It’s getting awfully hard to slog through the daily slop of so-called news surrounding Palin, McCain, and Obama and Biden. Today’s the first day I’ve felt campaign fatigue.
Maybe that’s the cause of this dour column where today I ask the essential question of our country’s existence: At long last, America, have we no sense of decency?
Can we cease and desist with the sophomoric comments about pit bulls and pigs and the painting of lips thereof? It was fodder-worth for about five minutes, but if Palin really has the balls she thinks she’s swinging, she should tell her party to stop whimpering about sexism, and the rest of us should let it go.
Can we stop curdling the Constitution with the mixing of religion and government and the relentless disavowal of anyone who doesn’t self-identify as Christian? I know plenty of so-called Christians who cheat, lie, steal, and kill. It’s not like having a Christian president would have prevented Watergate, Monica-gate, or the current administration’s total Fubar-gate.
Separate church and states, folks. It’s a fundamental aspect of why this country was founded.
Can we collect our consciousness long enough to admit we have no earthly or God-given right to invade foreign countries for the sake of fueling our country? Can we stop with the “McCain was right about the surge,” and “Obama was right about the war” pitter-patter and just get the hell out with as little additional loss as possible?
Can we permit others to conscientiously object to the war or criticize our government without calling into question their patriotism? After all, if we hadn’t had dissidents willing to take a stand against taxation without representation, we wouldn’t even have a government today to be criticizing – or applauding.
In the name of decency, can Republicans learn to spell — did you see those “mavrick” signs at the Republican convention? And can Democrats give the devil his due — by accepting Palin for what she is – the woman John McCain needed to have a shot in hell at the White House? Bully for him that he knew he couldn’t make it without the mega-shot of testosterone known as Sarah.
Can we stop with the “who’s your (better) Mama?” question and invite the Moms of the nation to meet on a non-partisan kindergarten playground somewhere in the middle of a big cornfield in Kansas? The small-town West Coast hockey moms could divvy up Dunkin’ Donuts and the big-city East Coast soccer moms could serve up Starbucks – while the once-every-four-years, middle-road Midwest moms take their turn as the star makers of the moment.
Bottom line, let’s stop with the hysterics and get on with a real election. With real issues, real thinking, and not a teleprompter in sight.
We’ve still got several weeks before this election process shows us what it all boils down to: are we decent, or are we not?