And it’s not really even political. It’s just me blabbing and getting things off my chest for a minute.  I have restrained myself during this entire political season, aside from “liking” things that I ….well… like… on Facebook.  I lean to the left.  I’m a liberal when it comes to many issues.  I’m not embarrassed or ashamed of my political views but I don’t post on Facebook about how I think I support the superior party and everyone who doesn’t is an idiot.  I don’t believe that. I have a lot of intelligent friends whom I respect that are conservative.  I don’t think they are idiots when it’s not election time so I try to be open minded and remember that just because we don’t have the same political priorities, this is still a person that I respect and find interesting.

My Facebook feed has been absolutely littered with hate.  Hate for Obama, hate for anyone who has ever received public assistance, and hate for people who voted for Obama, hate-hate-hate.  It’s disturbing.  It has nothing to do with the issues but everything to do with attitudes. There’s a huge difference between supporting a candidate or party and spreading hate towards the other.  I read a lot more anti-Democrat and anti-Obama posts than anything from my conservative friends.  I could probably count on one hand the number of pro-Romney posts I read.  I read lots of pro-Obama posts from my liberal pals.  What I’ve gathered from this simple observation is that Democrats love Obama and Republicans love to hate him.  I’ve been trying to figure out the point of posting something every.single.day to remind everyone that they still hate the thing/person/party that they hated yesterday?

Are these posts meant to change my mind?  Not mine personally, but people who think like me?
Are they meant to try to prove something or one-up someone? To make them feel better about themselves and their position in life?
Are they meant to form a camaraderie with other like-minded people?  By spewing hate and criticism instead of support?
Or are they meant to offend me?  Because when people call me (as part of the general population) an idiot for holding the beliefs I hold, I’m a little offended.  I’m an intelligent college graduate and I think like one, thankyouverymuch, and just because I’m a liberal it doesn’t mean that I think the government should support me.

No one, regardless of how many angry, spiteful or well-written posts they share, is going to change my mind and my convictions.  I don’t feel the need to try to change anyone else’s mind or convince them to see things the way I see them.  That’s not my burden.  I certainly don’t want my friends to feel that I think they’re stupid because we don’t see eye to eye on gay marriage or public assistance or war or healthcare or whatever-the-case-may-be.  Them thinking I’m dumb doesn’t change my mind. It just makes me question my “friend”ship with them if they can’t respect me.

The division I’ve seen over the past weeks saddens me.  Only during election season do these claws come out.  I try not to take it personally, really.  And nothing has ever been directed at me personally. But I kind of do and it kind of has because my beliefs have been indirectly attacked.  They are part of who I am.  They make me compassionate.  They make me work hard.  They make me want to raise my boys to be compassionate and hard working.  Take me or leave me – I’m not changing.

And I just had to get that off my chest.
xo,
~C~