Reply #8: For the Gen Y-er--it's always been like that, but it's what we've got. [View All]

[vixengrl]

This alone shouldn't do him in--a stupid peripheral meaningless sideshow shouldn't be the issue--but politics is often superficial. The mission is, if you're willing to accept it, to care. Deeply. Let it hurt you. Let it matter. Read about things, think about them, and focus on issues yourself--because by not caring, you can't help it. We need every aware, awake and sane person we can get to make democracy work, and it won't if people who've been turned on and tuned in, just drop out. The job is to participate until you know you are participating not for your own sake, but everybody's. The story is: right now, it's politics TMZ-style, and it's been gossipy and dumb for so long because people haven't figured out how to silence the noise machine.

But there's a way out, and up. It isn't politics itself--it's the cheaters and bush-leaguers calling the shots that need taking down. Call "shame". Call "bullshit". Cast a light on the stupidity. Call a Congressperson on something you care about, sign a petition, support a candidate and stare down haters. It takes a little willingness to get hurt--but in terms of policies that affect people's lives--

It's worth it. It's *our* system, and we have to *own* it to fix it. We can't let disappointment take away what's ours--and it's irresponsible to give it away to the haters, players, and shitheads. Yes--we can. We just need to recognize "We" need to be a majority--a people, united. No backing out. No "burrowing".

(I don't really know when it's ever been totally safe to watch the news. I find there's always something that steams me--Wright, wrong or otherwise.)