Dirty Words and Phrases

It is that time of year in Texas.  There is an election tomorrow.  This morning in the span of 30 minutes I  was been subjected to more nastiness of political advertisements than local news.  From those ads, I have gleaned this list of dirty, filthy, nasty words and phrases that serve more to foster negativity, hate, distrust and division in these supposed-to-be United States of America.


Democrat
Republican
Liberal
Conservative
Moderate
Left
Right
Obama (NOT President Obama, or Mr. Obama, just Obama)
Take back our country
Tea party (when I was a little girl, this was actually a fun thing)
Represent
Defend
Stealing jobs
Balance the budget


It was already an effort to start the day, and hearing the drivel spewing from some smarmy-mouthed hireling with vocal inflections designed to stir up angst and animosity, my mind and body all but begged me to stay put, in the safe confines of my bed, turn on Pandora and tune into any channel -- Richard Smallwood, Tony Bennett, Claude Debussy, Gladys Knight, Anthony Burger -- ANYTHING except broadcast television -- or go to Netflix and watch the 121st episode of Law & Order SVU -- ANYTHING except broadcast television -- even scroll through my Facebook photos and videos, streamed to my TV via Roku -- ANYTHING except broadcast television.  


Times like these validate the about me blurb at the bottom right of this page:


I am a peace-loving, nonconforming traditionalist, often misquoted and misunderstood, but still refusing to march to the beat of anyone's drum except my own, as led by the Triune God. I live on a roller coaster with more climbs, dips, twists and turns than the average, but am sustained by the One who leads me. I am perplexed, dismayed and saddened by the insanities that constitute today's norms and hope for a return to civility and morality, neither of which can come soon enough.


I am truly saddened by the nastiness of current political events.  Just as the entertainment industry has devolved over decades, so has the American political process.  What is seriously pathetic is that people buy into those sordid advertisements and never take the time to research the candidates for which they vote, that is, if they even bother to vote (that subject to be dealt with another time).  


Indeed, this is a nasty, nasty mess we're in.  People want labels rather than leaders, color rather than character, wealth rather than wisdom, orientation rather than objectivity, and vilifications rather than values.  


Then there are those who cut off their noses to spite their faces:  they want/need scholarships, financial aid, medical care and Supplemental Security Income; yet they hate the ones who seek to help make those provisions.  And let us not leave out the ones who want less government and less spending; they are forced to pay a fair wage for a day's work; they are forced to pay employment taxes for their domestic workers -- including the women who raise their children.   


And let's be fair now:  EVERYONE wants a military force that will DEFEND this country and KEEP IT/US SAFE. 


So, why do we elect politicians who shield their children from military duty while the children of others sacrifice their lives?  Why do we elect politicians who legislate great perquisites and benefits for themselves and have no sense of urgency about taking adequate care of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines when they come home physically and psychologically maimed and crippled?  And why have American citizens been driven to have fundraisers to purchase protective gear for soldiers who were shipped across the pond to fight on foreign soil?  And WHY, WHY, WHY, WHY WHY, do we keep sending back to these offices, people who set themselves apart from the rest of us by referring to us as ORDINARY AMERICANS (also to be dealt with later)?  Some have held office for more than a decade (or two), and every election year, resurrect that old, stale, nonsense about how effective they have been.  I AM JUST ASKING.


I dare you:  when you hear that divisive drivel on television or radio, or see it in print or on the internet, ask yourself what is really important to you, and look for the candidate who espouses what is important to you.  You may have to look past gender, color, religion, socio-economic status, or religion.  


There is something terribly wrong with a country as diverse as the United States of America fostering an "Us vs. Them" mentality when both the "Us" and the "Them" are American citizens.  I AM JUST SAYING.