Please don't buy into the scam that the US is Black against White, Red against Blue, Christian against Athiest, Straight against Gay, Good against Evil, Us against Them!
Yes, there are a few folks out there who are trying to get what they want and don't care if it destroys the country or the rest of the world, but on the whole, most people are good, honest, caring folks, who want the same things as the rest of us, food, water, a home, a supportive community, freedom to learn and explore, and to just plain live a decent life.
But if you allow the extremists to divide us, pit us against our neighbors (on a local or global scale) then we all lose.
And remember, even if you do take the current reported vote results as the truth, only:
20% of US Americans voted for Bush
20% of US Americans voted for Kerry
and 60% did neither!
Peace, love, and bicycles,
Turtle
But you say, "I'm pissed off, and I can't stand it anymore!!
Well, you have every right to be pissed off, but what are you going to DO about it (after you scream and shout)?
Yes, it is absolutely unfair that George W. Bush and his ilk have once again taken control over the highest office in the US (not to mention the Judicial and Legislative branches of our much beleaguered "checks and balances" system). There is no doubt that there is a small group of people in power who are disrespectful, dishonest, greedy, and just plain mean and nasty, and they probably cheated in the "election", too. But, as you may have noticed in your many years living in this world, life never pretends to be fair! Unlike in our favourite fantasy stories, life doesn't really care about anyone or anything, it just goes on being cruel, crazy, and beautiful all at once. Things simply don't always go the way you want them to. Actually, they rarely do!
Does this mean that you should give up? Throw in the towel? Crawl into a cave? Hell No! Embrace your anger! Anger, like pain, is a warning signal - your body's way of saying "Houston we have a problem..." Give that angry monster that may be kicking and screaming inside your belly a big ol' hug, and then maybe invite it out dancing.
After the festivities, sit down with that monster in your gut, drag out those crayons, pens, sidewalk chalk, paints, guitars, voices, welding equipment, computer mice and keyboards, and use them to dress your anger up in the wildest, most colorful, and most fantastic outfit you can imagine. Then send your creation out into the world to let people know how you feel, and let it give everyone inspiration. Don't let some silly idea of "lack of talent" get in your way. We are all artists when we express ourselves. If you think there is something wrong with the way this world is heading, then the world NEEDS you to express yourself! There is no chance for a better world if we don't speak up.
No matter what you do, do not turn your anger into hatred or depression! Instead, let your anger be free, let your anger be wise, and let your anger be beautiful. Love yourself, so that you may be strong (ODing on chocolate ain't gonna do you any good in the long run). Love your friends, so that they may support you when you need them. And love your enemies, because life would be so damned dull without them! Embrace your most difficult challenges, so that you may learn tolerance, compassion, and hope.
And, whenever somone spouts off about this country being divided, remember that it is a trap! We are most definitely not a nation of Black or White, Red or Blue, Liberal or Conservative! On the contrary, our country is most likely the most diverse in the world, with many, many shades of grey, and purple too! And we have far more political persuasions than there are flight-worthy appendages on a bird. Isn't diversity what we are fighting for?
Surely, we must speak out against the dangerous people, but we need to be very careful not to alienate the "regular" folks in the process. The more people we care about, listen to, and welcome into our homes, the more people will see that we aren't their enemy.
When get stuck thinking it's "Us against Them", we are rendered powerless to fight the real dangers looming behind the curtain. But, when we learn to embrace our differences, we realize that we are a nation full of courageous, compassionate, and ingenious people, who come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and political and philosophical persuasions. We should never forget this. Our country is amazing because of our differences, not in spite of them!
Whether you are one of the 20% of the US Americans who voted for George Bush, one of the 20% who voted for Kerry, or one of the 60% who did neither, you are part of what makes this the beautiful, diverse, and unwieldly world that we live in! There may be a few bad apples in the bush (type intended), but for the most part the country is filled with honest, caring, interesting people.
If you really want to see a change in this country, start talking to those 60% and ask them what they want, and encourage them to offer ideas on how we can all work together to get these common goals.
Peace, love, and bicycles,
Turtle