A Little Respect...my 2 cents on the 2012 Presidential Election

Remember when no one cared about who you were voting for?

When people just cared about making sure you exercised your constitutional right
and just VOTED, PERIOD?

Yeah, me too. 
And I miss those days.

Now it seems like everyone, including major news media, is just too busy telling me who to vote for, who they support, who they think the best man for the job is. Whether they just come right out and say it, every thing I see on the news is so slanted to one side, just about anyone with a brain can see who they are rooting for.

I, for one, am sick to death of it.

I remember the days of impartiality.
When the news was just that: THE NEWS.
Just the facts, nothing else. And a journalists' word was absolute truth and could be trusted.

Now when you turn on the news, all you see are talking heads. Men and women with big fat college degrees who are so biased they should be wearing donkeys and elephants on their lapels instead of an American Flag.

And I'm referring to them ALL. Fox, CNN, ABC, CBS, and the worst of all MSNBC.

I've gotten to the point where I trust none of them.
And I've found if I watch Fox News and CNN and then meet somewhere in the middle of what I've heard on both networks, it's probably pretty close to the actual truth.

It's also exhausting.
Watching 2 networks to find some balance is just ridiculous.

Our media circus goes hand in hand with the real problem with this election...with what's really holding this country back.
And it's something so simple, we all should have learned this at our mother's knee when we were toddlers.

Respect.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Even the queen of soul taught us all about it.
And it is G-O-N-E in today's society.

As a society, we respect nothing and no one. Yes, you might respect your parents, your teachers, your elders, your spouse...but when someone, ANYONE, disagrees with you on the smallest thing, the first instinct is to cut them off at the knees.

It's ridiculous.
And it needs to stop.

Here's a newsflash. We are all different. There's not a single person on this planet who is exactly like you. So why do we need to lash out and knock out those that are different?
Are we not allowed to voice our differences in opinion?
If I live in the suburbs and have a Obama sign in my yard, will be neighbors be rude or hostile towards me because we have a political difference of opinion?
And if I live in that same suburb with a Romney sign in my yard, does that give anyone the right to steal it thus denying my right to free speech?

WHEN DID IT BECOME OK TO DISRESPECT OUR FELLOW AMERICANS?

Politics are a touchy subject. So is religion. Real conversations regarding these 2 subjects are next to impossible.
But it can be done. 
By intelligent people who respect each others opinions.
But that is a lost art.

Even between the 2 men vying for the Big Job.

I watched every debate. All 3 presidential and the vice presidential.
And I saw 4 very grown men, old enough to know better, act like disrespectful children.

I was glad my 7 year old son with autism couldn't completely understand what was happening because that was NO LESSON I wanted him to learn: interrupt and over-talk your opponent and you win.

I don't think so guys.

You win a debate by speaking intelligently about the subjects while respecting your opponent.
As my best friend so eloquently put it, "just because you interrupt and talk louder then the other guy, doesn't mean you win."

I couldn't agree more.

But then enter the media pundants...the ones who get to chose the victor.
And wouldn't you know it? The rudest guy ALWAYS WON.

I beg to differ.

I hold my candidates to a higher standard. I want a strong leader who will do what's best for this country while always maintaining an air of intelligence and respectfulness.

My ballot has already been cast. I educated myself like every American should. To me, political party affiliation has little to do with my choice. What truly matters is who is the best man for the job and who's policies will make America better and stronger over the next 4 years. Period. I could care less if he's a Democrat or a Republican.

And I'm not saying who I voted for. That's a personal decision that I feel no one has the right to question. I fulfilled my civic duty and that's what's important. And I hope all of you reading this exercise your right, as well.

But if you take anything away from this at all, it's this:

RESPECT the differences in opinion. Take a minute and listen. Educate yourself.

And most importantly,
RESPECT everything and everyone.

It's not easy but what a better person you'll be if you try.