The Last Word On Politics

(That you'll ever hear from me.*)                  (*disclaimer: not a guarantee)

I hate politics.  I mean, I think they are important.  I think they are confusing, and frustrating, and when involving yourself in them, you must refuse to accept that there are two sides to every story, much like when you are involved in a car accident, you must NEVER make anything resembling admission to any fault.
Politics make me feel icky and sad and defensive.  I mean, they are important.  I said that.  And I wish I had the wherewithal to be more involved.  But I don't.  You know, I think you have to be the kind of person who enjoys a good healthy argument about things you are 100% certain you are right about with another person who is 117% certain you are wrong about said things.   I don't especially like that.  Or, said differently, that makes me feel like I'm going to throw up.

But you know, I vote.  And I try not to vote strictly by party but by the person I agree with most, trust most, and feel has the best chance at not screwing everything up. more.  I guess I'm on the liberal side of conservativism, and so I look for somebody like that.  Is that the wrong way to vote?

At the time of the last election we lived only a few blocks from the Obamas.  I didn't vote for him (on account of they never did bring us any banana bread upon moving into the neighborhood.  I found that rather cold, wouldn't you?), but was neither surprised nor disappointed when he won.  The streets of Chicago were alive with hoots and hollers (well, we say "holla's" in Southside Chicago) and exclamations of joy.  Our favorite was (and you must read this in a very joyful, ghetto-accent): "White House is gonna be BLACK!"  We saw this image painted underneath an overpass as we were walking to Navy Pier one wintry day.

A couple of weeks ago our super-duper good friends from our Chicago days came to visit us and brought along this game they found at the Walgreens in our old neighborhood, the self-proclaimed "Obama Headquarters".

And you know, I listen to news radio and watch political late-night comedy shows.  Here's my political-news philosophy:  ALL news is slanted by the media.  Even if they were trying to be fair (which I'm not sure anybody can afford to be that fair these days), they wouldn't really be able to hide their own opinions.  So, I listen to a Christian Radio Ultra Conservative Down South Bible Quoting show, and I watch Jon Stewart, who is hilarious.  Both presentations of political news are so obviously one-sided, but I much prefer to be able to see the slant quite clearly and be able to take it in cautiously.

But what about the people who don't?  What about the people who take it as absolute truth?  And then they get on their soap-boxes and say mean things to people and pretend that there is only one side to the story.  People: There will ALWAYS be two sides.  Like a slice of cheese.  Simple, isn't it? 

Okay, so here's the one thing I don't get.  The one slice of cheese that, if it DOES have two sides, the other side is only there to break the hearts of honest cheese-lovers.  Abortion.  I don't. get. it.   And don't give me the  "I would never do it but I think it's a woman's own choice."  What the $%#$^#$%!?! 

I'm not going to get all statistical on your bums and I'm not going to get all religious, either.  Those paths have been explored.  But I'm going to get real for a second:  How in the @#^$# @%^@#  &%$#@ is it not murder? 

And I can *sort of* get it when single people who aren't thinking about having kids yet and who are still in that phase of life where it is all about themselves can tell themselves that without really thinking too much about it.  But what about people who have actually held a brand-spanking new baby in their arms?  What about people who have had their own babies? 

I just.don't.get.it. 

Well, about here is where my computer failed to save what I had to say.  Which is lame.  So now I'm going to put the pictures back in and not say all the funny stuff I was going to end with.

So there you have it.  Phew, I got it out.  You were hoping for the political musings of one with savvy and know-how and grace and I'd say you got it!  Some direction for your political wanderings.  Your welcome!  Gosh, I think I'll do this again sometime!*      (*Disclaimer: Not likely).

Okay, if you leave a mean comment, I'm just going to delete it.  Or I'll repost it and get all Jon Stewart on you and make you look like a total fool! (Cause I'm just as clever as he is...so watch yo'self!)