The Trimmier Life

“The only solace to be found in losing is in losing like a man.” Bill Whittle

Since the election I have been gravely disappointed – not in the outcome, but in the reaction to the outcome by my fellow Americans. I’ve been most disappointed in so many people’s inability and unwillingness to even try to accept the outcome. I’ve lived the past 8 years accepting and working with a President that at most times I did not agree with. A president and his party who I believe have tried time and time again to diminish womens rights and human rights in general. And although I have not agreed with his views (or the Republican Party’s views), I’ve stayed engaged and I’ve continued to express my opinion by writing my political leaders (even the President himself). I have accepted that people have different opinions than mine, but I have not given up on the on the ideals and morals I feel would be best for our
country, for all Americans. I have been forced to meet in the middle and I have been happy to do so – happy to accept different beliefs,  different situations, different ways of life…And now that the other side is being asked to meet in the middle, all I have seen is opposition, complaining, repugnance, and the incapability to even TRY – and that is disappointing.

I’ve heard people say that the ‘younger’ vote does not mean as much as the ‘mature’ vote because this newly engaged population doesn’t have
enough experience to make the ‘right’ decision – that they don’t have the right type of lifestyle to be able to determine what is best for  themselves – and to hear that is disappointing. The fact that some people actually believe that their vote is a more accurate one because of their ‘experiences’ is disappointing.

*On a side note, NBC Nightly News broke down the demographics of the election and even if no one under the age of 30 had voted, Barack Obama would still have won. Secondly, when you remove every single Latino vote, Obama still prevails. See the 2 minute video explaining the data below and know that it wasn’t the young inexperienced vote that made a difference on November 4^th, it was AMERICA as a whole who made the decision.

I’ve also heard too many people talk about how they are now focusing on the 2012 election and which Republican they will support for the
presidential nomination. Well, frankly I don’t care who they are voting for in 2012 – to be honest, if you are already choosing your candidate for 2012 that shows me your refusal to try – to try to believe in the new president, to try to believe in our democratic system, but most importantly to try and respect the views of others. You’ve completely discarded the other side and simply said that you are unwilling to even try to be 1 America…and that is the most disappointing of all.

I will leave my soapbox tonight in the hopes that we can all put a little more effort into trying to understand each other and our differences. And remember “We are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.” (As quoted by President Elect Barack Obama from a speech given by President Lincoln.)