When I was in 9th grade, our history class took a month to discover our political beliefs under the guidance of Mr. Kennedy (who would not tell us his own beliefs until the very last day of the school year but only with the promise that we would not tell the 8th graders who would follow us). We had debates. We wrote essays. We took political quizzes. All of this was to determine which party we belonged to. Are you a Democrat? Or are you a Republican? There are your options and you must know who you are.
I landed in the Republican side of things. There was only one other kid in class who was farther in than I was but it seemed like his reasons were based more on not liking anyone and not being interested in even helping his own family whereas I ranted like a lunatic about Social Security and what seemed like a crazy system (some things never change).
I stuck to my party ever since.
I voted in the 2000 election for George W. Bush but my little Republican dream was John McCain in the White House.
I voted in the 2004 election for George W. Bush – although for that I argued was a choice between inconsistency and incompetence. At least I voted for the man who was consistently incompetent. At the very least, smart people might be around him. I wasn’t happy but I took the options presented to me.
But I haven’t been happy with Bush for quite some time.
So as I wrote yesterday, I voted proudly for Bob Barr. I made a financial donation to his campaign. And for once, I didn’t feel like I had to sacrifice my beliefs for the options in front of me.
I also changed my Republican status to Libertarian. Next time, I’ll be a registered Libertarian.
It turns out there are third parties. You do have other options.
During the 2000 election, I had no idea third parties existed until I got to college. There I discovered the Green Party but every collegiate Green Party member I met appeared to be a ranting, paranoid whack job. It wasn’t exactly the best advertisement for third parties.
This time, I did my research. I learned. I explored again with the same enthusiasm I had in the 9th grade. I needed to do this.
My dissatisfaction motivated me forward. And for that, I want to thank George W. Bush. I truly believe Bush was the best thing that has happened to the United States of America.
Before you get mad, think about it. Yesterday I stood in a record breaking line at 6 in the morning because people were so dissatisfied that they had to do something. Yesterday morning, for the first time in my life, I stood in line at a polling station that wasn’t just filled with white people. Even people from the Fleetwing section of Bristol (which is known for being worse than Philly neighborhoods and is also an open air drug market) were there to vote. And while some of them scared me slightly, it was important to see that they were there. They never came before.
I wanted to be the first voter at my polling station yesterday morning but there was an African American family ahead of me. They never voted before – it seemed fitting to see them go before me.
As of six o’clock this morning, Barack Obama received over 62 million votes. And they are still counting. That’s more votes than received by any other president in US history.
It seems to me that maybe we all had to get really uncomfortable to be motivated. Bush broke our apathy. And we should thank him for that.
Megs said...
1We don’t know each other yet (I found you connected to Todd’s blog who my husband found when trying to figure out the craziness of living missionally and intentionally in our Mayberry of Mayberry’s down in the south), but you became my favorite person with this post
I am RIGHT ON with you about the 2004 election. I was studying abroad at the time and voted via absentee ballot for Bush while having everyone (literally everyone) around me telling me what an idiot I was for doing so. I, too, am thankful that our apathy is broken. I’m thankful that I cared enough to follow this election through, even though I had to follow 3 different media outlets to attempt to find what was true somewhere in the middle. I am thankful to have a President I care so much for that I haven’t ceased praying for him for the last 24 hours (I say that realizing I should have cared enough the past 24 years, too). I really care! I really love my country! It’s sick– I’ve totally bought in the system. Yes we did and yes we will continue to do by the Lord’s great grace!!
11/5/08 10:10 AM | Comment Link
Dorie said...
2@Megs – I am so glad you found my blog! More than anything else, we needed to be broken of our bad habits.
11/5/08 11:32 AM | Comment Link
Milena Thomas said...
3So nice to hear a thinker. Anyone blindly following a party – Rep or Dem – has to wake up.
11/5/08 12:03 PM | Comment Link
Ari Koinuma said...
4Dorie,
I’d have to agree with you, though it’s kinda like being grateful for contracting cancer that helped you get serious about your health.
A cancer can do that for you, or it can kill you. Or a car accident, or AIDS.
The catalyst matters less than our response. So I suppose we ought to congratulate ourselves for getting serious about politics in light of Bush.
I still wish it didn’t take 8 years, though.
ari
11/5/08 5:48 PM | Comment Link
Dorie said...
5@Milena – Any chance you’ll be voting third party next time around?
@Ari Koinuma – The 8 years part of our wake up call reminds me of the battered woman who keeps hoping that her man will change.
11/10/08 3:35 PM | Comment Link
Dorie Morgan’s Rising Up » Leave Your Politics Out Of Hunger » Navigating Twenty-Something Suburban Life said...
6[...] not a liberal by any account. I hate the idea of a huge federal government. I voted for Bob Barr. But I do care about my community. Brian and I give to several non-profits [...]
04/30/09 6:18 AM | Comment Link
bleeding hemorrhoids said...
7well i wont exactly agree with you. but each man has his own points a guess.you present a good argument.
04/18/10 1:34 AM | Comment Link