I Vote Not to Vote
[This is a re-re-post. I just blogged about voting for Gary Johnson and learned so much from all the angry comments that ensued. I learned that I was right to vote not to vote. It was like watching people on meth, from day one when they experience it the first time (they decide on a candidate) to when they are hooked and they turn on each other in meth-induced anger. Except it is politics-induced anger. The more we "talk" the more competitive and angry we get.
I don't think politics should turn us all into meth monsters. Where's the conversation our democratic process is supposed to ensure? And why do we turn on each other?]
Okay, so I watched yet another documentary that got me thinking further about the need to "flip" the way we think so we can solve real problems that we really care about in as non-political a manner as possible.
First, let me say that I've learned by watching these documentaries that for many, the films are the only voice they have. In Silenced, I learned that the government and the media are not necessarily our friends. If you make the government mad, it will make sure your ass is reamed by the media, who have agendas, too, or maybe they are just not very bright. Working together, they can ruin your life.
And maybe we aren't very bright either, because we tend to trust both our government and the media to do right by us. I've believed many things over the years. I remember during the Wikileaks thing telling my son that maybe we need to trust that the government knows what it's doing, that it does indeed have the best interests of its citizens in mind. Now I can't believe I said that.
That is what happened to John Kiriakou, one of the two men whose stories are told in Silenced. He blew the whistle on the CIA's torture program that uses water boarding and claims that it actually gets results.
He went on television at one point, before he knew better, to say that the program worked. At that time, he believed that his employer did not lie to him or America, and he had not yet seen the practices and results of the program in action. No one had a problem with the fact that he was talking about what could be considered confidential information. After all, he was saying good things.
But then he actually witnessed what really happens, refused to torture anyone himself, and talked about it to the media, again naively trusting that his employer/government would at least respect his right to speak up against what he thought was wrong. As he said, and I totally agree, "America is better than that."
I guess, though, that the CIA isn't better than that. When Kiriakou went to the media again to try to get his message to President Obama, the interviewer tore him apart. I was ashamed of myself for, at the time, falling for the message that was sent -- this guy was a traitor, guilty of espionage!! He was putting our country at risk with the information he was exposing. I also felt that the interviewer may have actually believed the guy was a traitor, or maybe she just wanted to come across as a tough reporter.
I'm sure these documentaries have their own agendas as well -- mainly to give people their voices back so they can tell their sides of the stories. That's not such a bad thing, is it?
I have learned that I should take everything I watch, read, or hear with a grain of salt. However, there is no denying that the US government ruined the lives of Americans who only wanted to make their country better and who thought their government did, too.
Kiriakou went to jail for two years. Why? What good did that do? Doesn't anyone learn from Orange is the New Black? Does the government really want to do that to a family with young children who love their dad and don't understand this whole prison thing?
Let's Flip This!
I'm not preaching anarchy or revolution. I do suggest, however, that we take a moment and "flip" it all. Let's come up with ideas to make sure our government gets the message that it either needs to start representing us or leave us the hell alone.
All my life, I was told I had a voice through my right to vote. I've never really enjoyed voting. I didn't follow politics and didn't think I knew enough to vote. When I voted, it was because I really thought it would make a difference. That is what the government has always told me...and my extremely political parents and ex-husband. I tried, I really did, to play the political game. But I never believed in it. I never felt like I had a voice so why bother?
I think many of us in New Mexico are like that, and we've been looked down on in many ways. When we do politics, we don't do them well. Just think of our most recent corrupt politician, ex-Secretary of State, Dianna Duran. There are so many more. Many years ago, I worked for the NM Legislative Council Service. I was there during several of the Manny Aragon years. Enough said.
We have a presidential election coming up. What if NM flipped this whole voting thing and instead of hoping that voters in our state will be truly represented by the voting process, let's make sure of it and NOT VOTE AT ALL!
We are a state of rebels. We love New Mexico. We don't have to lobby or campaign. We don't have to write letters to our legislators or sign petitions. We simply don't vote. It would be a great learning experience, and a pleasantly entertaining one if done with a sense of humor. We don't have to be mean about it. Am I seriously proposing we do this? ...
