In other news.

I am not someone who would normally consider myself a political activist. That was bred in to me early on, by my mother, who was an activist... prior to having kids, and then having her whole family threatened when she brought the two of us kids to political rallies. Once the proffered threats were extended beyond her immediate self, she got scared. I don't blame her.

However, today, I will now be goddam, fucking, liberal, political activist. I don't know just what that means yet, I've never been one before. I don't know how far I'll push myself and change myself to promote my beliefs in public. I'll figure that out as I go.

But goddam it. I am an American citizen, and I am going to do what Americans do best. I am going to stay here in this goddam backwards-thinking, uneducated, atavist country of mine, that has given me so goddam many freedoms. And I am going to fight to bring this country back up to par with the rest of the world. I am going to work to promote the freedoms that the people of this country deserve. I am going to fight for what I think is right. I will be an honest, educated, thoughtful, and supportive American patriot, not the sad excuse of flag-wearing, proto-fascist, unthinking, nationalism that I see currently espoused as 'patriotism'.

To those of you out there who are planning on leaving this country, without a particularly compelling reason to do so (if you have to claim asylum because of who you are, that I understand), you may all go to hell. If you are a healthy, heterosexual individual who has no criminal record and otherwise have never drawn the attention of the authorities, then grow a goddam backbone.

This is your country. Don't give it up without a fight.

Now that I've calmed down...

I'm already finding significantly more eloquent posts than mine about how to rectify things, as well as about the issue of leaving the country. I'll post them as I come across them.

Anyway.

I've not heard of a more lukewarm reception to a president's re-election. The world leaders are veritably falling over themselves in their effusiveness.

In the future, I shall be linking to a significant number of posts and articles about how we can improve the electoral process, educate voters, and generally improve the lot of everyone in this country. If you don't want to be in on that, let me know and I'll set up a filter.