Feeling Blue

It's difficult to articulate the mix of feelings I'm having about the election results. I'm flat out frustrated, angry, astonished, ashamed of some of my fellow Americans. Hmm, that wasn't so difficult.

How could anyone have voted for Bush? Are *that* many people walking around in a complete FOG? Did anyone notice we went from the largest surplus in HISTORY to the largest DEFICIT in history in just 4 years? Does anyone give a shit about the environment getting trampled on? Since when was it that the United States was about administering the proper MORALS on all of us? Are we a "Christian's Only" country and everyone else can go screw themselves? This was supposed to be "the land of the FREE" not the land of "you're free as long as you follow our religious beliefs" however restrictive they are to your personal beliefs, lifestyle, morals.

I liked the way Bush basically said yesterday that he would "reach out" to the Democrats as long as they were willing to come to him and accept his way of doing things. Yeah, reach this, asshole.

So I am asking myself what I can do about this. I'm a Graphic Designer, not a Politician. I love what this country used to stand for, but not the BS that's getting crammed down our throats now. I am embarrassed to be an American. In other countries we are looked at as the spoiled brat who will throw a tantrum if it doesn't get it's way. We're fat and fat-headed. It's our way or the highway. What happened to compassion and intelligence?

Moving to Canada. Yes, I've been thinking about that for 4 years. I just went to Nova Scotia and I even looked at some homes for sale while I was there. I took the "Skilled Worker Assessment Test" to see if I qualified to immigrate. Maybe I could make a better life for myself and make a contribution to country that might benefit from my being there?

My family is here, my friends are here, the beautiful land I have known as HOME is here...but...I'm not sure I can be in the US and see the road Bush is going to take us down-where my gay friends can't at least have a civil union...where my friend who may have made a mistake and become pregnant can't get an abortion, where I can't be a Buddhist publicly, where I can't take my nephew to see the wonder of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge because it's filled with oil rigs.

You know, it's not that I think Canada is the answer, it's that by staying in the USA I'm a part of this train wreck and in by staying I'm saying it's OK. I've gotta do something about this. It's not OK. It's not even close to OK.