I claim that human mind or human society is not divided into watertight compartments called social, political and religious. All act and react upon one another.
~Mohandas Gandhi
We are more thoroughly an enlightened people, with respect to our political interests, than perhaps any other under heaven. Every man among us reads, and is so easy in his circumstances as to have leisure for conversations of improvement and for acquiring information.
~Benjamin Franklin
Admittedly, I usually avoid talking about topics political, but there is a reason I am driven to make this post: my brain won't shut down and let me sleep because it is thinking about this over and over again.
What is causing this? It starts with a comment that was left on a friend's Facebook status that said: they say there are 2 kinds of republicans. rich ones and dumb ones. (That is typed exactly as it was typed in the comment) When I first read this statement I was very angry. I felt the person writing it to be incredibly judgmental, juvenile, and, honestly, an idiot. One thing I would like the reader to know, I don't fully consider myself a Republican. I am not far right, nor am I far left. I have my set of values that lead me to be Conservative in many of my positions and views. Needless, to say this means that I do feel attacked when people make such broad statements as this. This person doesn't know me, she is a friend of a friend. She doesn't care who sees what she says and that's part of what angered me.
As said, I don't usually speak up about politics because it leads to such backlash and no one really wins. Especially now that my state is in a huge political upheaval because many are unhappy with the way the elected Governor has been doing things. That is neither here nor there to what I am writing about though. It is the way people that are conducting themselves that is horrible. People are allowed to speak their minds, but they don't even bother with tact anymore. They don't care how others may react nor do they take the time to consider another side of things. I have been trying to be open minded and listen to the arguments of those who disagree with me, but it is really hard when they don't give me the same respect. They lump me into a political party and don't care what I personally might believe. They don't listen to counter arguments that they can't fight, instead they go back to the same old recitations without furthering the discussion. What's worse, is a lot of them aren't thinking for themselves. They have been told what to think and how to act and not question what they have been told. All the while, they say the same thing about the other side.
It is going to be a long election year coupled with a possible recall vote in this state. This is almost as bad as the last Presidential race where all I wanted to do was hide under the bed and wait for the world to end with the poll closures. We wonder why politicians can't get along on the state or federal level, while we watch the average person combat those of the opposing party. We call for an end to bipartisanship, then complain when the elected official votes against party lines. We act surprised when an elected official does what they say they will, then fight to stop them every step of the way. We celebrate cowards and curse those who do their day to day jobs. Maybe it isn't the other party that a person needs to step back and reflect upon, but ourselves as individuals. We expect so much out of everyone else and claim to be doing something for the greater good and all the while we are promoting 'our side' instead of stepping back and reviewing the greater picture.
Back to the woman's comment though. I don't consider myself dumb. I have slightly above average intelligence, at least that's what the IQ test I took in my high school Psychology class told me and I can talk so I'm not mute. As to rich, at first I crossed it off that I'm not that either. Then I thought about it, I'm not rich monetarily, but I am rich in so many other ways. I am happy with my life which is filled with a loving family and good friends (even the ones that don't agree with me politically). I am blessed with a roof over my head, food for my table, a vehicle that runs, my needs are covered and there really aren't any wants. I am rich beyond belief and anyone can have this, it doesn't matter their political preference; they just need to open their eyes to what they have before them.
Merry Christmas!
