Many of us, including me, tend to avoid or at least soft-pedal political comments on social media. Sometimes, however, enough is way more than enough. For me, this is one of those times.
I am beyond weary of divisive political rhetoric fired from and at both sides of the aisle. It is not suddenly shocking or horrifying if politicians of one political party pull the same exact “stunts” that the opposing party already pulled, while hailing them as worthy then but immoral or even illegal now. (And we, the people, get sucked down their rabbit holes.)
I am deeply saddened by otherwise seemingly sane people hurling vitriolic attacks at friends and family with whom they see political solutions differently. Believe it or not, in most situations, there is more than one right way to get things done. Only by uniting to build together toward worthy goals can 2-party politics work well.
We must never try to silence, diminish, or belittle someone with whom we politically disagree… or else we are betraying our own souls and behaving in the very manner we see as evil. I will say that again, because that is much ado about the crux of the matter. We must never try to silence, diminish, or belittle someone with whom we politically disagree… or else we are betraying our own souls and behaving in the very manner we see as evil.
I don’t want my government telling me what I should or should not believe to be righteous. For example, while I have always believed in helping those who cannot help themselves, I do not want my tax dollars giving a free ride to those who are able to work but don’t want to compromise their “free” lifestyles.
As the vast majority of us hail from ancestors who escaped somewhere else for the freedoms and opportunities America offers, I have deep respect for the struggles, risks, and sacrifices it takes to immigrate… legally, and I do not like seeing that honor diminished by wide-open borders.
Having spent time in various socialist nations, both free and far from free, I appreciate our two-party system and democracy. I love America and being American. (When the FIFA World Games came here, we Americans got to see how blown away folks from other nations were to see how amazingly outstanding life in America (even on our worst days) actually IS and Americans ARE… despite divisiveness propagated throughout the media, literally brainwashing our people into thinking things are so dreadful.
I love freedom and unlimited opportunities. Those who have known me for any length of time likely know my “take” on opportunity. For example, knowing that I was unlikely to get rich myself, I have always vowed to fight for every American’s right to try. In the vast majority of nations, that is not a possibility. With our ongoing “slide” into deeper socialism, even that opportunity slips further and further away for our next generations.
As an American citizen, vote as you will, but be sure to vote. It is both a privilege and a responsibility, and one I do not take lightly. Since I first could register to vote in 1972, I have remained a little “i” independent. For decades, I voted for or against people, regardless of political affiliation. I regularly crisscrossed political lines between Democrats and Republicans.
Now, the times have changed. People seem “crazy.” Politicians? Even more so. So, I no longer vote for or against individual people. (I start off with the presumption that their egos are huge and their psychological callouses even larger… to even think of putting loved ones through the emotionally grueling process.)
I now look at policies. I want what is best for our nation… now and well down the road long after I am gone. I do not want negative slices of history repeated in the USA. I study long-term patterns and impact potential. I want the American beacon of hope and freedom to shine long into the next generation and well beyond.
While I will never agree 100% with any candidate, nor any political party, I will vote for policies that I believe will help more than they will hurt. Some are tough to accept in the short run, but with the wisdom of decades, we also learn patience and perspective. Long-term success and viability are worthy.
So, I will vote. My choices may not win, but I will try.
You may see life and values differently than I do, and that is your right. Whether I agree or disagree is irrelevant. I, for one, am straight-up fearful of our nation’s potential plunge into a political realm from which no nation has ever recovered.
Freedom lost ranges from extraordinarily difficult to nearly impossible to regain.
Thus, for the first time in my life since I first voted in 1972, I am calmly and conscientiously voting a straight ticket… I’ve always had friends in both parties and at all levels of politics. Regardless, I am very deliberately voting all Red in 2026… All Red, no exceptions. I am voting for the chance for our nation to hang on to democracy and freedom, the likes of which exist nowhere else on Earth.
Long live the American Dream.
