Religion

I’m Glad I’m not Voting Today

/ Katie Wigington / Leave a comment
I’ve been sitting on my hands for a couple of weeks now- trying so hard to not say anything about the political chaos going on. I just took a walk and tried to think of something else I could write about that might be of interest to someone- anyone.

All week long one sentence kept going through my head though. And this is what it was:
If I were President Obama, I would be dancing a jig right now.
Honestly, I don’t know where I stand in the political turmoil. I’m observing- and sharing my observations with you. I don’t vote party line because I don’t agree with either side 100%. So I vote for the person. I look for someone with the qualities that I find attractive in any human being. Intelligence, compassion, fairness, honesty (forthrightness), and a sense of humor. The later being important in the balance of all things grave and important- you do have to know when to laugh. I apply the same criteria to picking my friends.
I am not interested in religious doctrine when it comes to running this country. I do not care what religion anyone is as long as it does not interfere with affairs of state or as long as they don’t impose their views on me. I remember the controversy surrounding John Kennedy as the first Roman Catholic. He was a “damn Catholic”. I do not recall- and maybe because I was young, but I don’t recall in any history I have read, him ever making decisions based on his religion. It would stand to reason since he was a practicing Catholic, that he was pro-life, which means he couldn’t be elected as a Democrat today. But Pro Life and Pro Choice was not an issue in the 60’s. Illegal abortions were the rage back then. Death by rusty coat hanger was the solution to the problem of pregnancy.
I would like to see us not become involved in any more wars that are none of our business. YES- I know there is a global war on terrorism. (That is like a world war only sneakier) I know our country needs oil or we will become a 3rd world country in the dark, tuit de’suite. So I am willing to try a little diplomacy. A little psychology.
Many of the world’s leaders are nut jobs. The Arab Spring cleaned up some of it- but there is much more to go. North Korea, Iran and Syria are the most pressing at this moment in time. Many African nations are lurking in the nut trees too. We cannot take our eyes off of any of them. Not for a minute.
I remember when President Obama was running for President and he said, “We’re going to change the way we do things in Washington.” (DC). I actually did laugh out loud. I remember saying to whoever was in the room at the time-( maybe it was the dogs-) that he was in for a big surprise.
All candidates from all parties make promises they can’t keep- because all candidates are not privy to all the facts. They think they are- but they are not. And we sure aren’t either.
That was why after President Obama was elected- his plan for getting our butts out of Iraq changed slightly. Then much to the surprise of many, including me, he took an aggressive stance in Afghanistan- (which most American’s had forgotten about) and ramped up the troops. Because he knew more then he did before he was elected. It’s one of the perks of being President.
President Obama inherited a huge mess of a country. Everything was in the fiscal toilet. The housing market was a disaster and we were in or within a minute of being in a recession. I don’t think the President has the power to magically fix the mess he was handed. And I don’t think President Bush was the soul person responsible for the mess either.
The turn around has been painfully slow, but finally this week the economist’s have had some good news for us- and President Obama. Things are starting to go in a positive direction again. That is not why I think President Obama should be doing a jig. No- the reason I think he should be doing a jig is because the GOP has not produced a viable candidate – at least for me. I know a lot of Republican’s that are saying they have not decided yet- or flat out, they don’t like any of them. It will be interesting to watch this race.
And while many of the people that voted for Obama have been disappointed because he didn’t act fast enough, or changed his mind, armed with new information- still I doubt many staunch Democrats will be voting Republican.  Maybe- if they are like me- and vote for the man or woman and not the party some Democrats will cross over and visa versa.  The political gulf is widening though.
Bipartisan is a dirty word right now. I would personally like to see the politicians grow up and start figuring out where to compromise – because Congress is a joke if they can’t get anything passed- and that alone forces any President to make Executive Orders or *recess confirmations. The founding fathers made sure you could not keep the decisions of the country at a standstill. (*The question of the legality of the appointment will undoubtedly go to court- I am guessing that they will find it legal.)
I’m trying to convince myself my vote matters. I’m trying to figure out if I want health insurance for my preexisting conditions or not. I’m trying to figure out if I will have to live in a world full of bigots and people that think God is only for Christian’s and Americans.  I’m trying to figure out what will happen to the fragile economy if we make the wrong decision. I’m trying to figure out how many more troops – how many more mother’s sons or daughters will have to be killed in tribal wars that have gone on since the beginning of time and will likely continue long after we bring our troops home. (Yet I would be willing to go fight for the rights of women in those countries.) I’m trying to figure out if the economy will turn around or will I actually have to work till the day I drop dead.  I have no money so I’m not really worried about taxes right now.I am worried about civil rights, gay rights, and human rights.
I have more questions than answers. I want a hybrid candidate. One that offers solutions instead of insults and one that has the capacity to communicate with world leaders with respect where due- and be able to act swiftly, with might when necessary. I want a candidate that will respect the civil rights of Americans and the human rights of Americans and everyone else.
Maybe that is too much to ask of any human being.

