OK, so I get it... there are no good choices in politics. No difference between the parties... they're all crooked or on the take, or at least with such questionable values as to easily negotiate them away. I know that elections in the United States are a sham. I know that most of the people who were voted out probably didn't play well with the big boys. I get that.
I also get that the worse it gets "out there", the faster ascension will come. I get that there are lessons in releasing attachments to outcomes. I know that acceptance of what is, is the way to peace and higher consciousness.
So why does this feel so bad? Why does it feel like we've just made the mistake of allowing anger and fear and hatred - fueled by unlimited cash, to win out over compassion and love? Why does it feel like most of America lost yesterday. One of the only local politicians that I just knew was a good and kind man was voted out so that a wild-eyed radical tea party she-devil could put our local congressional district in ruins. I'm heart broken and stunned at the electorate. I assumed he would win in a landslide as he had in the last 2 elections.
I know that there are probably plenty of you that don't agree with me. So how about this more general question... How do you continue to act enlightened when you feel like you've been kicked in the solar plexis?
I hope everyone else is doing a LOT better than me today.
Lots of love,
Kathy
all I can think of is yoda in star wars 3, when order 66 is given, and all the jedi s are being slaughtered by their own army,,Yoda almost collapses from the disruptance in the force,,he can feel all the pain across the galaxy..I have no pity for any politician, especially those in washington who spent 10 months figuring out why we couldn t have a health care plan that works, like France s, then did nothing else since then except raise money for their campaigns. The same people run both sides, which is why there are only two major parties. It is all to make us feel like we have a choice. It is emotional this time, as the whole world got behind Obama, as inside everyone knows change is coming, and he sure talked about it alot. Unfortunately, people still look to someone else to bring the change, when the change has to take place inside us. Anyone in a leadership role who tries to initiate the kind of change we need, will at the very least be labeled a socialist,as Obama has, and he hasn t even suggested anything radical..I now believe he is a great lesson for us all, and hopefully will help us all realize that it is us we have been waiting for..I hope you feel a little better tomorrow, and that your local civil servant finds a place where he can make a difference, outside of the "waste of time" we call politics,,,T
Hi Kathy,
I feel awful too because it's the first major election day since I was 18 that I didn't vote. I've been generally avoiding politics and even the local news lately so I didn't dare try to cast an uninformed vote so I just didn't go. I'm very down in the dumps about the state of our nation lately - it feels like I dropped out of the game and everyone else is still in there, having fun (in a kind of angry, bent out of shape way).
I guess for me, I just decided that it is time to fully recognize the issues and stop putting my stamp of approval on the system by engaging with it. This part does feel right to me, like Gandi's non-cooperation. I have to believe that this is the beginning of the change I want to see. I'm hoping that like winter, this period of completely disfunctional government will soon pass.
Besides the hoping, I'm more active in my local church, recognizing the importance of building local community as a possible foundation for a new beginning in a more locally controlled, functional society. I hope you will feel better once you decide what action to take - that's usually when I can feel better about something that's bothering me.
Hope you feel better soon.
Wendy
Wendy, you made a valid choice. Some people just don't vote because they don't want to legitimize the farce of "free" elections or the entire corrupt system designed to enrich the super-rich and control everyone else. That's close to an anarchistic position, and it's where my heart lies, politically. I voted but I could very easily not have. But not one of my little black ovals went in either the Democrat or Republican lines -- just the "third" parties, in order to strengthen them.
Thanks Bob-
I particularly felt bad about not going to vote for a local green party candidate that many of the people at church are advocating. I've also lately been voting for 3rd party candidates with the exception of some local town officials that I know personally.
I also feel bad about not voting for my local congressional seat. It is currently held by a democrat who has refused to even acknowledge my letters ever since I sent him a large informational package about 9/11 (including the very handy 2 page 9/11 summary at want to know.info). He also really disparaged me at a large public ACLU meeting where I questioned him about the validity of the 9/11 commission findings. Before and since then he has run unopposed. The republicans finally came up with a contender who has had a personal bankruptcy and is your typical republican war-monger. There was another republican running in the primaries who had at least a bit of promise but somehow the war-monger won. I guess this was the straw that broke the camels back and I decided to just stay home this year.
Wendy