Change.
Change. Change. Change. Change.
Changety change change effing change..
I'm still waiting. I was never enamored with this intangible campaign promise, and it is clearly evident that it was just another empty catch phrase intended for the gullible voting populus.
I'm not the type to say "I told you so", but... I told you so. I obviously haven't been active here on Vox in quite some time, and I hesitate coming back simply to make political commentary. After all, I never utilized Vox as a political tool, though I never hesitated to express my opinion either. I finally feel compelled enough to speak up on Obama and his presidency to this point. I think I've given him enough time, and he's been active and vocal enough for me to fairly assess him on HIS presidency, and not have e v e r y f u c k i n g a i l m e n t plaguing the American populus blamed on George W. (Though, admittedly, much of the malaise had its underpinnings on GWB's watch.)
Since I haven't been around lately, let me preface this post by rehashing a few things. This post, and the viewpoint expressed may be clearer knowing the following; (though I really don't seek your validation or approval...If that makes me a douche, so be it...)
1. I am, and always will be a registered Independent.
2. I didn't care much for George W.
3. Though I voted for him, I don't care much for John McCain.
4. I think Sarah Palin is a dolt and, if I were to be a Republican, I'd be ashamed that she is the party go-to person
5. I also believe Glenn Beck, Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer, and Dick Cheney are buffoons. That being said, perhaps you can see why I'm an Independent!
So, with that out of the way, I harken back to the boom days of Vox for a moment...Today, only two people in my hood update regularly: Little Odd Me (LOM, as she is affectionately known. I've had a crush on her since K Spot broke my internet heart and married her Sug) and Gunderson Bee. (a relatively new neighbor in my hood, but one for whom I have great admiration) The rest of my hoodies come and go every so often, and believe me, I am not one to talk about being invisible here. (Even Rogue, J, Jenn and the love of my life, Michelle have all but disappeared from these pages...*sobbing uncontrollably*) I've posted maybe 3 times this whole year, and they haven't been the "meaty" posts that this will undoubtedly be, as I feel my blood boiling in anticipation of its subject matter.
Anyway, remember the days when your Vox update page was so full, you didn't have time to read them all? I only had 30 or 40 Vox neighbors at its peak, but 20 of them would update on an almost daily basis. Vox was popular, fun and interesting. My current neighbor page is a wasteland of former members and has beens.
In 2007 and 2008, Vox was full of political commentary. I don't think anyone would argue with me that 80% of the content was liberal, democratic, pro-Obama stuff. Hey, Obama took his momentum to the internet, gathered his peeps (many of you) and garnered the votes into winning the White House. One might qualify Vox's representative content of 2008 as Bush-hating, as much as it was pro-Obama. It was centered on war policy, WMDs that apparently didn't exist and the general holier-than-thou attitude of the Bushies. It wasn't about the economy at that point, because the economy was still awash in the liquidity of second mortgages and the unscrupulous nature of banks and credit card companies.
Shortly before the economy took a big dump on our lives, Vox and its peeps (me excluded) was deafening in its support for Obama and his magical ticket of change. If I were to say, I told you so...that Obama was not the savior that you all thought he was, would you nod your head in agreement at this point, or would you continue to stand up in support of him, his administration and the *cough* changes that have taken place since he took office? I'm honestly not being snarky. I'm really interested to know if you Vox politicos are still of the opinion that this was the man for the job, and if so, why?
By asking this, I am not inferring that John McCain was the man for the job. I never took a stand in favor of John McCain. I only took a stand opposing Barack Obama as the savior he was unfairly touted to be. My quiet opposition likely got overlooked anyway, because some of my hoodies were so blinded by the *hope* and *change*, that they took offense to my contrary opinion and deleted me from their hood. Lucky me.
I could never understand the unbridled enthusiasm for this man. Sure, he's charismatic, intelligent, and he's an incredible public speaker. Beyond that, what was it that generated your effusive support? I didn't understand it then, and I certainly wouldn't understand it now. I need to know. I need to know for the simple reason that I loved it here on Vox, and I was almost run out of the "neighborhood" for having an unpopular opinion. Bah. But I'm tougher than that. I've never let popularity or fear dictate my life and I don't plan to start now.
