I have a confession to make. In 2008 I was an Obama supporter.
WAIT! Don’t stop reading now. There is more to the story.
Like many Americans in 2008, I was ready to elect a black man to the Office of the Presidency. Like many, I had hoped that by doing so, it would finally put an end to racism in this country. I know that racism is a dying concept in this country, but I was anxious to see it come to an end in my lifetime. I did not realize at the time his election would only fuel racism to levels I had never seen in my lifetime. Granted, it is reverse racism, but it is racism none-the-less.
I was raised in a multi-racial family. So, to me, racism is not something I can truly comprehend. I have an intellectual understanding of it but I just cannot seem to wrap my mind around it. It just doesn't make sense. What it comes down to is this; we are all shades of brown. I am a very light shade of brown commonly referred to as white. In my family we have many shades of brown ranging from my shade to the shade referred to as yellow, to the one called red, to the one named black. But in the end, they are all just varying shades of brown. And that is how I have always seen it. We are all brown.
I have personally experienced the result of racism due to the make up of my family. There are those who like me just fine but cannot accept my darker cousins. There are those who like my mother just fine but cannot abide by her choice to marry my step-father who is closer to the shade we call yellow. My nephews, while white, are Jews by birth. But, even though their skin color is very close to mine, or even lighter in one case, there are people who just don't like them because they had the audacity to be born to a Jewish father.
So, yes, I know racism. I don't understand it, but I am intimately aware of its effects on my family. I believe these experiences are probably why I really wanted to believe that Barack Hussein Obama would finally put an end to racism in this country.
I got caught up in it. Our country's first black President. What an achievement that would be! I even joked with a black friend of mine that when Obama was elected we would have to repaint the White House and call it the Black House.
One evening, that was all to come to an end for me. You see, above all, I am a patriot. I love America more than almost anything else. I was raised “God, Family, Country,” in that order. I truly believe in Admiral Steven Decatur’s statement, “My country. May she ever be right, but right or wrong, my country!” I still recite the Pledge of Allegiance every day with my hand over my heart. America is the greatest empire the world has ever seen or is likely to see again anytime soon. I would die for my country with a smile on my face. Of course, I would rather make some other sap die for his country, but I am willing to make that sacrifice, too.
But, on this night, the spell Obama had over me was to be disbursed to the four winds. I was watching a debate between Obama and McCain. I knew I could not support McCain, though I have tremendous respect for him. But I knew he was corrupt and he wasn't what I really wanted in a President. But, then Obama had to open his mouth during a time in which I was really and truly listening to what he had to say. He said he believed our country needed to “redistribute the wealth” so others could have a larger piece of the pie.
“Wait a minute,” I thought to myself. “Did I just hear him correctly?” He had just told America that he was going to steal wealth from those who had earned it and give it to those who didn't deserve it. And he did it on national television! My heart sank. The Chosen One was a Communist! The very thing I detested most in the world! As the debate progressed I realized that I was supporting a person who would bring about the absolute ruination of our great country!
I was never again to offer my support of Obama. My older sister, after the debate, called me up to ask me what I thought about the debate. I told her I was hugely disappointed. She then said, “Yeah, but I know you are supporting Obama.” I surprised her and told her, “No. I can’t.” When she asked why I simply said, “Because he is a communist.” This did not go over too well with her as she was, and still is, an Obama supporter.
That was the end of my brief foray into the dark side (no pun intended). I decided that since I could not support either candidate as they were both corrupt politicians, I would have to figure something else out. I was already a member of the Libertarian Party because I could not support Bush in his bid for the Presidency in ’04. So I supported Congressman Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party. I like the Libertarian party because they are not too conservative and they are not too liberal. They believe in personal responsibility and the Constitution but at the same time they believe marijuana should be legalized and a person has the right to love whomever they choose regardless of gender identity. There are many other stands the Libertarian Party takes on social and economic issues, but my point is they are a very middle of the road party. This is very attractive to a Buddhist like me. After all, Buddhism is all about the Middle Way.
The fact is, both political parties have become so corrupted and bloated with self-importance and power they have forgotten about the people who make up their parties. The Libertarian party, has not forgotten what the Constitution is and has not forgotten about individual liberties. Liberals are only interested in trying to create a Socialist Utopia that can never work. Conservatives are only interested in doing things the way they have always been done, leaving no room for growth. These two ideas are no longer compatible with the Constitution or with American culture.
It is time to put aside our loyalties to parties that no longer concern themselves with what their constituents want. It is time to send those parties to the children's table where they belong. There, they can bicker and fight amongst themselves while the adults sit down and work out practical solutions to real world problems.
I encourage everyone to look at the Libertarian Party platform and decide for yourselves if it is the party of the future as I believe it to be. See for yourselves if it is the Adult party where people can advance meaningful solutions to our problems rather than engage in school yard politics. Obama was right in one thing. It is time for Change.
