Christians, politics, and a misguided hate
I must say that I put most of the awful words I hear into a box with a lock on it. What are these awful words, you ask? They are strings of misguided, misplaced, and misinformed letters that string themselves together ever so incoherently, with religious thread to hold it tighter.
I started paying attention to them back when Bush and Gore battled it out with all the ridiculous posturings of the hanging chad drama. I listened to talk radio and was drawn into Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck's show. I tuned in everyday as my kids went to school or were playing in the other room. I became frenzied in watching the news shows, hanging on every word, and letting those words soak into my blood. They became part of me and my rhetoric and anyone who disagreed with me was the worst kind of uninformed. **silently tucks away the fact that I nearly voted for Clinton in 92** I mean, it was Rock the Vote!
Bashing.
Ugly words.
When the 2008 election came around and Barack Obama became the Democratic candidate I was still in this frame of mind. My mind was a vast diorama of soundbites, from TV and radio, plus social media that would echo hollowly through my head.
He's not really a citizen.
He's from Kenya.
We demand his birth certificate.
He's a Muslim.
He's a socialist. A marxist. A communist.
He's a n****r.
Most of all, he's a n****r.
When he won and the celebrations happened in front of our eyes,on national TV, all I could hear was, "Those people celebrating like he's their God. Like he's going to give everything to them. They need to get over their past and move on." For a people not allowed to vote, even in the early 60's, wouldn't this be cause for celebration? Isn't this a win for them having a voice in the highest held office in the land? The bitterness stuck deep and hard in the people and Obama became a person worthy of the worst kind of hate.
Four years gone. And then came the next election.
If there ever was a time I wanted to close my FB page, this was it. Although I never put much on my wall about political vibes, I carefully watched people and what they posted. The most vile, putrid, and outright lies that were posted day after ever-living day. Posts that simply took my breath away with the evil the words contained. People that live 'Godly' lives.
Okay.
I saw a different side to so-called 'religion' and what it meant in the political arena. Over time, I had little thoughts and words poking me in the back saying, "Missy, love is what is needed. Hate and taking sides only serves to divide us." I read books, I read the Book, I read and pored over articles that talked about why the religious right has changed over the years. I had an awakening, if you will, that called me to be accountable to what was in my heart and the political arena. Blindly being led by what we've "always done" is not the way and only served to make my heart deaf and dumb.
I may have nearly had a breakdown from all that was said during that election. My husband would tell me to stop reading the posts, stop letting it in. But when people you know let you down by calling our President a n****r, a Muslim, and someone 'other' than who should hold that office, my eyes couldn't be torn away and the veil was torn. I would never again see people through the same eyes.
Hate.
Evil.
The anti-Christ.
The Kenyan lib-tard.
O'Bummer.
This is how people I knew described Obama. And hated him. The pure and rancid taste that was left in my mouth became a bitter taste on my tongue - one that wouldn't soon be washed away. I was left with my head in my hands day after day after day and election day couldn't come soon enough. But not soon enough to affirm my belief that he was never to be accepted because he was 'other', he was different, he was black and not white. I believe the vitriol would never have been quite as ugly and festering if he was just another white democrat.
Last night I watched the 2015 State of the Union address. I saw a great speech filled with things every President says on this day. They talk about accomplishments, things left to do, unemployment, healthcare, minimum wage, and personal stories that bring the points home. I was moved by it. I live-tweeted it, I took it in - just like I did for every other president that's been in office while I've been alive. As Americans we ALL need to watch the SOTU address, not reject it because you hate the man in office. The office of the President is one to be respected, even though we live in a country where we have freedom of speech. I like spirited debate and joking about his suit or how gray his hair is.
Instead, what I saw on social media was hate-filled rancor that made my skin fill with goosebumps:
"I won't watch that BS."
"He's a liar and a twister of words."
"He's evil."
"He only talks about himself."
**Insert whatever Bible verse talks about someone evil**
When Obama leaves office, and all the nonsensical remarks people make about him end, what will be left? What candidate/President will we have that will be everything you need? Or will you be left with no words in your mouth because the racial epithets won't fit? What will you say then?
Did you hate Bill Clinton this much, a democrat, who served two terms?
How about Jimmy Carter? Or maybe JFK? How about FDR, a democrat, who served for twelve years as president during WW2. All democrats. Does the political affiliation even matter?