So, here comes yet another unpopular opinion, and the impetus behind my first "real" post since the election. I am incensed at the President's loud and vocal support of the Mosque in the shadow of Ground Zero. This has nothing to do with the ridiculous pretenses of the enebriated (Long Island Iced) Tea Party dimwits, who claim Obama is a Muslim and that he isn't even an American. I don't believe either credo. Its just more fear mongering and political posturing by "the other party"...the one that isn't in power. For shame, Conservatives...
September 11th is approaching. What better way to observe its anniversary than to take a political stance that flagrantly flies in the face of those left in 9/11's wake??? This wound may have healed, but the new tissue and skin is shiny, smooth, and hypersensitive. Build your mosque. Build 100 mosques. Celebrate your religion in this country, and worship without fear of persecution. This country's founding documents give you that right, and I support you in your insistence to worship as you see fit. I have absolutely no problem with that. But, in the shadow of Ground Zero? Why??? Why must you invoke your constitutional rights and insist on reopening this newly healed wound? This isn't about semantics and constitutional definitions...Not one bit. This is about a massive loss of human life at the hands of extremists of the very religion that wants to invoke a uniquely American right of religious freedom.
Which message is more important? 1. The basic peace that the religion adheres to (we could debate the 5 pillars elsewhere) , or 2. "Fuck you. Those responsible for 9/11 are extremists of my religion. I don't sympathize or empathize with them, but fuck you anyway. I want to build my mosque here, and I have constitutional rights to do so."
Are you so insensitive to what occurred here less than a decade ago, that you insist on building it here? Mr. President, with all due respect sir, WTF? You are going to stand up at your podium and look us in the eye and tell us that it is more important to take a stand for "constitutional rights" than it is to take a stand in defense of the families who will never see their loved ones again?
This is bullshit. Like I said...build your mosques. I support you and I don't hold you or your religion directly accountable for 9/11. But have the decency to back away from taking a stand HERE. If you don't, you discredit the fundamentals of your own religion.
If you're one of the people that blames the entire Muslim world for what happened on 9/11, this post is no more in support of you than it is for those crying about religious persecution at the opposition of the feebly named 'Ground Zero Mosque'. It is simply a mosque...a most holy place of the Muslim religion. But, it happens to be proposed within earshot of the World Trade Center. I am taking a stand for the families of the almost 3000 voices that have been silenced by radical, fanatical Muslims, not by the other vast majority of peace loving Muslims. And, I humbly beseech you to build this religious shrine somewhere else. Your demand to build this mosque in this particular place is the equivalent of our asking to fly the American flag over Mecca during Ramadan. The notion is preposterous. I would no sooner expect nor desire this, out of respect for your religion and your sacred land. Now respect ours (if you're an American Muslim in favor of this mosque, respect YOUR land) and back the fuck off.
As for you, Mr. President, I'm waiting for this change you preached and all I see is the same bullshit from inside the Beltway. I've tolerated your nonsense to this point, but I can't stand by and watch you stand up supporting something so obviously disrespectful to your own nation...one that still weeps and fights to understand the hatred and terror inflicted upon it. I will never fully make sense of it all, but this decision is crystal clear in my mind. What is impossible for me to believe is that it isn't in yours. You are the elected figurehead of this proud land, and you have taken a stand contrary to the blood colored fabric woven through the bars upon our flag. Have you forgotten already? I believe you have. Or, worse yet, perhaps you never knew.
This nation was never more cohesive (in modern day) than it was in the days immediately following 9/11. Somewhere along the line it has been lost, and it became more about votes and holding office than about respect and integrity. Both parties should be ashamed. Look around you, Madam Senator, Mr. President...Your constituency is hurting, and it doesn't matter where you're from. We're hurting. The last thing we need right now is an elected official of the highest order and power to take a stand for a constitutional right, for all of the wrong reasons.
The skeletons of my old Vox blog
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