POLITICS & HOW I VOTED at 73
Simply Said: When I was growing up my Dad would NEVER tell me how he voted! He said it was "personal" which I could never understand cause HE was my "BFF" at that time and we talked about almost everything else!
I couldn't "Protest" popular issues of the day because he worked for the Government...I couldn't "Protest" after I got married because my husband would have been mortified! (He allowed my bad jokes as a compromise) Since I have been married almost my entire life(53 years) it may be too late to "Protest" anything but my physical infirmities.
1959 Bay of Pigs happened when I was a Senior in High School with Cuba only 90 miles away and I was more concerned with not being able to "GO
WHERE THE BOYS ARE" IN FT.LAUDERDALE'S debauchery peak...
I was even packed when Dad said "NO!" cause a friend had said to him HE wouldn't let HIS daughter go to that. I would even be staying with a good family that had moved there from St.Pete. These were the days when
"good daughters" DID what their Dads said.
Yes, I am that rare breed of "Native Floridian" born & lived here. My
heritage from England came to America at 1607 Jamestown Colony. Relatives fought and mostly died in the American Revolution, The Civil War and every war since then as my husband also from Scotland.
I have seen many changes over the years to my beloved State but I was
never AFRAID in my country. I have always been grateful to live here;
my Dad taught me the importance of Gratitude.
I have been a registered Democrat all my life...don't even know why, really, except my new family was and I just signed on. I have overcome SO many obstacles over time. I am a Christian that try's to LIVE IT every day...not perfect but perfectly willing to improve. If you check back on my postings I wrote an article on overcoming racism in the South you can read but suffice it to say my progress has been steady & strong.
I did not pass it on to my children either.
How did I vote?
I voted for Obama...TWICE! Being newly retired and having more time of my own I thoroughly researched both choices for the first time...spent months doing so, actually. The two things I AM proud of was:
(1) Not voting against Obama because of Race & (2)not voting against
Mitt Romney because of Religion.What I did learn with my research was that BOTH men seemed to be very good Fathers...BOTH seemed to believe strongly in their values...I took EACH of their values & cleared
some pre-conceived notions of mine. I studied Mormonism and found out
much I did not know. I am a Methodist...we started with "fire & brimstone"
and changed over time. THEY started with Polygamy & some unacceptable beliefs for me and have changed over time, also!
My Son married an incredible woman who is Mormon and exemplified the best of her religion; she is amazing and I love her very much as my new Daughter. I have always felt that the BEST way to overcome prejudice of ANY kind is to get to KNOW & LOVE someone in order to understand their Ethnic backgrounds.
Getting back to "my Vote".
I voted for President Obama the first time for all the reasons I thought was valid to me...I voted for him AGAIN the second time cause I "rationalized" that he just hadn't had enough "time" to make good changes for America( and, I admit, I hated the thought that I might be wrong)
People that "hide" who they voted for will not understand my openness in this but I have nothing to hide & have found each wrong decision can be a great lesson & spiritual growth opportunity.
Result of "my Vote"?
I feel sadness and unfulfilled hopes for our country. I feel my two votes were wasted on someone not prepared for the job. I love AMERICA
more than any one "party", Denominational views or " prurient Agendas".
I am disillusioned with BOTH sides. There IS ONLY ONE SIDE: AMERICANS. In this country we are ALL immigrants! We are ALL some Ethnic group we love! We are ALL on this beautiful blue ball plummeting through eternal space! GROW UP!! HATE will end it for EVERYONE.
Mrs.Birge
Nov.12,2014
