I won't try to make myself sound political or science-y or even remotely smart (cause I was just a good student, you see; I knew how to work wonders with an essay test.) Political science was definitely not my calling, even though I'm the one who picked it.
So, why did I do that? Easy: Compared with English, I had the most credits in it. I figured at the time that I was destined to major in poli-sci because (a) my daddy was a town manager and (b) I must have liked it since I'd taken so many classes.
And then I finished college and spent a few years pretending to be a reporter at the Roanoke Times, which was fun and satisfying and made me feel like the Big Time, even though I was most definitely not. The most invigorating times to be in that newsroom were during breaking news - the budding war in Iraq, Waco, the 1992 presidential election. CNN was coming out and the world opened up to 24-7 news. I loved it. I lived and breathed NEWS, even as I worked in the fluffy features department slaving over the weekly calendar and Fridaysomething and the occasional newsFun article as the phones rang and rang and I had to answer those, too.
I loved it.
All that news, the talking heads, the quick flashes of action and sound bites and sometimes dramatic music. News became my idol.
I just loved it.
(Then I felt called to teach; and that's a whole other story.)
So, what's happened that I can't even watch a debate now? It could be blood pressure related, but I've always had excellent blood pressure (not to brag or anything). Of course they've never slapped on the cuff during a fit of madness. And that's what I feel during these debates - madness. Where's the truth? Who's to tell you where the truth is? And are they worthy of reporting the truth? News is certainly not my idol anymore.
Right-wingers will swear their side is the only way. Left-wingers will swear the same. I cannot stand the very idea that either is that black and white, one way or the other. That much solidarity errs on the side of ignorance, it seems to me. Nobody is perfect. Nobody on earth, that is. You simply cannot believe 100% of either side. Seriously. Can you?
I think it's the racket that comes out of these debates - the spin room speakers, the negativity, the 100%-positivity, the lack of fact-checking, the inane Facebook status updates and comments that follow, and all that money that follows along like a scrappy little pup on a leash. People line up on their own sides and scream across the field at the other. It's all just so ugly.
I'm not regretful that I was a poli-sci major. I'm certainly not ashamed of my daddy's stint as the longest-serving manager of a single town in Virginia (at least he held that record a few years ago). I'm just being honest here. I'm sick and tired of the distrust I feel in the whole entire political process.
And so, in the end, you'll be relieved to know that I do calm down. I do carry on knowing the secret to happy, joyful living - no matter what is going on here on earth ~
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