I hope its okay to post this in the main forum. It's a partly political post mixed with some personal experience.
We all know the outcome of the election. To the GOP members of our forum who are angry, frustrated, or hurting, I can relate. Just remember what we Democrats went through in the previous two elections before 2008.
I'm not going to argue the situation with Bush and Gore. We all know what happened. It was 12 years ago. Suffice to say that the night Gore conceded to Bush, was the worst night of my politicial life. Yet, in spite of my deep disappointment, I wanted to give George W Bush a chance. It wasnt until he turned the World Trade Center attacks into a war against Iraq, that my dislike for him developed.
Same thing in 2004. I voted for Kerry. I wanted him to win. I believed the war in Iraq was wrong. My mom and I stayed up all night on Election night 2004, hoping Ohio would turn to Kerry. As we know, it never did. Kerry lost, and we had to accept it.
I'm aware that a lot of forum members dislike President Obama and his policies. I accept that. Some of those people, and you know who you are, are people I consider some of my closest friends on this forum.
What I'm trying to say is.. I feel your pain, because I went through it. 2000 and 2004 were very, very difficult to accept, but I had to do so, and move on.
Briefly, so as not to turn this post into something about my personal life. As many know, I was estranged from my father and his family for literally decades before my mom died. When I made amends with them this year, it literally happened after my mom was diagnosed with what would be her fatal illness, and then right after her funeral. Yet, I kept vowing to myself. I will not chastize anyone about what they did 20 years ago. My bar for judgement will be what they do now. I hope I've worked through issues with my father, and thankfully, my uncle and father's wife have been gracious. As i've posted before, my father's cousins havent been, and I'm ready to cut bait from them., The cousins have attacked both my mom, and me, at the worst time of my life, after I graciously accepted them back into my life, when they had done nothing to help my dad and I while we were estranged.
My dad wasnt particularly gracious when he called me this morning. His words to me were "Your boy won". Uh, derisive, and uncalled for. I dont like how he referred to the president as a "boy".
I guess my point is.. To the GOP members of the forum who are frustrated this morning. I know how you guys feel. I've been there, both politically, and personally. We need to try and put that aside. The country has elected Barack Obama for four more years. Just the way the Democrats had to put aside their disappointment at the elections of 2000 and 2004, hopefully the GOP can do the same thing now, as people of all parties need to work together, to attempt to improve what is still a very troubled country.
Mitch
We all know the outcome of the election. To the GOP members of our forum who are angry, frustrated, or hurting, I can relate. Just remember what we Democrats went through in the previous two elections before 2008.
I'm not going to argue the situation with Bush and Gore. We all know what happened. It was 12 years ago. Suffice to say that the night Gore conceded to Bush, was the worst night of my politicial life. Yet, in spite of my deep disappointment, I wanted to give George W Bush a chance. It wasnt until he turned the World Trade Center attacks into a war against Iraq, that my dislike for him developed.
Same thing in 2004. I voted for Kerry. I wanted him to win. I believed the war in Iraq was wrong. My mom and I stayed up all night on Election night 2004, hoping Ohio would turn to Kerry. As we know, it never did. Kerry lost, and we had to accept it.
I'm aware that a lot of forum members dislike President Obama and his policies. I accept that. Some of those people, and you know who you are, are people I consider some of my closest friends on this forum.
What I'm trying to say is.. I feel your pain, because I went through it. 2000 and 2004 were very, very difficult to accept, but I had to do so, and move on.
Briefly, so as not to turn this post into something about my personal life. As many know, I was estranged from my father and his family for literally decades before my mom died. When I made amends with them this year, it literally happened after my mom was diagnosed with what would be her fatal illness, and then right after her funeral. Yet, I kept vowing to myself. I will not chastize anyone about what they did 20 years ago. My bar for judgement will be what they do now. I hope I've worked through issues with my father, and thankfully, my uncle and father's wife have been gracious. As i've posted before, my father's cousins havent been, and I'm ready to cut bait from them., The cousins have attacked both my mom, and me, at the worst time of my life, after I graciously accepted them back into my life, when they had done nothing to help my dad and I while we were estranged.
My dad wasnt particularly gracious when he called me this morning. His words to me were "Your boy won". Uh, derisive, and uncalled for. I dont like how he referred to the president as a "boy".
I guess my point is.. To the GOP members of the forum who are frustrated this morning. I know how you guys feel. I've been there, both politically, and personally. We need to try and put that aside. The country has elected Barack Obama for four more years. Just the way the Democrats had to put aside their disappointment at the elections of 2000 and 2004, hopefully the GOP can do the same thing now, as people of all parties need to work together, to attempt to improve what is still a very troubled country.
Mitch
