I have been trying to stay out of the political fray. I am an unenrolled voter and usually get antsy-in-my-pantsy when the Primary rolls around and I must choose one ticket over the other. I have a long history of veering from the two-party system because I personally don’t believe in it.
Please re-read that; I support people and candidates and voters and the concept, but I don’t support the system.
There are many things I don’t understand.
I don’t understand how the violence on either side can be condoned. I don’t understand how Ginsberg broke the glass ceiling but O’Connor didn’t. I don’t understand why Trump is a criminal but H. Clinton walks free. I don’t understand why Democrats only recognize Democrats’ accomplishments and Republicans only recognize Republicans’ accomplishments. I don’t understand why anyone gives a damn who stands and who doesn’t for the pledge or the national anthem.
By the way, I don’t think poorly of you if you fail to put your hand over your heart during the playing of “Taps” nor if you refrain from standing for Handel’s “Hallelujah” chorus, but you damn well better not judge me for following these formalities as I so please.
There are so many other things that I just don’t understand and, quite frankly, I am weary of arguing about them, hearing about them, and reading about them. Think as you please! Speak as you please! It’s your right. I just want you to know (in case you remotely consider starting such a conversation on this post) that I’m not engaging in it because I don’t believe there are only two colors in the Crayola box on any issue.
Here is what does get my goat.
The other day during a relatively civil political discussion on a friend’s social media post, someone I know personally and grew up with actually told several people I also know and grew up with to SHUT UP. Yes, you read that correctly. He cyber-yelled at several people he’s known most of his life: SHUT UP.
I had no intention of posting anything at all because, with my indecisive and fluid opinions, I had nothing to contribute to either side. However, anyone who knows me well will understand that my fingers have minds of their own. I did respond, and my response was typical teacher: “What are you … 3? Grow a set and apologize.”
You see, this is exactly why I cannot be trusted to weigh in on anything. It’s exactly why I left the journalism program in college. It’s exactly why I have a very tiny circle of friends and a very large circle of acquaintances. I have low tolerance for tunnel-vision of any kind. I understand that your idea of partly cloudy is my idea of party sunny. I understand that your sadness of a movie being half over is my excitement of there still being half of the movie left to enjoy. I understand that your pessimism is completely and totally freaked out by my optimism.
But I’ll be goddamned dead before I listen to, give air-time to, or speak with anyone who lacks the civility and social graces it takes to be an adult, and who tells someone else to SHUT UP because that other person has an idea or an opinion.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I had a hot mic recently and under my breath (but through the mic) may have suggested that someone “shut up,” but, to be fair, that person constantly comes to meetings she has no business being at and does nothing but criticize all of us with impunity. I’ll bet there are ten people from those meetings who would pay me to say it again with more gusto. However, I really did regret that my mic was hot, and I am relieved to admit I was far enough away from said mic that no one caught it. I did, though. I did.
In the political dialogue, or in any dialogue, for that matter, don’t ever say “SHUT UP” to shut down the conversation unless you truly have a leg to stand on and are willing to listen and educate both your audience and yourself as necessary. Don’t ever think your words won’t affect others or reflect back on yourself. You will just prove yourself to be an asshole.
For once I can actually THANK politics for providing me a platform in which I can believe.
