Election Night Thoughts

Well, it's an historic day. We'll either have the first black president or the first woman vice-president. At this moment, as the results begin pouring in, it's looking more like the former. In some ways, it's an amazing thing that it's taken until 2008 for this to actually happen. I'm not sure why it's taken this long. But to me, it's not of any consequence that either of these is the case. I'm more about where we as a nation are in terms of morality, personal responsibility, virtue and integrity. I don't feel that either major political party showed a whole lot of any of these. Falsehoods in attack ads, questionable associations, denial of the facts, and more interest in finger pointing than fixing the issues, has left me feeling really empty. As usual, I was the first to cast a vote in our little precinct. I take great pride in my voting right, and my voting record. You can count on one finger the number of primary or general elections I've missed in my voting lifetime. I take the right and responsibility of voting very seriously. But today, it just didn't seem to mean as much to me. I guess it was because I feel that no matter which party wins, not much is going to change. Neither camp seems poised to make changes in the country in the areas that are most important to me. Now, don't get me wrong. The economy is important to me, but it's not the most important. Besides, both parties got us into this mess, so I have little confidence that either party can lead us out. But I'm waiting for the candidate that calls for people to become better. I get fried when I hear someone getting torched for even insinuating that there is anything wrong with this country, or the people in it. I see plenty wrong. I see wrong in what we allow to infiltrate our homes and families on TV, in our music and the movies we view. I see plenty wrong in what we deem acceptable in terms of personal behavior. While most folks will say they don't approve, they sure don't object. I'm waiting for the candidate that runs on the platform that we, as individuals, need to rise up and be a people of integrity and personal responsibility, and that they (the candidate) will lead the way. And with ACORN's help, I'll probably vote early and vote often for that candidate.