How I am "getting over it"

[Bucky]

After a week, I'm ready to get over it. I still don't trust that he won fair and square. I can't know that he didn't. But whatever I belive, one way or the other, what I need to do doesn't change. I've talked with different people and I'm working on a couple of different things to organize my response to the world I find myself in.

There's worse things than losing an election. Having this sort of government--or rather having this sort of administration running my government, is not the world. That kid who killed himself at Ground Zero in New York this weekend finally answered my unasked question about whether there was anything stupider than saying you'll run away to Canada because of this one election and this election alone.

My heart pours out to him and his family. But his response to the present adversity is simply the wrong response. Obviously the man had other concerns and simply allowed the shock of this week's news to be the reason he chose to let go of it all. That's a very sad choice. Even if there were other factors there we don't know about--chemical, psychological, familial, cognitive--other things that contributed to him making that last defiance, he made a choice about who he was by how he responded to the world's bad news.

You don't usually pick your challenges in life. How you respond to the obstacles that life gives you, however, is entirely how you go about deciding who you are. Are you a fighter, a yielder, a runner, or an immoveable object? Are you a leader, a follower, an organizer, or a kvetcher? Are you violent, submissive, angry, optimistic, subversive, sarcastic? Are you philosophically attached to the process of democracy? Are you depressed? what course of action do you choose in response to this adversity, this challenge?

This past week I've volunteered at my local Pacifica station, I've encouraged some of my students to do so as well. I've continued to follow the news and stay up on events so that I'm as ready as any citizen to persuade someone when the subjects of war and peace come up. I've started to kick a bad habit. I've arranged a get together with some local Democrats. We're going to get organized. I've signed on with two different Democratic groups online. I'm going to keep up with my blog to keep my thoughts organized and my events tracked.

But just as importantly, I'm gonna go canoeing next weekend. I called an old friend to get together for a beer next week. I've talked with my daughter about every weird subject that pops into a 14 year old's head. I went to church today. I'm going to go to an art opening on Friday. I'm sponsoring the students' year book at school. I'm establishing a reading schedule again. I'm visiting my grandma in Oklahoma City this Thanksgiving. I'm living my life out of joy and gratitude this month. My goals include doing so next month as well.

This is how I respond to my adversity--a president I distrust, a war I oppose, a world I cannot control. I live my life as best I can and I do whatever thing I think is right at each moment. I have faith. I love people. I remember everything. I move on.

(Good gravy, did I just write a credo?)

[havocmom]

1. Why, yes you did write a credo

and a damned fine job you did of it too!
:toast: & :yourock:

[tedoll78]

2. I want to move on.

There's a tiny part of me hoping that BBV goes somewhere. That the provisional recount narrows the margin, and that further examination of the Ohio vote tallies makes-up the rest. But deep down inside, I strongly suspect (know?) that it'll go nowhere. That 2004 is done for the history books.

I went to bed this morning feeling a bit better about things.
Winning on the state level made me feel a bit better.
The voter index shifting in our direction made me feel a bit better.
Looking at vulnerable 2006 GOP Senators made me feel a bit better.
Arlen Specter, oddly enough, made me feel a bit better.
And thinking about a good 2008 candidate made me feel a bit better.

But then I woke-up at noon. Tons of negativity here, and rightfully so. The gay marriage amendment resurrection didn't surprise me. Focus on the Family didn't surprise me. National sales taxes, social security gutted, a marine assault on Fallujah, evolution in Wisconsin.. etc etc etc. It all piled-onto me this morning.

So I'm a yo-yo right now. I might need to follow your moves, get involved a bit, live life a bit.. hmm..

[annabanana]

9. BBV may not be a magic bullet to fix this current mess....

But we HAVE to pursue it if we have ANY interest in preserving even the IDEA of what we grew up thinking America is or could be. If you don't believe in the concept of Democracy, or a Republic..then it doesn't matter.

The world has DONE fascism, and it always ends badly. What we haven't seen is a sustained state with Government of, by and for the people. This was OUR job, and I'm not quite ready to throw in the towel, thanks.

[Bucky]

11. They wouldn't steal the election if the recount wasn't covered too

No, sadly 2004 is a gonner. We live in an age of empire and we are dissidents to the imperial order. That is our lot in life. I'll embrace that. We are--and this one kills me--less than a democracy. I love this country and the liberty it provides. I still think our example, viewed over all our history, is a noble one that the world's peoples should learn from.

But, even if the vote was clean, our democracy is not as pure or as intact as it used to be. Television, materialism, partisanship, hubris, arrogance are all taking their toll on the measure of our best selves. But the greatest cause of our corrupting our democracy is the growth in wilful ignorance.

If you read the notes on the US Constitutional Convention of 1787, you'll see the greatest threat to republicanism feared by the Framers was the eventual rise of the demogogues. The Founders believed that eventually rabble rousers would arise in our political order and mislead the people for the purpose of gaining power. Jefferson's proposed cure for that illness was to keep the people educated.

