This is the longest I’ve gone without writing a blog since I started writing blogs on April 10, 2006. It is becoming clear to me why I haven’t been able to write anything. There is so much going on in my head and around me, that my thoughts are distracted. Everywhere I look, the world and life seems to be out of balance. Personal situations with family and business, as well as national and world situations (such as the economy and the Presidential Election coming up November 4th) – all have my head spinning. Everywhere I look it seems to me that there are people who have no problem saying as “fact”, what they want others to believe – regardless of the truth. I’ve always thought people were generally good and kind with some level of compassion. Now, I’m seeing such extreme circumstances that I’m not sure everyone has these qualities. I’m feeling much anger and despair at the whole situation, and realize that I need to get this all out, so I can move past it.
Without going into my personal life situations, one can see it in the elections. They are a prime example of what I see around me (both personally and in the world) – people trying to get what they want at any cost. I’ve been following the candidates from the beginning, have watched ALL the debates, and have been more informed politically than I’ve ever been in my entire life. I’m appalled and disheartened at many of the things i’ve seen and heard. Originally not a Barack Obama supporter, I have come to fully support him and his campaign with Joe Biden. I think he genuinely wants to clean up America, bring change, and make it a better place for everyone. I don’t think John McCain and Sarah Palin are looking out for everyone. I am astounded at the things John McCain and his campaign are saying. He just keeps saying things that are not true, over and over again – I suppose, so that the uninformed person will believe him. One example is that he keeps saying Obama will raise taxes for the middle class. Obama said clearly in all three debates that he will be raising taxes only for those making $250,000 or more a year – approximately 5% to 10% of the population. Obama’s plan was clear to me in the first debate – the first time he said it. But McCain keeps saying Obama is raising everyone’s taxes – even those of “Joe the Plumber” – which Obama specifically addressed in the last debate as being false. McCain has even tried to blame Obama for the economic crisis!?! That doesn’t make any sense! And I don’t understand the appeal of Sarah Palin. She may be a decent person, and mom, and wife, and possibly governor (not sure about that – given her being found guilty of abuse of power). I understand the appeal of her being “one of us”. But I personally wouldn’t want “one of us” (me included) to be running the country. I believe people running the country should know a heck of a lot more than I do about foreign policy and all national issues. And they should want to fight for people of all walks of life (including all religions, races, and sexual orientations). And from everything I’ve seen from Sarah, that doesn’t seem to be the case. I’m all in favor of soccer moms (my sister is one!), but I don’t want a soccer mom running the country. I find it revealing that McCain was gong on and on about Obama’s lack of experience in the beginning of the election, and then chooses Sarah Palin as his running mate. Sarah Palin has much less experience than Barak Obama. That makes me realize that McCain doesn’t really care about the “experience” issue, and just said that to make himself look better in the polls. If he truly thought experience was such an important factor (as he stated early on), he never would have chose Palin as his running mate. McCain isn’t the only one with conflicting things going on. Even Sarah Palin, says things that conflict with facts. She said in an interview (just yesterday I think) that she is against the “robo-calls” being made by her party, yet she is the voice on one of them! It doesn’t make any sense. It seems these people will say anything they think they need to say to to win the election.
One of the saddest things I saw, was a video of people being interviewed at a Palin rally. In the video, they interviewed several people (all white from a small town in Ohio). In the video, many said that Obama is related to a terrorist (which isn’t true if you research the facts)! One said he was a Muslim (he is Christian) and that we are forgetting 9/11. What?? Several said he hates white people, and one elderly woman said, “I’m afraid that if Obama wins, the blacks will take over. He’s not a Christian! This is a Christian nation!!” That is wrong on so many counts – not to mention being racist. I think we all need to be reminded that America is NOT a Christian nation. It is a melting pot of people from all walks of life: Christians, Jews, Catholics, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Atheists, and people with MANY other religions and beliefs. America is a country with separation of Church and state. And somehow in the past decade or so, religious fundamentalists seem to want the entire country to be run with their beliefs. This has led to an additional part of the election here in California – Proposition 8. Not even a year ago, it became legal for gays and lesbians to marry in the state of California. Now we are all voting on that issue again. Some religious groups want to change the state constitution to take away that right and make it illegal for gays and lesbians to marry – and they have poured millions of dollars (as have many out of state groups) into advertising. There are so many ads on TV here in California that it is crazy. One of the ads in support of Prop 8 (to ban gay marriage) states that churches will lose their tax exempt status if gay marriage is legal. That doesn’t even make any sense. And remind me, but aren’t gay people paying taxes? I’m assuming that most gay people don’t have children – yet they pay taxes which includes money for schools and other government programs that many straight people benefit from. Shouldn’t they have the same rights as all other Americans? I thought this was the land of the free and equal?? Homosexuality has been around (in humans, animals, reptiles, fish, etc…) since the beginning of time whether you like it or not. Why is there so much energy, and money, and time spent to squelch people that don’t share our same beliefs?? We’ve lost the big picture – that we are all share this planet together. We all are different, and valid, and equally important in this world. We all share the same air and earth… but then again, don’t get me started on the environment!! Our priorities are so screwed up! And we better act fast, or global warming will be the end of our civilization. I truly think the worst invention in man’s history was money. It truly is the root of all evil. (I know I’m on a rampage, but this world is currently so out of control!!)
I have a friend that says he isn’t going to vote. When I asked him why not, he basically said that he didn’t think it would make any difference. I know that feeling all too well, but it really isn’t true. Think of a small pebble being thrown into a lake. It may sink to the bottom of the lake, and not know its effects, but it caused ripples in every direction on the lake’s surface. I tend to think we are all like that. We all affect each other in ways we have no idea about. So please – EVERYONE – go out and vote!!!! it is one of your ways to make ripples in this world. Imagine if every single person in the country voted. We would know EXACTLY where the people of this country stood on issues. I think the world has lost perspective of the big picture, and things are so out of balance. We are so out of touch with humanity, and kindness, and love, and compassion for your fellow man and woman. It seems that our worst qualities – greed, hate, selfishness (the worst version), gossip, racism, homophobia, dishonesty, and so on, are running rampant. I suppose they’ve been hiding there all along, and are now com ing up to the surface. If that’s the case, I think it is a good thing. Brutal but good. We need a dose of honesty these days.
OK…Deep breath…
I needed to get all that out.
Hopefully, I can get myself back “on track” and move forward. Career-wise: I’ve been writing a one-man-show based on my music. It has been a bit of a struggle, but I’m getting there! Hopefully “unloading” the emotions of this blog will help clear my head so I can keep going with more focus. I’m also doing my best to get a music video in the works. Stay posted for more news on that. If you are planning on buying “Ready”, and haven’t yet – now is a great time! I’d love the support!!!
Thanks for putting up with my ranting.
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