sad today.

this whole election thing has got me down in a way i hadn't anticipated. and since the "comments" sections for certain articles on the NYTimes website are full, i thought i'd list them here.

i'm saddened and a little scared by the vitriol i've seen on both sides of this election. voters, mostly. i lean left of center for sure, so i'm pretty familiar with the dem side of things - the anger and frustration of the bush years, when we've seen so much opportunity slip away - jobs, education, friends in the world.

but i'm starting to see now the real anger of those who lean right of center and it saddens me. it's all become so personal. "the other side is selfish, and condescending, and they hate me so i hate them." first of all, it's a sad sentiment to hear my fellow americans voice. second of all, anger at others seems a dangerous motivation for voting. i've always grown up thinking that we're all in this together. i think that most americans can say that their extended families contain both republicans and democrats.

this "themness" isn't us. it isn't what i love about my country. it's the opposite of what i love about my country. and it hurts to see that kind of anger driving an election. that is way i was so excited about obama. because he speaks differently. he speaks about us - all of us. not for us. not against us. but about us.

this election should be personal - but it should be about all of us and about all of our kids and grandkids. not about you vs. me and your kid vs. my kid. when did we become so judgemental and self-righteous as a nation? we're tearing ourselves apart and no one is doing anything about it.