Today is Election Day....
..and I really don't care. I have friends that are Republicans. And I have friends that are Democrats. My last ex-husband was a super-lefty liberal, but my favorite lover is a rather conservative Republican. My sort-of boyfriend is middle of the road liberal, and my favorite boy-toy is middle of the road conservative. It may be said that I use the men in my life as political barometers, and this is why I am stuck in apolitical ennui.
I am stuck in political ambivalence because of a childhood full of politics. Kennedy, Johnson, Vietnam on TV, Nixon, the bombing of Cambodia, the economic slump of Carter, the rise of Reagan's Evil Empire, and all that stuff just soured me from being involved in anything political.
If anything, I crave peace of mind and the desire not to think about any of it.
There are, though, things about this election that remind me alot of the '72 Nixon/McGovern election. The strong incumbent and the weak challenger for one thing....the fashion sense for another. In '72, there were a ton of "Vote" fashions. The word was inscribed on jeans, on t-shirts, on patches to be sewn on jeans and t-shirts.
In this election, the sentiment is "Vote or Die." From what I understand, this sentiment comes from some dyspeptic, hyperbolic artiste. I'm not particularly happy with said dyspeptic, hyperbolic artiste telling me that my life should be snuffed because I choose to remain outside of the "democratic" process.
What happened to freedom of choice?
I understand, too, that said dyspeptic hyperbolic artiste is a Kerry supporter. That doesn't stop me from preferring a Kerry win over Bush. I'm just glad that Kerry hasn't courted the entertainment class the way Clinton did.
More importantly, there comes a time when left-wing rhetoric resembles right-wing rhetoric--when Stalin turns around and kisses the ass of Hitler. Sentiments like "Vote or Die," in a strange way, undermine my freedom to do nothing.
It would be nice if the politically correct left of American would wake up and realize that they are just as demogogic as the bible-thumping right. And are usually saying the same thing--think like us or you are a traitor to the American way--but use a different idiom.
So, I'll go to work this afternoon, have my brain go numb from the bad muzak we have to play at the store, and read the results in the morning. Not much will change in my part of the world. I'll just have the day off.
I am stuck in political ambivalence because of a childhood full of politics. Kennedy, Johnson, Vietnam on TV, Nixon, the bombing of Cambodia, the economic slump of Carter, the rise of Reagan's Evil Empire, and all that stuff just soured me from being involved in anything political.
If anything, I crave peace of mind and the desire not to think about any of it.
There are, though, things about this election that remind me alot of the '72 Nixon/McGovern election. The strong incumbent and the weak challenger for one thing....the fashion sense for another. In '72, there were a ton of "Vote" fashions. The word was inscribed on jeans, on t-shirts, on patches to be sewn on jeans and t-shirts.
In this election, the sentiment is "Vote or Die." From what I understand, this sentiment comes from some dyspeptic, hyperbolic artiste. I'm not particularly happy with said dyspeptic, hyperbolic artiste telling me that my life should be snuffed because I choose to remain outside of the "democratic" process.
What happened to freedom of choice?
I understand, too, that said dyspeptic hyperbolic artiste is a Kerry supporter. That doesn't stop me from preferring a Kerry win over Bush. I'm just glad that Kerry hasn't courted the entertainment class the way Clinton did.
More importantly, there comes a time when left-wing rhetoric resembles right-wing rhetoric--when Stalin turns around and kisses the ass of Hitler. Sentiments like "Vote or Die," in a strange way, undermine my freedom to do nothing.
It would be nice if the politically correct left of American would wake up and realize that they are just as demogogic as the bible-thumping right. And are usually saying the same thing--think like us or you are a traitor to the American way--but use a different idiom.
So, I'll go to work this afternoon, have my brain go numb from the bad muzak we have to play at the store, and read the results in the morning. Not much will change in my part of the world. I'll just have the day off.
posted by Tish Grier at 12:43 PM
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