GOOD MORNING WORLD
Today is the opening of the Olympics. A friend suggested that politics be put aside and we all focus on the red white and blue of the festivities. A wonderful idea.
I have not been much of a fan of the Olympics. I love to see some of them such as the opening festivites and swim competitions in the summer. In the winter I like the skating and some skiing.. Those of course are the sports in which I have participated. The rest of it, for me, drones on in starts, stops and waits and I find it fairly dull. I do like that it unites our country in one voice at this time. As for the competition, it is not for me. I really only compete with myself anymore. I rarely win.
Uniting as an American country is what I have been speaking about in many of my posts. I believe we need to get to civility and discussion not divisiveness and polarization. A cousin of mine, who is also a writer, sent me an email saying that she rarely discusses politics as she does not want that to be her public face nor does she think she is qualified. I loved this honesty. My blog, my public face, is not predominantly political. There have been my days when I have been fired up. There will continue to be those as well. I told her that I do not believe that I am necessarily qualified to speak about politics. I am, like any other voter who is, trying to understand our system through the prism of my own values.
Another point she shared was her work with the government. For many years she wrote law and legislation. She knows all too well all the work that goes into this and shared some insights with me. It is important to read bills. I remember once when I was talking about getting social security at 65, I was told I would not be able to do so as the law had changed. After much research I discovered indeed it had. The change had been tacked onto some other bill. I had not been aware of this.
President Obama promised to run the most transparent administration. He promised to have use C-Span. Have these promises been met? He said there would no longer be red states or blue states. Has this happened?
What it appears we have in this country at this time is a competition of who can speak the longest and loudest to win an argument. We need discourse based on reality. Not my perception of reality – reality as it is – taken from news sources that show the people speaking. Our President really did say to John McCain that ‘Elections have consequences.” Nancy Pelosi really said. “We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it”. Mitt Romney really said, “I like being able to fire people who provide services to me.” Those quotes are real. What the press does with them is another thing. It is their interpretation. We in America as Americans have to determine for ourselves what they meant. As my cousin also said, we can then express ourselves in the ballot box.
Americans need to think for themselves once again. Listen to my words if you choose. Most likely try as I might on occasion to be impartial my post will reflect my values and beliefs. The posts of left leaning bloggers and news people will reflect theirs. We need to see it all. It is not a competition as to the loudest voice winning. America needs every voice to be informed and expressed in the ballot box to win.
As we compete with others nations at the Olympics we are united in hoping America wins. Let us also enjoy the competitiveness of our own athletes as they compete against each other. I think the men’s swimming will be very interesting. May we win much gold!
When we get back to politics as usual – if it ever stops – let us listen openly. Let us discuss not to change each others minds. Let us listen to hear beyond the words. I am sure the people making those three quotes did not mean exactly what their words said. Words are important. Just as important is our ability to discern what the speakers were saying. That is our part. Not a competition, discernment and these are very different things.
…..ONWARD TO MORE MISADVENTURE…
ktsquared 