Question: Democrat or Republican? Answer: Human

A post by "J. Mal" To see more posts click here

As a citizen who finds passion and interest in politics, I love to hear what others think about political issues within our society.  You can gather a lot of information about a person from their views.  Are you Pro-Life or Pro-Choice?  Did you wish Bush could run for a third term or did you get an Obama Tattoo that says “HOPE”? All of these answers are quite telling of where a person may fall on the political spectrum.  These conversations also help me understand my point of view and help me develop my beliefs.  I like to call this an “open mind”.

So after many conversations I’ve started to notice one thing.  There is no such thing as a Democrat or a Republican per se.  I have rarely met anyone who falls in line with everything of a single party mantra.  In fact most people that identify with one type of political party often have very different motivations and backgrounds to support their beliefs, as well as stray from the party on any number of issues.

So why does all this matter?  One of the biggest mistakes anyone can make is to categorize or judge an entire group of people based on one simple ideology or vote.  Trying to group people into “Whites, Latinos, Blacks, Democrats, Republicans, Tea-Baggers, Socialists, Etc.” is detrimental to society and doesn’t give any credit to what human beings really are.  We are individuals, who as a collective group, make up a single unit called the human race.

Recently on some political talk shows pundits have brought up the fact that they feel the whole “Tea-Bagger” movement is rooted in racism and “white power” sentiments.  Without talking to the people on the streets protesting, or really finding out what type of people make up the movement, the media is instantly telling America who these people are.  They show short clips of some of the most fringe participants painting a picture of the movement as the dumb racist Americans.  As demonstrated in the clip below, Janeane Garofalo is quick to say that these movements are rooted in racism.

Q:   “What if Black people showed up armed at a McCain rally?”

A:  Nothing as long as they had a permit to carry such a weapon and were not threatening anyone with it, or trying to hide the fact that they had a gun.

Don’t Believe me?  Keep reading.

Look at how the media displays this as racist.  The video shows a man at a rally toting a gun.  They immediately jump to white anger and racism.

This is the single most manipulative video editing on this issue I have ever seen.  Don’t believe me?  See the exact same video below.  Except this time is shows the face of the man carrying the weapon.   Not only did this black man have a gun, he had an AR-15 assault Riffle.

Let me be clear on one fact.  While there are racist people in America, of all colors and ethnicity, to label an entire political faction of people, who are protesting big government, as racist, is no different than the motivation behind racism in the first place.  Your goal is to collectively group and dismiss an entire sect of people that you have not taken any time to understand.  If anyone has been to a rally for the tea-baggers, yes, I’m sure there are some people there, hell maybe even quite a few, who are not very fond of minorities or cultures that they don’t understand.  But if the whole movement is rooted in deep resentment stemming from a black president, then why are members of the rally from all colors and backgrounds?  Is the black man who is standing next to a Latino, both of whom are protesting big government, racist?  Do they hate Obama and his policies because he is black?

Also, do you think it would have been possible to go around during an Obama rally and find some supporters who themselves may have harbored negative feeling towards other racial groups?  I know from experience that you would find such people, but that does not mean everyone who supports Obama thinks the white man is the devil.

It’s about time we as a nation realized that to each is own, and stop putting people in simple little boxes in order to generalize entire groups of people.  I’m sure at the tea-bagger protest you would find people that are both pro-life and pro-choice.  People that voted for Obama, Nadar, McCain, and Baldwin (Libertarian) but are by an large fed up with the bullshit process that we call government.  They are fed up with the whole system.  The inaction in our Congress, the power grab of the Executive and Legislative branch.  The slow erosion of our civil liberties.   It is our duty as citizens to speak up when we feel things are getting off track.

I believe in limited federal power and states rights.  I strongly disagree with some of the policies and beliefs of our current President, but no more or less than I did with the previous administration.  I am pro-choice, but also pro 2nd Amendment rights, I donate to charities, help the homeless, all while trying to be a lawyer and an entrepreneur to make my first million.  I work hard in school while working a full time job.  I have friends of all ethnic groups, colors, sexual preference and background.  I believe in personal responsibility and personal liberty, while understanding that equal rights must be guaranteed and defended by a central government.  I don’t believe in preemptive war, but I damn sure believe in a strong national defense.  I could go on an on about my beliefs.

So tell me pundits?  What color am I?  Who will I vote for?  Am I a racist for protesting at the tea-bagger rally?

What box do I belong in?

I belong in the box marked human being.  And it’s time we started treating each other as such.

…Udothedishes