(Originally Posted on my FB Site January 29, 2009)


I have spent the past few days just taking in everything going on in the world and the US, listening, HEARING, learning, processing.... There are so many issues to talk about but the purpose of my Journal/Blog is to provide an outlet to vent what is on my heart and mind and to open that to anyone who wants to comment. Well, there IS something on my mind today, and I want to offer a fair warning first: I am not feeling my normal "gracious" self today. In fact, I am irritated and see it as appropriate to not hide that. After all, it is my journal and this is what it is for.



On election night, I heard several times, from those who were happy Obama won, "Now we can have hope.... now we can be united.... now we can do and have this, that, and the other thing..." My emotions were all over the place on that. On one hand, even though Obama was not my man, I understood the joy his voters felt. I also understood how it was underscored by the history making part of electing our first Black President. Even in my own pain, a pain I shared with just under HALF of the Country might I add, I understood. I am not taking any of that away by also speaking of my feelings on the other side of the coin.



On election night, Oprah, who I have admired for years, really took the cake saying, "I am so happy, now we all can be one, finally." Today, again, I heard a sound bite of a woman saying, "Is the oppostition to Obama so necessary? I think it is appalling when now the Country is trying to come together...." EXCUSE ME???? And the past 8 years weren't?!! These comments are LOADED with issues meriting my reaction.


- FIRST: The "Country" inclusion, and the "all finally being one" inclusion, makes the assumption that even the just under half of the Country who are not Obama peeps, are feeling JUST LIKE Obama peeps. Trust me, we are not, and for valid reasons. The more honest and accurate statement to make would have been, "Just a little over half the Country is...." I am tired of the subtle and subliminal messages reported in the media with statements that are falsely inclusive of our side when we are not. Statements like, "The American people feel... want..." Nooooo, SOME of the American people feel and want as Obama does. Stop using me/us to justify your side's/points in the media. Just speak for yourselves and your peeps. We will speak for ourselves, thank you.


-SECOND: It insinuates that those who are not Obama peeps, as I hear it said, are just "not showing the love... are hate mongers.... being divisive... mean spirited... " This is one of MANY pure insinuations that are complete falsehoods. There are sooooo many falsehoods about, accusations of, and misrepresentations about conservatives that frustrate me to no end! In the coming weeks, I will be addressing the TRUTH of who we are and why so I am not going to do that today. In fact, I will explain the ideological differences and how each perceive the other. Today, I just vent.


-THIRD: If the Country now coming together were REALLY what was wanted, they would have done it the past 8 years. That example would then give credence and legs to it being said to us in kind. It is hypocritical and misleading. What they really want is for us to support and unite under THEIR choice of elected President. It is okay that they didn't do it under OUR choice. It is okay that they didn't care about OUR voices and opinions. It is okay that they could care less that they offended us for 8 years. THEY can do that and it is okay. If WE just disagree with their guy, it is not okay. For a group of people who cry for equality about everything, they draw the line right here. Now that the shoe is on the other foot, they don't like how it feels.


-FOURTH: This shows me that they do not get it that just a little under HALF of the Country is not in agreement or a supporter of Obama. And wooing us to his side will take a WHOLE lot more than one great oratory of an invitation given in Hyde Park. He was still the same man that night as he was when he woke up that morning. His Job Title changed - period.


Let me make clear, I respect the Office of the President of the United States. I LOVE this Country. And the man I did not vote for now fills that Office. I get it. The Tribe has spoken. Because I am a respectful American, even though the temptation is to return evil for evil, hurt for hurt, etc., I will not go there. In balance, I am not now all of a sudden going to give up my convictions, beliefs, principles, etc., and go along with Obama because he is now the President. I will be the first to support him when I believe he does right. I will oppose him when he does not. But either way, I will do it with respect.


Having said that - just because I do not support Obama the way his peeps do, does NOT make me a hater monger, or divisive, or mean spirited. It doesn't mean that I don't want to be united. I think it is totally possible to be united without being in agreement. This is what makes our Country, a free society, so great. I love my boyfriend, Lance, but as those of you in a relationship know yourselves, you don't always agree with each other, and sometimes you even passionately disagree. But you are still united because you can love each other and yet agree to disagree. It is that mutual love and respect that takes precedence over the differences. That's America!


All I ask of Obama supporters is, in your joy of having the President of your choice, and in your desire for us all to come together, stop and reflect about the past 8 years and try to understand how the other side might be feeling. Then, take a more humble and loving approach. Don't be hypocrites and after having offended us for 8 years, expect us to just forgive and forget and then be all gooey and overjoyed to be "one" with you and YOUR choice. That is the wrong approach.


IF you REALLY want this, then there is a different way to go about it... It is like a man (and I am a girl so I am saying man, but this could be a woman too) who has cheated on his woman and now that he decides he wants just his woman, stops cheating and acts like everything is okay, as if he never cheated. IF he hopes to keep her, he will have to do ALL he can to try and win her back. And doing things that are like putting a band aide on a gaping wound are not going to cut it.

On the other hand, if you don't really want to win us over to YOUR saide, YOUR choice, etc., then simply just enjoy your 4 years and stop attacking us for not "coming together..." because you all certainly never did the last 8 years.