Thanks, Republicans!

I would like to thank the Republican Party. No, really, I do. Because after last night’s three-ring circus they passed off as a convention, I did something I’ve never done before: donate to a politician. I was so sickened by what I heard, I felt obligated to donate to Mr. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. Between the booing of community organizers, to the constant reminder of tired talking points (did you know McCain was a POW?), I just couldn’t take it anymore. And the worst part was the crowd was eating it up.

While the Republicans are screaming “Libs!,” Obama is looking to unite the country. When he tells the media to back off of Palin’s personal life, she returns the favor by ripping into him at her acceptance speech. Expected, yes, but that doesn’t mean it’s classy. And before you call me out on it, yes, this is politics in this country. Dog-eat-dog politics. Divisive politics-which is where the problem lies. This country is never going to get back on track with these kinds of tactics. We need to work together, not against each other. It is possible to disagree on issues without reverting to childish name calling and schoolyard bully tactics. We’ve had eight years of that and it hasn’t exactly done us much good. The word “education” has turned into a four letter one. People are labeled by, and respond to, media created stereotypes--Southern racist rednecks, Northern latte sipping liberals—regardless of if they are true or not. How can we grow as a nation if the people we put in charge to lead and guide us get off on tearing us apart? This partisan bullshit has to end and it has to end now.

I don’t know how much more of this has to occur before the majority wakes up and sees how self-defeating this rhetoric really is. Sadly, I don’t know that, as a whole, we are ready yet. But I hope we are. And I know I’m not alone in that hope, which is I will be proudly casting my vote for Barack Obama on November 4th. So congratulations Republicans, you were able to move me, even though it was not in the way you had hoped. I just hope that the rest of America sees through their shit as well and is ready to get back on track.