by Karen Ekegren, Missoula
As an octogenarian, I have acquired some wisdom over my long years. But I don’t know when it became acceptable to lie and demean others. Cultures that have lost sight of core values have never fared well. Yet, we are choosing to do the same.
Political ads exemplify the worst in us. No one bothers to fact check– even though voting records are public, and there are a number of non-partisan fact checking research sites. Even I have discovered that I have been wrong! We have become satiated with sound bites and posts, and it has been an unhealthy choice on a multitude of levels. The amount of money spent on campaigns is obscene and could do so much good for so many, rather than pedaling deceit and divisiveness.
Truth matters. Integrity matters. Learning from history matters. Voting matters. And voting intelligently REALLY matters!
Roger Mitchell says
“Truth matters. Integrity matters. Learning from history matters.”
Yes, I am in total agreement with these, but voting? Voting for what? The lesser of the evils which only means that the evil which garners the most votes is made dominant. Which means that in every election, evil wins. Which means that, due to evil constantly winning, the society-at-large becomes progressively more evil. Ad infinitum.
Voting is nothing more than choosing whose hand holds the club with which you are beaten. It does nothing to stop the beatings.
Bill Stroud says
Quite the complacent attitude. From where I sit, the club being wielded by the ‘right’ has spikes in it. As the numbers of dying women increase due to the cruel, draconian anti-abortion laws being implemented it sure as hell DOES matter which way people vote. Your comment reflects the very attitude of someone with no skin in the game and frankly doesn’t give a shit.
Clark P Lee says
Don’t forget cheating. About the only thing kids learn these days is how to cheat and their parents approve or at least show them how.