If You Don’t Think As I Do, You’re Dead Wrong

            Or How To Maneuver Through This Election Cycle

         Are you like me, pretty tired of it all? In less than six weeks some people in the United States will be able to cast their votes for various political figures and be done with it. Yes, that’s true. Several states and the District of Columbia allow voters to cast their ballots in September, as early as September 23rd, I have read. A good many people, though, will have to wait until November 8th to make their choices, unless, of course, you are like I am, and vote absentee. (It’s so much easier!) So, I will be voting in October, and I’ve already made up my mind. I’ve read a great deal, listened well, made a few donations, and in all good conscience am ready and eager to make what I know is the right choice.

            That being said, however, I am sure some folks out there in “voterland” would disagree with me. While that is their right, in my little, egocentric world, I see them as mistaken, and that is putting it mildly. It’s disappointing. I’ve listened to people rant, predict, and outright lie to try and make a point that is skewed, biased, or has no basis in reality. Seriously. Do you really believe that? I cringe.

            No doubt about it, our country is torn. And why is that? There are too many reasons to count, I suppose, but contributing to our malaise are poverty, racism, intolerance, bigotry, greed, intimidation, disrespect, recklessness, self-righteousness, wariness, and, yes, stupidity. This election cycle seems to have brought out the worst in us and that is disconcerting, to say the least. Do people really harbor that much hate? Is the quest for power more important than civility? How many of us have looked in the mirror and considered: “Who am I? Deep down, who am I? What truly are the morals and mores I embrace?”

I am fortunate. I have quite a few friends, some liberal and some conservative. It’s not always easy to digest what I read or hear others espouse, because at times I disagree at the deepest level. I must, however, step back and realize he or she has a right, just as I do, to have a say. One’s intelligence, education, socioeconomic position, morality, cultural background, and spiritual principles all play a part in what we believe. And with that at the foundation, this election, and those to follow may simply be toss-ups, although I hope not. I believe, and I’m right on this, that all of us should vote, but not impulsively or carelessly. We must put in some considerable thought before penciling in our ballots and take seriously the fact that our votes will set the stage for the future of our children and generations, hopefully, to come.