Is It Wrong to be Idealistic?

OK. I make it a habit to normally keep my political views deep inside my head and my heart. I normally believe in letting others believe as they wish to believe as long as they are not physically causing harm to others and as long as they are not being intentionally cruel with their words. I do wish for an idealistic world where everyone can mostly get along with one another or at least live in a world where people are respectful and understanding that not everyone believes exactly as the person sitting next to them or the person living next door. But, I understand that this hope is just that, idealistic.

I normally side and vote for a Democrat. But I am not a Democrat. I do not normally agree with President Bush, but I do not hate Republicans. I believe that Global Warming is a legitimate issue that all people need to be proactively considering, but I am not an environmentalist. I like being barefoot, but I am not a Liberal. I am me. I have the right to change my mind just as everyone else on this Earth has the right to do...God gave humans free will. I have the right to believe as I wish without being made to feel stupid, without being made to feel ignorant, without being made to feel less important, without being made to feel like I am absolutely wrong. But, I do not have the right to make others feel stupid, to make others feel ignorant, to make others feel less important, to make others feel as they are absolutely wrong.

With that said, let me get to my inspiration for this post. Everywhere I turn-and probably everywhere you turn- someone is talking about Governor Palin's speech last night that she delivered at the Republican National Convention. I have heard mixed reviews about her speech and now I will provide mine. Prior to last night's speech, I thoroughly liked Gov. Palin. I like that she is "small town" and I like that she is a strong woman and mother and wife. I like that she stood strong on ethics. I didn't even have an issue with her pregnant teen daughter. But, I do have issues with her speech.

I have listened to many reviews, analysts, and just people around work, describe Palin's speech as "one of the greatest speeches in years"...whatever that really means. Do people really think and feel this? I was absolutely not impressed with her speech...although I was rooting for her to deliver a great speech. I was completely appalled by her lack of respect, her immaturity, her arrogance, her abundance of slander, and her lack of a legitimate point other than being the "mean kid on the playground." I feel that the Republican party is desperate for inspiration and they got it in the form of a petulant bully using manipulation and hate as their only hope...and they unfortunately fell for it.

Issues. I want to hear about the issues not about what you dislike about someone's character or decisions. I do not want to watch a pissing contest of who has more experience or who did this or who did that or who said this or who said that. MOVE ON! We are not at war with one another. Why does it always have to be the "Republicans vs. the Democrats: Who can prove first that the other one is a more dirty politician than the other?" How about lets prove what good you have in yourself to lead the country? I do not feel that the Republican ticket truly cares about uniting the American people...they care only about getting the votes even if snide and immature playground antics are the way to do it. I think Palin's speech did much in dividing the heart of the American character and most of Americans do not even realize it yet.

I know not everyone is going to agree with one another, and I am sure not everyone will agree with me on my opinion of Palin's speech. But I at least like that I can be the only Obama supporter in my office and probably my family and I will stand by my views and my decisions. I do not let words and speeches change my mind without listening and considering the content and the issues. I try my best to always look beyond the beauty of rhetoric and look beyond what I hope the speaker is meaning.

Palin has time to prove herself. I am anticipating and looking forward to the McCain/Palin ticket to prove itself. But, the "Good ole boys" attitude, the elitist attitude, the "oh, yeah, well obama did this too" or the "oh, yeah, well obama did not do this either" attitude will not work on me. The anger, the negativity, the hate, the slander, the bully attitude will not work on me. I want a leader who will be strong in their convictions without resulting to name calling to get America on their side. I know America is smarter than that...

Please, let us get back to the Issues that really matter to America and quit the name calling and quit the bashing. I can easily turn the channel or log on to the internet to watch something like "The Hills" for name calling and immature drama.