Americans – Is the World A Safe Place?

I believe that one of the reasons that Americans stood so strongly for President-elect Barack Obama is that we are growing out of our selfish, greedy, fearful adolescence. We are giving up the childish ways of throwing sticks and stones at each other and our neighbors. More of us are taking more responsibility than ever before. I am hearing that one of the biggest shifts in this election is the voter turnout – 80 to 90% in some counties.

Can you believe that?  80 to 90 percent voting!

I have said that George W. Bush could be the best thing that ever happened to this country. I feel I was right. It took that bad example of leadership to wake up those of us who have become apathetic and not been as involved as we could have been, the Baby Boomers who grew up self-centered, but idealistic, and eventually gave up the dreams that our folk heroes sang and died for in the 60’s.

It came to me that something I have failed to screen for, even in my personal relationships, sometimes, is that I relate best to those who know that they are safe in the world. Those are the people who can take responsibility and take care of their side of the street, question their own beliefs and come out cleaner and clearer after any little bout with blame or attack.

We are peaceful enough to think clearly, not stressed like we used to be.

The country began to screen for that in our elections yesterday.

Barack Obama looks to me to be a man who knows he is safe in the world. His safety is internal. He is not out to attack other people, much less other countries, in a false attempt to achieve a safety that can never come from attack.  Attack is the danger. As Byron Katie says, “Defense is the first attack.”  Otherwise, it’s just words, just a gesture – with no place to land.

Those who voted for Barack Obama likely have less fear and take more personal responsibility – newly assumed, though it may be.  I say that partly due to a study I saw about a month ago.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7623256.stm  which begins:

“Scientists studying US voters say our political views may be an integral part of our physiological makeup. Their research, published in the journal Science, indicates that people who are sensitive to fear or threat are likely to support a right wing agenda.

Those who perceived less danger in a series of images and sounds were more inclined to support liberal policies.”

“Which way are you likely to be more effective? Peaceful or stressful?” asks Byron Katie. Peaceful, of course!  Stress makes us narrow-minded, focuses us on the perceived attack. Peace opens our minds, relaxes us so that we can take in more, give back more.

I agree with Barack Obama that we are not a “red” nation or a “blue” nation, nor are we even in a “red” state or a “blue” state – WE ARE PURPLE – the blend of red & blue, “One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Thank you, George W. Bush, for helping us to see where we went wrong, to make ammends, and to begin to correct our path, not only individually, but as a nation.

Amen, Ann

“Yes, we can!”

   – Barack Obama, President-elect of the United States of America

PS – I broke up with Paul. He called to say, “I voted.” I jokingly said, “Did you vote for McCain or did you make an intelligent decision?” He refused to answer. He told me he refused to tell his own son how he voted. Sad example for a parent, I think.

I told him I could not date someone who would withhold information from me. I could not trust that at all.  Fine, if he disagrees. Stand up and tell me you disagree and tell me why. Don’t cower behind “Nya nya, I’ve got a secret” like a 10-year old!

As a result, I was inspired to volunteer to make phone calls to registered voters on behalf of Barak Obama & Mark Udall in Colorado. I feel really good. While the country was growing up and making choices – so was I. So was I.

UDecide.org

 
If you have friends who are undecided, there is a lot on these 5 flyers, including voting records.
 
               http://www.udecide2008.com/         
 
 
As far as I can tell, all politicians are politicians – they have to have certain characteristics to want to be in that kind of work.  They know how to say what people want to hear. They know how to give and receive favors.  None of these qualities are, in themselves, “bad.”
No individual politician, not even the President, can single-handedly create or pass *anything*.  The Constitution, when honored, does a pretty good job of guaranteeing that decisions must come from a group.  Checks and balances.

So, no politician can guarantee that any specific policies or preferences will pass. That’s a Good Thing ™.
 
I read something recently that reminded me how differently we treat people when we define them as “other” instead of “one of us.” We all do that. It’s a survival mechanism. But we can also question it.
 
I hear that McCain is a former POW who was tortured. My decision to vote for Obama was made before I heard this, but this reinforced it. Many of you know I quit a job at Texas Instruments in about 1991 when I realized my work was supporting missile guidance for bombs.
 
You all know about my childhood sexual abuse.
 
So, you can imagine that I would not be likely to vote for someone who sounds more likely to be reactive and vengeful than proactive and forgiving.
 
‘Nuff said.
 
Please pass it on.
 
Hopefully, this will be my last politically-oriented post this year. This time next month, we will have elected a new President.

Love, Ann