I'm still pissed off about the 2 party system - Don't Think About It...

“Don’t think about it,” is my mantra these days. Let’s see… am I worried about the fact that two presidential candidates from two popular and powerful parties (the stubborn donkey’s and slow moving elephants) debated two nights ago on network television to millions of viewers without the voice of other legitimate candidates for president? Yes…

Where were the legitimate candidates like Ralph Nader, Ron Paul, and Cynthia McKinney? Are we getting a “fair and balanced” presentation of who is running for the president of the United States, or are we complacently satisfied with what the “media” provides?

Here’s what the media provides: Two grown men trying to outdo each other through superficial “strategy”/”tactics” and what’s written on their bracelets, Two grown men calling each other liars (for lack of a more accurate word) and presenting themselves as more patriotic than the other, Two grown men trembling from the “rock-star” status expectations placed on them by 99% of the media, Two grown men wanting to win for winning’s sake, and not realizing that they are more similar than they care to admit, Two grown men spending too much money on their image and popularity (with no attention to authentic integrity), Two grown men closing the door to democracy by not openly inviting other legitimate candidates into the debate setting. Oh, and here’s why Nader, McKinney, and Paul are legitimate in the eyes of Obama and McCain – there seems to be a lot of money and effort going into winning the votes of the alternative candidates. If they weren’t legitimate there would be no need to invest in stealing those independent minded constituents.

“Don’t think about it,” there, I had to say it. How could I embrace such a blatant form of denial? “We’re talking about choosing a leader for our “great” nation.” (How dare I)... Well, the whole thing is just too big for me to obsess about, and I care so deeply that it would be easy for me to become super obsessed. I don’t want to bring my three and six-year-olds down by explaining to them that daddy’s in a bad mood because two grown men are at war with each over winning what they think to be the big prize – the prize of being written down in history as a powerful leader but not a responsible manager. I try to stay away from discussions involving the explanation of ego with my little girls because they laugh at me and call me silly. I hate being called silly when I’m venting to my kids. So, if I can’t vent about it with my offspring than I’m not going to think about it.

This doesn’t mean that I won’t pray about it though…

I pray for fairness through OPENNING THE DEBATES, so that all USA Citizens can be represented by his and her candidates in the forum of preparing for the election of a president… (and help us not to become close minded fundamentalists with our agendas and beliefs)

-amen-

photo taken by Kurt Bauer (2008) - Mercury Cafe - Denver