The Older I Get…

/ Katie Wigington / Leave a comment

The older I get, the less I understand life. The list of things I don’t get is growing and try as I do to understand what makes people tick, what makes people make the choices they do, I just can’t figure it out. I spend a lot of time shaking my head back and forth and opening my mouth in jaw dropping moments, completely baffled about how gullible or sometimes just plain stupid or completely off the charts crazy people are.

For instance: I don’t understand why people who are unhappily married stay together. Half the time, I don’t understand how these same people ever got together in the first place. From the outside looking in I usually see the train wreck coming – though sometimes it’s actually years away. I know: The kids, the money, too late to start over…I know all that- but it does not make sense to me. Life is just too short for misery that we can control.

I once had a boyfriend who I loved so much it drove me crazy (granted a it was a short drive). Together, like rabbits trapped in a cage, we bred insanity. Looking back, I can see how our friends and family saw us. Our on again off again relationship lasted more than a decade, sometimes secretly, in between and during others. I’m not sure what finally ended it. Just weariness I guess. Well -that and no booze.

During that crazy relationship- on one of our splits, I went to stay with my mom, while I waited for my brother to come from Escondido and bring me back home with him while I recuperated from this particular broken heart. I was watching the television with my mom when the news cut in to the local program to tell the world about the Jim Jones Massacre. I wondered then, how so many people could follow a man who was clearly insane. As I sat there, crying, thinking my world was coming to an end and wondering how I would be able to live without my Jim K.- the real end came for 918 people and something in me shifted. I remember journaling my feelings of despair, helplessness and confusion. Religion, I deduced- was the culprit. It was mass mental illness. My mother agreed.

Thirty-three years later… and people are still following crazy preachers. I watched with disdain and disgust as last week people actually prepared for the so-called “Rapture”. I read about one man who drove 3000 miles across the country to come to the Bay Area for the Rapture… and people who gave away their lives savings, quit their jobs, gave away all their belongings- and they have no recourse. They can’t sue this nut- they got suckered. They had faith.

Harold Camping, the nut that started this whole mess, and who has supposedly studied the Bible for more than 50 years, believed that on May 21, 2011, 6PM-ish, a massive earthquake would’ve hit New Zealand and from there continued quaking around the world during the next 24 hours until May 21 is reached on both time zones. At the end of this 24-hour period, Harold Camping said believers would go to heaven and the rest (of us sane people) would be left on earth to face final judgment before the earth is destroyed.

Remember the other nut? What was his crazy name? Do? (pronounced Doe) (I always want to say Bambi) Marshall Applewhite. He had followers too- they are all dead now. His was a UFO religion. They didn’t consider it suicide, they just called it leaving the earth so their souls could get on the spaceship to “another level of existence.” They had faith.

I found a whole list of crazy religious movements- check this out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_new_religious_movements

I do understand there is religion without mass mental illness. I understand faith- but prefer irrefutable facts and science. I like proof. I research and research to make sure things make sense.

Okay- so back to why people stay together when they are clearly better off apart. Is it mental illness? Fear of the unknown? Laziness? Apathy? Is it fear of failure or the perception thereof? Is it FAITH that things will change? I’m still wondering. But, if any of you have the answers- please feel free to explain. Just bring the proof.