Hi everybody!
I know it's been quite a long time since I've done this, and many, many things have changed for the better in my life. And I will get to all those things in a later blog. But first I'd like to take a couple minutes to talk to you about something that I'm sure has already crossed your mind in the past few months; and also about something that maybe has not.
The first thing is... politics in America. Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm an asshole for even bringing this up. We all are already super-saturated with political ads on TV, radio, and even unsolicited print, that I'm sure you're as close to insanity as I am. But, here's the thing. I'm not going to tell you who to vote for. I'm not even going to tell you who I'm voting for. That's none of your damn business. And besides, I'm sure that anyone who reads this already knows me well enough to know which presidential candidate I support, and why.
What I'd really like to talk about here, is the political and civil climate that we're encountering right now. With the invention of the internet, and social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter, people now literally have the ability to run their own ad campaigns for a political candidate. Now, don't get me wrong. I don't have any problem with people voicing their opinion on any subject, whether it be about politics, food, sports, or whether or not they want to wear pants during the day. But what I do take particular issue with, is when people who have an opposing view lash out at another person. And I mean like a cobra striking at a mongoose. I'm sure that some of you have experienced this, in some way at least, over the last few months. I'd like to tell you about my own personal experience that I had a few weeks ago.
I’m an Army veteran, a paramedic, a former volunteer firefighter, and I currently work for a human services agency that provides mental health support for children on Medicaid. In one Facebook thread that was started by a friend of mine, I was called a lunatic, un-American, spineless, sheeple, stupid, and worst of all, a traitor to my country. All by people that have never met me. At least not that I know of, anyway.
I do have to point out that the friend that started the thread, on his page, has never made a derogatory comment about me when I was voicing my opinion about politics. So there’s that, I guess. (thanks Fred)
My point here is that, while political candidates and private citizens, have always had opposing views, I've never seen this country so polarized, so divided, or so in love with hating itself, as I am seeing right now. And I think it's all due to the behavior of our politicians.
We're all sick of negative ads. We're all tired of seeing those stupid meme posts on Facebook, putting down our beliefs and our candidate. But let me tell you something, friends. We've continued to allow our candidates to behave this way, and now we're all falling in behind them. We're the ones that continue to post that divisive crap on our favorite social media website. We're the ones who continue to tune in to a presidential, or vice-presidential, debate and sit there and watch our candidate trash the other guy, without ever answering the question that was asked! And we're the ones who will continue to vote for a candidate who, by the time next Tuesday comes around, will have spent a total of over...wait for it...One. Billion. Dollars. Almost exclusively on negative advertising. It literally makes me sick thinking about that number. Hundreds of millions of dollars that could've gone to building homeless shelters, feeding hungry people, educating our children, or opening small businesses and getting more people back to work.
A billion fucking dollars, people!
When is it going to end? When will we finally stand up and say, "Enough is enough!" When will you have the courage to vote for someone that you actually think will do a better job, instead of the candidate that the party nominates?
For those of you that will say, "Well if I do that, it's just a wasted vote," I say, NO IT'S NOT!!!The only wasted vote is the one that is not cast!
And it's not just a wasted vote. It's a wasted drop of blood, or a wasted tear that some man or woman shed for this great nation. It's a life that was given in order for you to be able to walk to that poll and check the box next to, or write in the name of, the person that you think will do the best job. And to be able to do that without the fear of retribution.
Our political process needs to change. Our politicians' behavior needs to improve, drastically. But it needs to start with us holding ourselves accountable, and not letting negative emotions run rampant, just because we disagree with someone. Be kind to one another, even if you don't agree. Be factual. Don't continue to spread the lies of BOTH parties; of BOTH candidates. Remember where we live, and honor the legacy of those that have come before us.
And remember also what Churchill said: "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."
Take care, my friends.
My name is Brian Woodyard, and I approved this message.
I’m an Army veteran, a paramedic, a former volunteer firefighter, and I currently work for a human services agency that provides mental health support for children on Medicaid. In one Facebook thread that was started by a friend of mine, I was called a lunatic, un-American, spineless, sheeple, stupid, and worst of all, a traitor to my country. All by people that have never met me. At least not that I know of, anyway.
I do have to point out that the friend that started the thread, on his page, has never made a derogatory comment about me when I was voicing my opinion about politics. So there’s that, I guess. (thanks Fred)
My point here is that, while political candidates and private citizens, have always had opposing views, I've never seen this country so polarized, so divided, or so in love with hating itself, as I am seeing right now. And I think it's all due to the behavior of our politicians.
We're all sick of negative ads. We're all tired of seeing those stupid meme posts on Facebook, putting down our beliefs and our candidate. But let me tell you something, friends. We've continued to allow our candidates to behave this way, and now we're all falling in behind them. We're the ones that continue to post that divisive crap on our favorite social media website. We're the ones who continue to tune in to a presidential, or vice-presidential, debate and sit there and watch our candidate trash the other guy, without ever answering the question that was asked! And we're the ones who will continue to vote for a candidate who, by the time next Tuesday comes around, will have spent a total of over...wait for it...One. Billion. Dollars. Almost exclusively on negative advertising. It literally makes me sick thinking about that number. Hundreds of millions of dollars that could've gone to building homeless shelters, feeding hungry people, educating our children, or opening small businesses and getting more people back to work.
A billion fucking dollars, people!
When is it going to end? When will we finally stand up and say, "Enough is enough!" When will you have the courage to vote for someone that you actually think will do a better job, instead of the candidate that the party nominates?
For those of you that will say, "Well if I do that, it's just a wasted vote," I say, NO IT'S NOT!!!The only wasted vote is the one that is not cast!
And it's not just a wasted vote. It's a wasted drop of blood, or a wasted tear that some man or woman shed for this great nation. It's a life that was given in order for you to be able to walk to that poll and check the box next to, or write in the name of, the person that you think will do the best job. And to be able to do that without the fear of retribution.
Our political process needs to change. Our politicians' behavior needs to improve, drastically. But it needs to start with us holding ourselves accountable, and not letting negative emotions run rampant, just because we disagree with someone. Be kind to one another, even if you don't agree. Be factual. Don't continue to spread the lies of BOTH parties; of BOTH candidates. Remember where we live, and honor the legacy of those that have come before us.
And remember also what Churchill said: "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."
Take care, my friends.
My name is Brian Woodyard, and I approved this message.
