Not about politics


In my blog draft folder I have accumulated quite a few unfinished political rants. I keep starting them because it’s all that’s on my mind. I am eating and breathing this election and a lot of my free time is spent on the campaign. And so naturally I get upset and I sit down and write a scathing screed (or eight). I have several about the worldview (or lack thereof) of Governor Palin. Another about how the 24-hour-news-as-entertainment mindset has almost ruined political reporting. I have one called “On ‘Real’ People” about how tired I am of being told that I’m not a Real Person™ because I don’t live in a small town (I live in Oakland now but I grew up in the Midwest and went to college in a very small town. Is that enough to make me a Real Person™? What is the Official Real Person™ Formula? If Giuliani is Real, but Biden isn’t, I’m guessing I’m about 45% Real, adding points for my solid Midwestern work ethic and love of open spaces, subtracting points because I like arugula, am a dirty hippie**).

But there I go again. And this is the problem. I never actually publish these entries because it just doesn’t feel quite right. I try to keep this space positive but it’s easy to get swept up and be aghast and disturbed by all the racism and xenophobia that has bubbled to the surface. But I’ve been trying to behave the way I know I should: calmly and respectfully. So I write and write and write because the anger has to go somewhere and then I take a deep breath, don’t push publish and pick up the phone to call more voters in Nevada.

I’ve tried both ways and at the end of the day contributing more to the nasty discourse makes me feel sleazy. But getting off my bum and doing everything I can to make sure the best team wins? That helps me sleep at night.

**Dear future opposition researchers: I am not actually a hippie and I shower regularly. I do however like arugula and refuse to apologize for it. I’m hoping that in 2020, this will no longer be grounds for losing an election.