Fight the Fight

So today’s been a long time coming. It seems like this whole election has been building up to such a fever pitch. I know I’ve been seeing stress of the whole process taking shape in was I’m totally not used to. I think it’s partially because of the prevalence of online communication. Everyone has been vocal to some extent.

Take Facebook.  A lot of my “friends” are from high school. Without Facebook, I probably wouldn’t have ever talked to many of these people unless I change my mind and actually go to a reunion (right now, that’s not going to happen). But because we’re online contacts, I’m getting notified of all these passive aggressive comments because their political party may not be victorious.

My favorite status update by a high school friend: “contemplating the possible election of a man that has accomplished nothing aside from popularity. It is inexplicable.” This same basic sentiment is being used in ads from a lot by right-wing PAC’s and organizations who also sought to elect W in 2000. That fact seems to be reason enough to sink that argument.

But back to that comment, if I can accomplish 10% of what Senator Obama has accomplished by his age, I’ll be pretty happy. If you disagree, then you don’t know what it is to get through Harvard Law School with notable accomplishments… Then spend time community organizing (more valuable than he’s getting credit for)… There was teaching constitutional law at a really good school… What about working in a good law firm? Running for (loosing and winning) elections to serve in the Illinois political system… And the obvious accomplishment of being elected to Congress…  He also found time to get married and have children. Let’s put it another way, how many of the presidents in modern times have done as much as he has by his age without the aid of affluence?

Senator McCain took a different path in his life which is quite praiseworthy. I admire those willing to serve their country in such ways. We all know Senator McCain’s major noteworthy experience was by the same age as Obama was his military experience (as a POW and later as an officer in the Air Force).  All of that is quite admirable in so many ways, as has his continued service as a member of Congress for a long time.

In different ways, both men have served their country and paint different pictures of the American Dream. Both visions are quite necessary to see the overall spectrum that makes America work. But we’ve had a long time to examine the candidates and their supposed character. If you haven’t made up your mind, then I would hope the decision would be made based on the policy you agree with and not the projection of character that is coming from both sides of the argument. Attacking the men from either side feels tasteless to me at this point.