I live my life, whoever is in the Oval office, and I live it well. I love, use kind words, and push back a bit when needed. Hate doesn't fill my heart over one person and what he was able to accomplish with all the negativity and hatred pointed toward him. I see a man who broke barriers and stayed poised while shit was thrown at him from all sides. ALL SIDES including a Christianity whom I thought could never hate that much. May God forgive us from our hate. I for one, choose to love. We can disagree on issues, we don't have to side with his policies, but the hate must stop.
the hate must stop
I started paying attention to them back when Bush and Gore battled it out with all the ridiculous posturings of the hanging chad drama. I listened to talk radio and was drawn into Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck's show. I tuned in everyday as my kids went to school or were playing in the other room. I became frenzied in watching the news shows, hanging on every word, and letting those words soak into my blood. They became part of me and my rhetoric and anyone who disagreed with me was the worst kind of uninformed. **silently tucks away the fact that I nearly voted for Clinton in 92** I mean, it was Rock the Vote!
Bashing.
Ugly words.
When the 2008 election came around and Barack Obama became the Democratic candidate I was still in this frame of mind. My mind was a vast diorama of soundbites, from TV and radio, plus social media that would echo hollowly through my head.
He's not really a citizen.
He's from Kenya.
We demand his birth certificate.
He's a Muslim.
He's a socialist. A marxist. A communist.
He's a n****r.
Most of all, he's a n****r.
When he won and the celebrations happened in front of our eyes,on national TV, all I could hear was, "Those people celebrating like he's their God. Like he's going to give everything to them. They need to get over their past and move on." For a people not allowed to vote, even in the early 60's, wouldn't this be cause for celebration? Isn't this a win for them having a voice in the highest held office in the land? The bitterness stuck deep and hard in the people and Obama became a person worthy of the worst kind of hate.
Four years gone. And then came the next election.
If there ever was a time I wanted to close my FB page, this was it. Although I never put much on my wall about political vibes, I carefully watched people and what they posted. The most vile, putrid, and outright lies that were posted day after ever-living day. Posts that simply took my breath away with the evil the words contained. People that live 'Godly' lives.
Okay.
I saw a different side to so-called 'religion' and what it meant in the political arena. Over time, I had little thoughts and words poking me in the back saying, "Missy, love is what is needed. Hate and taking sides only serves to divide us." I read books, I read the Book, I read and pored over articles that talked about why the religious right has changed over the years. I had an awakening, if you will, that called me to be accountable to what was in my heart and the political arena. Blindly being led by what we've "always done" is not the way and only served to make my heart deaf and dumb.
I may have nearly had a breakdown from all that was said during that election. My husband would tell me to stop reading the posts, stop letting it in. But when people you know let you down by calling our President a n****r, a Muslim, and someone 'other' than who should hold that office, my eyes couldn't be torn away and the veil was torn. I would never again see people through the same eyes.
Hate.
Evil.
The anti-Christ.
The Kenyan lib-tard.
O'Bummer.
This is how people I knew described Obama. And hated him. The pure and rancid taste that was left in my mouth became a bitter taste on my tongue - one that wouldn't soon be washed away. I was left with my head in my hands day after day after day and election day couldn't come soon enough. But not soon enough to affirm my belief that he was never to be accepted because he was 'other', he was different, he was black and not white. I believe the vitriol would never have been quite as ugly and festering if he was just another white democrat.
Last night I watched the 2015 State of the Union address. I saw a great speech filled with things every President says on this day. They talk about accomplishments, things left to do, unemployment, healthcare, minimum wage, and personal stories that bring the points home. I was moved by it. I live-tweeted it, I took it in - just like I did for every other president that's been in office while I've been alive. As Americans we ALL need to watch the SOTU address, not reject it because you hate the man in office. The office of the President is one to be respected, even though we live in a country where we have freedom of speech. I like spirited debate and joking about his suit or how gray his hair is.
Instead, what I saw on social media was hate-filled rancor that made my skin fill with goosebumps:
"I won't watch that BS."
"He's a liar and a twister of words."
"He's evil."
"He only talks about himself."
**Insert whatever Bible verse talks about someone evil**
When Obama leaves office, and all the nonsensical remarks people make about him end, what will be left? What candidate/President will we have that will be everything you need? Or will you be left with no words in your mouth because the racial epithets won't fit? What will you say then?
Did you hate Bill Clinton this much, a democrat, who served two terms?
How about Jimmy Carter? Or maybe JFK? How about FDR, a democrat, who served for twelve years as president during WW2. All democrats. Does the political affiliation even matter?
I live my life, whoever is in the Oval office, and I live it well. I love, use kind words, and push back a bit when needed. Hate doesn't fill my heart over one person and what he was able to accomplish with all the negativity and hatred pointed toward him. I see a man who broke barriers and stayed poised while shit was thrown at him from all sides. ALL SIDES including a Christianity whom I thought could never hate that much. May God forgive us from our hate. I for one, choose to love. We can disagree on issues, we don't have to side with his policies, but the hate must stop.
the hate must stop
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