Wednesday, October 27, 2004

"Rip This Joint"

So I was cruising through my bookmarks, looking at sites I hadn't visited in awhile, and came across the Glen Phillips website. Glen's been one of my favorite musicians for several years now, both in his solo work and his stuff with Toad the Wet Sprocket.

Anyway, I noticed he'd updated his web diary thing (which he does about once every three or four months), and he was talking about politics. Everyone's talking about politics right now, and with good reason. I myself have stated on many occasions that I can't stand politics, and detest discussing them. But noticing Glen's diary entry, it got me thinking about something: of all the people I know, there are maybe a half dozen total who I know for positive are going to vote for Bush. The great majority of people I know or encounter on a daily basis seem to support Kerry, even here in Oklahoma.

It got me wondering, though. I mean, if so many people seem to be tired of Bush, and so many seem to support Kerry, then we should reasonably expect Kerry to win, right? I mean, there seems to be substantial support for him even in Oklahoma, a traditionally conservative state.

I really do hope Kerry wins. The idea of another four years of Bush frightens me in a way that politics has never frightened me before. I've always felt politics never really had that much of an effect on me, that I was always removed from the repercussions of political decisions. Part of this is because I'm a historian--I tend to study the politics of the past, the stuff that's already occurred, and the stuff that happened an ocean or two away. When you combine time and distance, politics lose some of their immediacy and impact, really.

But the stuff that's been happening bothers even me. I just don't trust Bush. I don't trust his "brand" of Christianity, if you will. I don't know where he got the idea that Crusades are what God wants (wait, no, I know exactly where that mentality comes from, and it hasn't been that popular since the Middle Ages. It was much more interesting throughout most of the modern era to fight and beat up on other Christians than it was to attack the infidel). The God I believe in is a peaceful, loving deity, a being a mercy and forgiveness, not one of retribution and violence. I don't know how anyone can equate Bush's actions with Christian principles, but somehow that's how he's managed to portray himself to the country. That saddens me, really. He's a man with very un-Christian attitudes and objectives, and he calls himself a man of God.

Anyway, the election occurs in less than a week. I worry about the what the results will be, but I also hope and pray that things will turn out for the best. That's the hallmark of a true optimist, albeit a cynical one--hope for the best, expect the worst, and prepare to react to whichever actually happens.

~chuck

Song of the Moment: John Mellencamp, "Wild Night"

5 comments:

Noise Monkey said...

Guess I'll "out" myself as a Bush supporter. I mean, Chuck and I have always had opposing views on a lot of stuff like this, so I know it doesn't surprise him.

I know there are a lot of reasons to not vote for Bush. I mean, when he decided to go to war in Iraq, I was against it. If you ask me now, I am still against the idea of being at war there. But then, if we left now, who knows what chaos would follow. I don't buy Kerry's plan for what will happen there. But that's really inconsequential.

I'd already decided who I was going to vote for by then, but during one of the debates Kerry said something that really summed up the reason I'm not voting for him. He said something to the effect that he had his beliefs and they were precious to him, but he couldn't allow them to influence his choices as the leader of our nation.

When I vote, I'm voting for the man AND his moral convictions. I want to know that popular opinion isn't going to be the sole reason he chooses an action. That could be because I believe the general populace is made up of a bunch of freakin' morons (...hmm...maybe democracy isn't the best thing, now that I think about it). It could be because I've seen on a small scale as well as a large scale what deciding things in a committee can do (and I hate it). Mostly, though it's because I want to know that when action needs to be taken (on any level...remember, I don't want to be at war now...or ever, really)that it will be before the Gallup Polls are in.

I know Bush is that kind of guy. He's been wrong on a lot of stuff, but he also believes in the things I believe in that I think are most important (and he acts on those beliefs).

One thing, though...he should never ever be allowed to just talk on his own...he always says something in the heat of the moment that makes me cringe...

Chuck Cottrell said...

I don't like Bush. I don't trust his "morals." I don't believe he has faith in the same God I do, if it comes down to it. Folks say he sticks to his principles, which I take to mean he doesn't know when to be flexible or maybe admit that he made a mistake. Maybe Kerry can't be trusted. Maybe he is a guy who changes his mind to suit the political climate. Maybe we shouldn't trust him any further than we can throw him. But y'know, I feel that way about most the presidents we've had since Eisenhower, so I really don't see how Kerry is any different.

Mostly, though, I just want to send these two morons back and get a couple of candidates who're worth something. I'd have liked General Clark to run--a man of integrity, courage, and wisdom, and someone thus obviously unsuitable to public office.

Meh. Call me after next Tuesday.

Noise Monkey said...

For me, I'd rather a man who lets his beliefs and morals guide him (even when I often find myself opposed to them) than a guy who blows with the wind.


On a side note, I can't believe I'm even voting this time...

Chuck Cottrell said...

Mostly I just wish we could send these two guys back and get a new set of candidates who're worth something.

Noise Monkey said...

That's pretty much the reason I didn't vote last go 'round...