And yet from time to time demogogues have arisen in this country and misled the people. They have come from the left as well as the right. One liberal president, Andy Jackson, ensured the complete destruction of the "civilized tribes" by overuling the Supreme Court and giving over Creek, Cherokee, and Choctaw lands to the whites who coveted it. The conservative Warren Harding one the right brought a mob of lawbreakers to rule the White House under the guise of returning the nation to "normalcy."

The lesson is that history is full of demogogues who have corrupted the state--and yet the Republic survived. It did not survive of its own accord, but because groups of citizens came to understand their system of government better, dissented from the corrupt order, and eventually brought about a more sensible polity.

Injustice persists. We who believe in justice must persist as well. Those who hearts are frail may scatter to Canada. But I will remain because this is where I can make a difference.

[sugargoose]

3. Here's why you don't get it

"unasked question about whether there was anything stupider than saying you'll run away to Canada because of this one election and this election alone."


It's NOT about this election alone.
It's about the 2000 election, and 2002.
It's about no WMD.
It's about suspicious exit polling.
It's about roughly 50% of America supporting someone who can't admit a mistake.
It's about the license to hate another group of people that's inherent in the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.
It's about all the connected dots between this govt, big business, oil, and the Saudi's.
The list goes on and on.

On the one hand, I think your pro-active approach is to be commended, and we all should focus on things we can control.

On the other hand, your trivializing this down to one election is wrong. Many of us held out against our guts in the hopes that this one election would prove to us that our world was fair and made sense.

Losing it means one of two things:
1. Election fraud
or
2. People who care more about hating gays than their neighbors fighting and dying in Iraq (among other things)

Which of these paints a prettier picture for our future?
Please don't trivialize our mourning for America.

[Bucky]

12. Thanks for the lecture, but I don't think you understood my points

It's NOT about this election alone. It's about the 2000 election, and 2002.

I agree. My point was the kid was messed up to kill himself over one election. And I mean "messed up" in the most charitable of ways. I'm sure he had other issues and was suffering greatly. I've been suicidal in my past and greatly sympathize with him. But to either terminate your life or terminate your American citizenship because you are in the minority party is not rational. It means you have to work harder.

But democracy always means work harder. Not controlling the government does not make you powerless. But running away does.


It's about suspicious exit polling.

I've worked in market research for nearly 10 years. I can think of at least a half dozen reasons why there's a difference between exit polls and final tallies. I don't fully trust the results from Tuesday, but I don't fully trust the exit polls either.

My point is and remains that, no matter what the truth is, my job doesn't change. What I, as an American, must do these next four years, is the same no matter who is president. I must be involved, I must go out and fight, I must organize and protest and raise holy hell on the bastards.


It's about roughly 50% of America supporting someone who can't admit a mistake.

I think you're overestimating Ralph's support.


It's about the license to hate another group of people that's inherent in the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.
It's about all the connected dots between this govt, big business, oil, and the Saudi's.
The list goes on and on.

So does the fight, my friend.

[knowbody0]

4. methinks a manifesto

you are right. gotta get up and move on. more aware, that's for sure.
in a Gandhi way i also walk on. i have been "resisting" since the nixon era, and having our hero from then appear today was surreal for many of us. i am weeping woman one more time, the fraud of the election leaves me with a knowing that the powers that be will stop at nothing to gain control of this planet.

[sugargoose]

5. did someone appear today?

what do you mean about our hero from then? is it a metaphor or did I miss something big?

[knowbody0]

7. kerry in the 70's...kerry in 2004

(guess maybe you had to be there) it was hopeless back then, up to 300 body bags per week. protesters were called communists. he was awesome

[sugargoose]

10. He really is a Hero

I was just little back then but I did watch "Going Upriver" and could instantly see how precious a soul Kerry has always been.

I really believe he would have made a true difference as our president. He seems destined to courageously take on impossible tasks...I wish I could fast forward 50 years and see what people think, looking back.

[sandnsea]

6. Just another election

Yep, it's just another election. We didn't stick it to the Republicans. We didn't get our revenge. Oh well. Back to my comfy little life, and how's that stock portfolio doing, what's on at the movies, pizza or chinese, Target or Walmart.

Afghanistan? AIDS in Africa? Susie can't see a doctor? *sigh* It's all such a shame.

Damn, I need to go get a six-pack before the game.

[Bucky]

13. I won't take your sarcasm personally

I would like to note, however, that you don't know me or anything about my "comfy little life." But I have enough worries on my plate that I will not deny myself what is enjoyable in life because there are assholes running the world. If I don't start everything with gratitude, I might obsess on the evils of the world, and then I would risk burning out.

And in direct answer to your question--it's Target, not Walmart.

[tommcintyre]

8. Action=good therapy: EVOTING FRAUD RESOURCE CENTER

I've been working on this 18 hours a day since 11-3, and will continue to do so until the cheats are exposed.

http://www.independentmediasource.com/evotingfraud.htm


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