatings or burnings that accomplished it. It was all done through the political process. And now we are on the verge of what is looking to be a historic change of power. Obama is set to win and win big - maybe landslide big. Still a week left but that is not much time.

So the conservative sector of this country is now facing the same fate we liberals faced 8 years ago - a government unified against their interests. They are now feeling what we felt for 6 years. And they are scared. The liberals were scared too - they were afraid of President Bush might do. But the conservatives who are truly afraid of Obama are not just afraid of what he might do - they’re afraid of who he is. And that’s apparently a big difference. Never before have I seen the kind of racism and hatred being displayed at Republican rallies. Democrats have attacked the actions of Republicans they oppose. But these Republicans are attacking Obama for who he is - and it’s not just that he’s black. They truly believe that he is a foreigner. A terrorist. A militant muslim. A liar. A subversive. Dangerous. Will bring the end of America. Maybe I’m wrong but I don’t recall anywhere near this level of hatred from the left. Even the nuts on the left. The wingnut right is absolutely scary.

If Obama is elected, what will they do? Will they threaten to go to Canada? Will they commit violent acts against the government? I personally and selfishly hope (not just for those reasons) that Obama is elected and makes the racist, insane right-wingers apoplectic. I want them to see that Obama is NOT a terrorist. He will NOT turn this country into a muslim state. He will NOT destroy this country. I hope that he will make them less ignorant, less racist and more open to realistic understanding and values. This country is not threatened by a black president - it is strengthened by it. It is not threatened being led by those who disagree with you - it is threatened when there is no choice to disagree.

Welcome to a world where you are not in charge, conservatives. America is NOT a center-right country as you have smugly maintained. It is a Centrist country. It has all from all spectrums and all our voices will be heard. The following video is not only an example of the worst the conservatives have to offer - it is unfortunately the worst America has to offer. And because they are conservatives, it is up to the sane conservatives to police them and denounce their views as radical, inappropriate and dangerous. If you meet someone close to your ideology who is threatening violence and murder against the President, you are talking to a terrorist or one who supports terroism. Plain and simple. Work within the system, do not blow it up. Do not murder. We will all be fine and you will have a chance to once again be heard.

Video below. Be ashamed, conservatives. Be ashamed, Americans. This is disgusting.

Category: Personal, mccain, opinion, election 2008, obama, politics | Tags: