On Being Oblivious
I feel kind of guilty when I see all the Veteran's Day posts thanking everybody who's ever fought and defended our country. It's not that I'm not grateful-- I am-- but I have no close family or friends who have served or are serving, so I guess it's not really personal gratitude. Still, our soldiers have made lots of sacrifices I don't understand (and hopefully never have to) so that I could be a kinda grateful but mostly oblivious person who is free to go shopping on Veteran's Day.
Speaking of how oblivious I can be, I kind of had a political wake-up call when I was in Mississippi. Like much of the country (judging by the midterm elections), I was getting increasingly frustrated with my politicians. Though I was not at all surprised by Pres. Obama's and Nancy Pelosi's particular priorities, I was rather taken aback by their utter unconcern for public opinion. (Does anybody else remember Ms. Pelosi's asinine statement about them having to pass the health care bill so we could find out what was in the bill? Yeah, to say that many of us were appalled was an understatement.) Anyway, seeing how I am mostly surrounded by people whose political views range from moderate to quite right-wing, I had gotten pretty used to people rolling their eyes when the president came up or maybe even spitting in fury at the mention of his name.
The Deep Black South is another thing.
My first clue that I wasn't in Kansas anymore came at Grandma's house. She had taken a full spread magazine picture of the whole Obama family and put it up on her wall, crowding aside all her pictures of her family members to make room for it. Then, she took an 8x10 head shot of Obama, put it in a nice frame, and put it on display on her end table. When Terence jokingly asked when Obama had become part of the family, his grandma retorted that of course he's part of the family, couldn't Terence see the color of his skin?
Well, I reasoned, Grandma is a product of a different age. For one, she's not at all politically current-- she has told us before that she will forever and ever vote Democrat in gratitude to Kennedy. (Besides, she insisted, only Democrats care about black folks.)
You may consider me naive, but even with this clue at Grandma's house, I was unprepared to find Obama gracing the walls of just about every home I visited. They had quotes comparing him to Lincoln, and titles that said things like "Birth of a Nation" with his profile underneath. It showed a level of devotion to a president quite unlike anything I've ever experienced before, and I can't even relate. If Mitt Romney ran for president and won, becoming the first Mormon president, would I put pictures of him all over my house? I think not. Would I automatically approve of everything and anything he chose to do? Definitely not.
Obviously, having the first (kind of) black president means something far more to Terence's family than just politics. It's like he's a prophet or something-- because, yes, I would put up a picture of Thomas S. Monson if he got elected president.
I find it kind of unsettling, if truth be told. But I can't exactly put my finger on why I feel that way. Any thoughts?
Comments
always voting straight for one party no matter whether you know what they really believe is ridiculous. and i also hate when people try to make it seem like you have to be a republican to be a "true mormon". i don't buy into obama being satan. he has kids and a family that he loves and wants them to have a good future just like everyone else. he is not evil.
obviously a person is going to feel so strongly against the other party if they only listen to one side! it drives me nuts when people (of either party) are so close minded that they can't see fault in anyone in their party.
ok anyway, my whole point is that it is important to do research (including listening to BOTH sides), and making informed decisions. not just worshiping a president because he is black, or white or because he is republican or demorat or because you heard rumors that he is muslim and wants to ruin our country.
I just can't understand someone living in America and not being proud to live here and have the freedoms that we have here opposed to other countries. If you don't like it here move.
I feel like he is trying to break our country and so far doing a good job of it.
Joseph Smith said, ‘The time will come when the destiny of this nation will hang upon a single thread. At that critical juncture, this people will step forth and save it from the threatened destruction.’ It will be so.”
I think this time is coming soon and we need to be ready to fight for what we believe.
I hope that all makes sense. I have such a hard time expressing myself.
I'm really scared for my kids when it's okay for people to run campaigns based solely on what's wrong with the other guy and funded by large corporations wanting someone who will get in and do them a bunch of favors. We are moving from a nation of, by and for the people to one of, by and for the corporations.
Anyone else praying that the second coming arrives sooner than later?!
But I am sick of the mud slinging on both sides. I wish I could be as passionate about one candiate or side, but I see good and bad in both. I agree with Ashlie a lot.
Mostly I think this country could use a few less political reporters/pundits/radio talk show hosts, and a few more volunters. I don't know who to believe anymore.