WAIT! Don’t stop reading now. There is more to the story.
Like many Americans in 2008, I was ready to elect a black man to the Office of the Presidency. Like many, I had hoped that by doing so, it would finally put an end to racism in this country. I know that racism is a dying concept in this country, but I was anxious to see it come to an end in my lifetime. I did not realize at the time his election would only fuel racism to levels I had never seen in my lifetime. Granted, it is reverse racism, but it is racism none-the-less.
I was raised in a multi-racial family. So, to me, racism is not something I can truly comprehend. I have an intellectual understanding of it but I just cannot seem to wrap my mind around it. It just doesn't make sense. What it comes down to is this; we are all shades of brown. I am a very light shade of brown commonly referred to as white. In my family we have many shades of brown ranging from my shade to the shade referred to as yellow, to the one called red, to the one named black. But in the end, they are all just varying shades of brown. And that is how I have always seen it. We are all brown.
I have personally experienced the result of racism due to the make up of my family. There are those who like me just fine but cannot accept my darker cousins. There are those who like my mother just fine but cannot abide by her choice to marry my step-father who is closer to the shade we call yellow. My nephews, while white, are Jews by birth. But, even though their skin color is very close to mine, or even lighter in one case, there are people who just don't like them because they had the audacity to be born to a Jewish father.
So, yes, I know racism. I don't understand it, but I am intimately aware of its effects on my family. I believe these experiences are probably why I really wanted to believe that Barack Hussein Obama would finally put an end to racism in this country.
I got caught up in it. Our country's first black President. What an achievement that would be! I even joked with a black friend of mine that when Obama was elected we would have to repaint the White House and call it the Black House.
One evening, that was all to come to an end for me. You see, above all, I am a patriot. I love America more than almost anything else. I was raised “God, Family, Country,” in that order. I truly believe in Admiral Steven Decatur’s statement, “My country. May she ever be right, but right or wrong, my country!” I still recite the Pledge of Allegiance every day with my hand over my heart. America is the greatest empire the world has ever seen or is likely to see again anytime soon. I would die for my country with a smile on my face. Of course, I would rather make some other sap die for his country, but I am willing to make that sacrifice, too.
But, on this night, the spell Obama had over me was to be disbursed to the four winds. I was watching a debate between Obama and McCain. I knew I could not support McCain, though I have tremendous respect for him. But I knew he was corrupt and he wasn't what I really wanted in a President. But, then Obama had to open his mouth during a time in which I was really and truly listening to what he had to say. He said he believed our country needed to “redistribute the wealth” so others could have a larger piece of the pie.
“Wait a minute,” I thought to myself. “Did I just hear him correctly?” He had just told America that he was going to steal wealth from those who had earned it and give it to those who didn't deserve it. And he did it on national television! My heart sank. The Chosen One was a Communist! The very thing I detested most in the world! As the debate progressed I realized that I was supporting a person who would bring about the absolute ruination of our great country!
I was never again to offer my support of Obama. My older sister, after the debate, called me up to ask me what I thought about the debate. I told her I was hugely disappointed. She then said, “Yeah, but I know you are supporting Obama.” I surprised her and told her, “No. I can’t.” When she asked why I simply said, “Because he is a communist.” This did not go over too well with her as she was, and still is, an Obama supporter.
That was the end of my brief foray into the dark side (no pun intended). I decided that since I could not support either candidate as they were both corrupt politicians, I would have to figure something else out. I was already a member of the Libertarian Party because I could not support Bush in his bid for the Presidency in ’04. So I supported Congressman Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party. I like the Libertarian party because they are not too conservative and they are not too liberal. They believe in personal responsibility and the Constitution but at the same time they believe marijuana should be legalized and a person has the right to love whomever they choose regardless of gender identity. There are many other stands the Libertarian Party takes on social and economic issues, but my point is they are a very middle of the road party. This is very attractive to a Buddhist like me. After all, Buddhism is all about the Middle Way.
The fact is, both political parties have become so corrupted and bloated with self-importance and power they have forgotten about the people who make up their parties. The Libertarian party, has not forgotten what the Constitution is and has not forgotten about individual liberties. Liberals are only interested in trying to create a Socialist Utopia that can never work. Conservatives are only interested in doing things the way they have always been done, leaving no room for growth. These two ideas are no longer compatible with the Constitution or with American culture.
It is time to put aside our loyalties to parties that no longer concern themselves with what their constituents want. It is time to send those parties to the children's table where they belong. There, they can bicker and fight amongst themselves while the adults sit down and work out practical solutions to real world problems.
I encourage everyone to look at the Libertarian Party platform and decide for yourselves if it is the party of the future as I believe it to be. See for yourselves if it is the Adult party where people can advance meaningful solutions to our problems rather than engage in school yard politics. Obama was right in one thing. It is time for Change.
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