I Care So Much That I Couldn't Possibly Care Any Less.

Mopping my floor last night (finally - man, it was like living in a gravel pit), I had the Democratic National Convention on in the background.  It was hard not to, actually, since it hijacked every channel. 

And - aside from the fact that it was historic: our first official African-American presidential nominee - it was like... this modern day Greek drama.  The savior - or deus ex machina - appearing from afar, promising to set right the wrongs of those who would do us harm, and the chorus repeating the words of this and other gods over and over:

CANDITATUS DEMOCRATUS:  I am the change.
CHORUS:  We need change.
CANDITATUS DEMOCRATUS:  I am the hope.
CHORUS:  We need hope. 
CANDITATUS DEMOCRATUS:  I am the change and the hope.
CHORUS:  Change and hope!

(Perhaps the vomitoriums really were for retching, after all.)

I'm not saying we don't need those things - because I feel WE DO, badly - I'm just saying that I'm an adult with a functioning brain who gets a little resentful and indignant when I feel like people are trying to manipulate my thoughts and feelings.  I don't want propaganda - with speech writers counting how many times they need to use "buzzwords" like "family" and "values" and "America" in order for viewers to "get it" without becoming immune to their meaning - I just want to know where the candidates stand on certain issues.  That's all.  Because (and no offense here to anyone) winning this election should be like firebombing universally unwanted and naturally self-destructing fish trapped in a barrel of their own stupidity.

I also want these candidates-cum-tragic-players to state their opinions and platforms without the finger-pointing and never-ending spiral of verbal revenge and oneupmanship (from both sides).  So what if your opponent said something about you or your campaign - no one ate your children, or set you on a course to marry your own mother, or impregnated your daughter via a magic rain... so, let it go, boys.  Just stick to telling us about you and your ideas.

And what bothers me most is - even though I DO CARE - I am too exhausted to care any more.  I remember years ago hearing someone say that, truly, in the end it never really makes a difference who is in charge... and at this point... I'm staring to believe it.

We do need hope and we definitely need change.  Let's start off by changing the way we handle our politics - favoring less pomp for greater substance, and offering or recognizing more than just two (sometimes three) choices.  People are trying.  And I hope the change happens.

Don't forget to vote this November (you can now register online).

--Susan Atwood

Comments

[Justine]

I watched some of the DNC. Then later on, channel-surfing and came across one of my favorites, "Primary Colors." I love this movie.