Time to break the radio silence.
By special request, a Facebook status I posted earlier today in reference to the American Presidential election, which concluded yesterday, is here in blog form, ready to be shared:
So everyone is complaining about people’s reaction to the elections and pleading for people to stop posting about politics, but since I’ve kept relatively quiet during the election season, I apologetically use this moment to share my 2 cents:
Just like 2 parents can love the same child but have different thoughts on the best way to raise that child, the two men who ran for President of the United States this year have two different ideas about the best path for the future of our country–and both love our nation, as both parents love the child. So please, don’t consider one more or less American or patriotic than the other, and the same holds true for their followers/voters.
Now if YOU have a solution about the economy, jobs, the debt, foreign policy or any other area that you feel like the winner of yesterday’s election cannot accomplish, than your civic duty is NOT OVER. Voting IS NOT ENOUGH. If you have a solution or an idea, you need to WRITE to your local representatives and demand the change you want to see! We all want to see change, but we need to be the force that drives the change. Please, do not sit back and rejoice that the guy you voted for won, and think you don’t need to be involved in moving the country forward. Conversely, do not sit back and complain that the guy you voted for lost, and think the next four years are also lost.
I, personally, put the rights of my fellow Americans first and foremost when I make the choice to vote, because the United States were founded by people (immigrants) who wanted equality and were trying to escape oppression. If and when these items get resolved to the point where everyone is equal under American law, you will very likely see me give my vote go to the other side of the aisle. But until we can move forward in the direction of equality for ALL citizens of my country, I will continue to vote this way. And my work is not over. I will not just cast my vote and kick my feet up. There is more to be done, and I intend to participate… even from France.
The president is one man. The government is comprised of a tiny percentage of our population. WE are the people of the United States of America. We can, and NEED to, be the change.
