So a number of people on my Facebook page (not the conservatives; I'm sure they've already blocked me repeatedly) have made a Letsall Getalong kind of plea for a cessation of politics and political posts. It seems that they're tired of hearing about politics because, after all, both parties are the same and nothing will change anyway, no matter how they vote.
Another group of people seem to be actively supporting the Romney/Ryan ticket because they don't like Obama (for whatever reason is irrelevant), and their response is that Obama hasn't helped them at all, so they're going to vote for the other guy.
The first group is apathetic. The second group is uninformed. I have a rant for each of them.
Hey, apathetic apoliticals: You're an American? Guess what? It's election season. You're an American? You should be thinking about these things and acting on them, too. You say you're nonpolitical? Sorry, honey - nobody in America gets to be nonpolitical these days, and saying you are means you're copping out.
If you read me, I refuse to let you cop out. If you do, you lose my respect, at minimum. And I'll keep needling you about this every chance I get.
Hey, uninformed idiots: The amazing contrast between the DNC this week and the RNC last week demonstrates, conclusively and with real evidence, that the GOP/Tea party ticket has NOTHING to offer America except more "We're number one!" cheers while simultaneously running down the greatest nation in the world and telling us all to find those bootstraps and pull ourselves up by them, because nobody's gonna help us.
Meanwhile, every speaker at the DNC articulated a vision for America that sees us pulling together, working together, and succeeding TOGETHER.
And if you're dumb enough to think that both parties are the same at this point, well, I pity you, but it's time for you to wake up and smell the reality. If you think that Obama is worse for the nation than Romney would be, well, again, it's time for you to wake up and smell the reality.
And then there's the apathetic and uninformed, who will pull the lever for "their team," whoever that team is, because anything else would be too much work.
In two words: Screw that.
Nobody gets to be apathetic or uninformed this year. Nobody.
First, although I can't get the license for the picture, I can share the text of a meme that I just shared on Facebook this morning:
Oh, I'm sorry. Are my political posts bothering you? I just figured choosing the next leader of our country was worth a little discussion. By all means, show me another picture of your dinner.
This, to me, kind of sums up my feelings about people who don't want to deal with the political reality we face (either because they're apathetic, or because they're uninformed). You don't get to pull that apathetic crap with me, not any more. So here's some things that you, the supposedly apolitical person who doesn't want to hear any more political stuff, need to hear anyway.
This election is not just a popularity contest. It's not about who has the nicest hair or the brightest smile or the most expensive clothing. This election is also not a football game. It's not about cheering for your team and hating the other team just because they're the other team. It's not that simple. This is not high school.
In case you didn't notice while you were sitting with your fingers plugged firmly in your ears and singing La La La, this election is about what our country is about and where it is going to go. It's a showdown. It's a face-off. It's a fight for the survival of this nation, nothing less.
This election is a war for our national identity.
We have a decision to make. That decision is: are we a nation, or just a bunch of individuals? Are we in this together, or are we all on our own?
And if you don't take a stand on that position because you're apolitical, then you have no right to complain later. Not voting is not rebellion. It's fucking surrender.
That said, if you do vote, you have a responsibility to be informed about the issues when you do. If you don't want to be informed, then stay the hell out of the voting booth - because if you aren't informed, you have no business voting (and if you aren't informed, you have no right to complain, either).
Want to make a difference? Then grow a pair. Grow a spine. Go vote - and damn you if you vote for the Romney/Ryan "you're on your own" vision of this country. If you do, on your head be whatever happens to us afterward. If you have that vision, stay home on November 6th. If you're not smart enough to realize what Romney and Ryan would do to this country - in a nutshell, strip-mine it and sell it off to the highest bidder - then you're not smart enough to step into a voting booth and pull the lever.
And if you do that anyway, then yes, I'll blame you for it if they win. I'll blame you for it repeatedly. I'll blame you for it daily. I'll remind you that it's your fault that Medicare and Medi-Cal disappeared because you voted for the "you're on your own" vision of the country. I'll remind you that it's your fault your taxes went up two grand while the millionaires' taxes went down by 250 grand. I'll remind you every chance I get that this is your fault, because it will be if Obama and Biden don't win the White House again this year.
Because you know what? Your apathy and your ignorance will be the reason that they don't win, if they don't win. Your "I'm not political" position will be the reason that they lose, if they lose.
It seems like I've been talking to two different groups here but really, they're just two sides of the same coin. You see, the apathetic statement "I'm not political" is an excuse for being uninformed. It's an excuse for being lazy. If you are an American citizen and you're not political, you're lazy and uninformed. Stop making excuses and stand up, already.
Here's the other thing. If your vision of America really is "you're on your own" and "private interest is the only important thing," then not only am I disgusted with you, I pity you, because we are all in this together. Science has overwhelmingly shown that humans cannot get along without other humans. We are not evolved or created (however you want to phrase it) to be alone and independent. Humans are inherently, fundamentally, communal, social creatures. This is not an opinion - it's a fact.
So for those who really believe that bootstraps crap, do us all a favor. If you think that we shouldn't be able to depend on each other, or that we're all in this alone, then please make sure that wherever you are on November 6th is not a voting booth, because your uninformed opinion is harmful to this nation.