Burying The Lede

What is the one thing in this polarizing and bizarre presidential campaign that not many are talking about? The one major historically significant event that is totally being overshadowed by the tabloid friendly antics of the GOP nominee? Can you name it?

We are on the verge of making presidential history again, a milestone that we as a collective nation can chest thump about. We are on the verge of electing the first female President of the United States of America. Think about it, it's that big of a deal. Why is literally no one talking about this? I have a theory, oh you knew I would.

My theory is an uncomfortable one so buckle up. Once again we as a nation have to confront one of our shortcomings. Could it be that in the 21st century the USA is still a tad sexist? Yup and here's why. The first obviously glaring example is that the nominee for the Republican party is openly sexist and misogynistic. There is so many recorded examples of this that there is no need to enforce the point. It's an established fact. That he is the nominee and will at least pull 40% of the vote proves my point more than anything I can say, no matter how eloquently.

Detractors of Hillary will throw all sorts of reasons out there in a attempt to deflect the ugly prospect of sexism. Is Hillary the perfect candidate? Nope. Has she made her share of mistakes? Yup. But those on the right have a fundamental problem, and that is that they are totally unable to accept the words, actions, and beliefs of their candidate. If they ever did it would mean that they have some culpability too. How could you endorse that candidate without espousing those same beliefs, even by proxy? The answer is you can't, even if you try to build this alternate reality by denying that Trump has said countless vile insults against literally every demographic that isn't white and male. Think about it, they will yawp at the the top of their lungs "Killary" or "Lock Her Up" but you can't get them to talk about the fact that Trump has called a whole bevy of women "Dogs", "Pigs", "Miss Piggy", and "Miss Housekeeping", the final example of not only sexism but abject racism as well.

The sad reality is that after the election, sexism isn't going to disappear onto the ash heap of history, we will encounter it over and over ad infinitum and ad nauseam. After making history by electing our first African-American President, there was the birther movement. A movement to de-legitimize President Obama's presidency by claiming he wasn't born in America. A movement The Donald was a major proponent of for five years and only reluctantly stepping back from it when it became a major obstacle in his campaign. A movement we can all agree that is fueled by racist ideology. If racism didn't die after an election, then sexism can't be described in past tense.

As Progressives it is our task and our duty to help defeat inequality in whatever form it takes. To reject policies and philosophies that divide and demean anyone who breathes the same air that we do. It isn't going to be fast and it sure isn't going to be easy but every time I look into my daughters eyes, I can see a world where she and anyone can grow up to be President.

Sins Of The Past....

I have a confession to make tonight folks, a confession that is painful for me personally to share with you. I am ashamed, ashamed to admit that I once used to be a republican, I am ashamed that I once used to be a conservative.

I used to embrace the conservative ideology of rugged individualism and small government in the sense of the old Ronald Reagan idiom "Government is the problem, not the solution". By maturing and becoming better educated I have slid far, far to the left and I believe that I am a much better person because of that maturation and education.

You see, the Republican Party and conservatives have moved so far to the right that it has embraced Corpratocracy and bared their souls which are filled with hate, racism, misogyny, and ignorance. It is an embarrassment to the nation and myself that the nomination of a major political party stands for nothing and has no vision other than building walls and dividing a country in a time that so desperately needs unity. The hard truth is that the party of Lincoln is no more, and is sadly now the party of Trump. Everything that the GOP used to stand for is dead, trodden under the wheels of a new facist corporate machine. In embracing Trump, the Republican Party and conservatives have sold their soul and sold out their beliefs in a last ditch effort to be relevant and to get back into the White House. In doing so, they have lost all credibility and I believe have been infected with a ideaologic cancer and will eventually die unless someone in the GOP can save it from their descent into history.

I look at the news and my Social Network feeds and I see people who are emboldened by Trump's candidacy and feel that there is a "green light" now to publicly profess their passive aggressive racist beliefs and blindly follow their candidate who has nothing in common with them and lives in a fact free bubble where ignorance and hate rule the day. The right likes to call us on the left "sheeple" and I've always found that ironic since it's the left that has always been a proponent of "free thinking" and standing against a cookie cutter uniform conformity.

So I sit here before you ashamed that I ever was a Republican but I take solace in the fact that I'm not alone. If you or anyone you know find that you can't be a part of the trainwreck that is the GOP, don't just bury your head and hope the bad man disappears, know that there is life after the Republican party and it's not too late to see the light. Join the Progressives and help make a world where love and prosperity rule and all people have value and equality.