I don't like to get all worked up over politics so I'm going to take a deep breath and let it go for now. It's beautiful out there. Crazy New Mexico weather this week, but crazy good. Enjoy!
I don't think politics should turn us all into meth monsters. Where's the conversation our democratic process is supposed to ensure? And why do we turn on each other?]
Okay, so I watched yet another documentary that got me thinking further about the need to "flip" the way we think so we can solve real problems that we really care about in as non-political a manner as possible.
First, let me say that I've learned by watching these documentaries that for many, the films are the only voice they have. In Silenced, I learned that the government and the media are not necessarily our friends. If you make the government mad, it will make sure your ass is reamed by the media, who have agendas, too, or maybe they are just not very bright. Working together, they can ruin your life.
And maybe we aren't very bright either, because we tend to trust both our government and the media to do right by us. I've believed many things over the years. I remember during the Wikileaks thing telling my son that maybe we need to trust that the government knows what it's doing, that it does indeed have the best interests of its citizens in mind. Now I can't believe I said that.
That is what happened to John Kiriakou, one of the two men whose stories are told in Silenced. He blew the whistle on the CIA's torture program that uses water boarding and claims that it actually gets results.
He went on television at one point, before he knew better, to say that the program worked. At that time, he believed that his employer did not lie to him or America, and he had not yet seen the practices and results of the program in action. No one had a problem with the fact that he was talking about what could be considered confidential information. After all, he was saying good things.
But then he actually witnessed what really happens, refused to torture anyone himself, and talked about it to the media, again naively trusting that his employer/government would at least respect his right to speak up against what he thought was wrong. As he said, and I totally agree, "America is better than that."
I guess, though, that the CIA isn't better than that. When Kiriakou went to the media again to try to get his message to President Obama, the interviewer tore him apart. I was ashamed of myself for, at the time, falling for the message that was sent -- this guy was a traitor, guilty of espionage!! He was putting our country at risk with the information he was exposing. I also felt that the interviewer may have actually believed the guy was a traitor, or maybe she just wanted to come across as a tough reporter.
I'm sure these documentaries have their own agendas as well -- mainly to give people their voices back so they can tell their sides of the stories. That's not such a bad thing, is it?
I have learned that I should take everything I watch, read, or hear with a grain of salt. However, there is no denying that the US government ruined the lives of Americans who only wanted to make their country better and who thought their government did, too.
Kiriakou went to jail for two years. Why? What good did that do? Doesn't anyone learn from Orange is the New Black? Does the government really want to do that to a family with young children who love their dad and don't understand this whole prison thing?
Let's Flip This!
I'm not preaching anarchy or revolution. I do suggest, however, that we take a moment and "flip" it all. Let's come up with ideas to make sure our government gets the message that it either needs to start representing us or leave us the hell alone.
All my life, I was told I had a voice through my right to vote. I've never really enjoyed voting. I didn't follow politics and didn't think I knew enough to vote. When I voted, it was because I really thought it would make a difference. That is what the government has always told me...and my extremely political parents and ex-husband. I tried, I really did, to play the political game. But I never believed in it. I never felt like I had a voice so why bother?
I think many of us in New Mexico are like that, and we've been looked down on in many ways. When we do politics, we don't do them well. Just think of our most recent corrupt politician, ex-Secretary of State, Dianna Duran. There are so many more. Many years ago, I worked for the NM Legislative Council Service. I was there during several of the Manny Aragon years. Enough said.
We are a state of rebels. We love New Mexico. We don't have to lobby or campaign. We don't have to write letters to our legislators or sign petitions. We simply don't vote. It would be a great learning experience, and a pleasantly entertaining one if done with a sense of humor. We don't have to be mean about it. Am I seriously proposing we do this? ...
I don't like to get all worked up over politics so I'm going to take a deep breath and let it go for now. It's beautiful out there. Crazy New Mexico weather this week, but crazy good. Enjoy!
Comments
Post a Comment