It’s election day here in the U.S. I’m pretty sure that doesn’t come as much of surprise to anyone out there, even on the other side of the world. Yes, we are embroiled in a genuine flap here in the Home of the Brave. It’s Bush v. Kerry in a battle to the death.
I’m just glad that it’s almost over. The ads are off my TV, my mailbox will stop filling up with propaganda and my phone will quit ringing six (no, I’m not exaggerating) times a day from political parties trying to sway my vote. Just tell me who won and leave me the fuck alone – preferrably before my Thanksgiving leftovers start turning unnatural shades of green.
The really interesting part is how personally some people are taking this. If you voice a dissenting opinion about their candidate, they look at you as if you just told them their baby is ugly. People, relax. One person I know has been genuinely stressed over every little snippet of news against her favored candidate today. Stressed. The kind of stress that one normally reserves for events such as getting laid off and realizing you’ve only got one month’s worth of payments in the bank. Stressed.
I can’t wrap my brain around that. Yes I know that the election of the leader of the Free World is important. But here’s the thing: past the point where I go to my polling place and cast my vote, it’s out of my hands. Anything that is that far out of my hands isn’t worth my worry.
I have friends who love to discuss politics to the point of argument. I am not one of these people. My theory is that I refuse to fight with my friends about shit I cannot possibly control. It’s like arguing about the weather. Exactly what will all this discussion accomplish? Nothing. The leaders in Washington are going to do whatever they fuck they feel like doing, regardless of my feelings. The sun will shine and the rain will fall, no matter what my plans are for the weekend. It’s all pointless, so why bother getting all lathered up about it?
Afterall, this is a government who printed “I have voted – have you?” on my ballot. Yes, on the ballot. The thing you only see when you are in the very act of voting. Does it get any less logical than that?