Tiptoe Through the Tulips with Barack Obama and John McCain
Posted: Thursday, October 23, 2008
by Ian Lawrence Campbell
http://the-iron-cross.blogspot.com/
Why is it the worst tunes always get stuck on repeat playing inside your mind? Its never the toe tapping jingles you like best. It's the annoying stuff like Tiny Tim's Tiptoe Through the Tulips.
If you're like me, and I hope you're not, you obsess about the small stuff. Most of the time, it's something I've heard. As a result–I question the validity–pinning over the truth, I replay the events looking for a missed meaning or a secret code. I see the images in my mind so many times–from so many angles, all possible scenarios have been exhausted. In the end, it still sounds like a large man playing a small guitar singing a cautionary note about a late night tryst.
Over the past two years, this has been my sentiment as we have inched closer and closer to the general election. Every time I sit down in front of the hypnotizing little black box to stare at the flashing pictures, strange sounds, and late night infomercials––waiting for sleep to grab a hold of my eyelids, I am bombarded with talking heads yammering on about the latest faux pas Candidate A has gotten himself into; or, more tragically, how Candidate B is apart of an obscure religion looking to kidnap and control the minds of our young children.
Do people really care about this sort of thing?
I understand elections are grueling and meant to test the character of each Candidate running for the highest American office, but it's not like Candidate B is somehow responsible for Old Yeller getting rabies, therefore, what is the purpose of trading insults and lies?
The other day, a friend of mine proposed a novel idea. He said, "Wouldn't it be great if the candidates were banned from doing negative television commercials, Internet advertisements, and public smears."
My naivete was somewhat telling as I responded, "Wouldn't that change the face of campaigning?"
"Of course! It would turn an election into a quest for the Candidate whose issues matter most–not one who can fling the most mud."
What an idea, issues that matter most. Don't get me wrong; similar to my fellow Americans, I have continued to tune in and stay current with what the candidates have to say. But enough is enough!
Despite the entertaining moments of this three-ring quest for the presidency, I am ready to vote and be done with it. Deep down inside, I'm sure the candidates are too.
Anyway, if you're among the four people reading this article, thanks mum, and you have decided not to vote because of the mockery this has turned into–think for a minute about the millions of other people in the world who don't get such a right. Then, remember why we are here in the first place: Barack Obama and John McCain. One of these men will lead our free society through the next four years. Will you check the box that makes your opinion count, or will you ignore the truth pretending Tiny Tim sounds great in falsetto?
Making my opinion heard until next time.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Tiny Tim died of a heart attack on stage, in Greenfield, at a benefit performance, not far from where I live. A shame. I remember Rowan & Martin's Laugh In.
As for the sham, and not the shame, I like to think there is a lot of media fuzz that only exacerbates the pandemonium, but that deep down each of the candidates has a core belief that is probably not coming across the filtered channels. I've heard that there is no real difference, that it doesn't matter. But, real and life emergent consequences are decided as a result of our vote. Like Boston University Professor Howard Zinn said, "You can't be neutral on a moving train."
Scary isn't it lan "of these men will lead our free society through the next four years". It isn't really them it is a group led by pelosi, Jack ried and the like, check it out. Change them and change America but it won't happen. Good job we all need to vote.
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