I am not your enemy
By spalladino
@spalladino (17891)
United States
April 15, 2009 9:18pm CST
Ok, guys and gals, I made it back from the tea party in one piece and I need to say something to this board. Something that has been on my mind for hours now.
I am not your enemy...neither is anyone else who posts here. Whether we define ourselves politically as Conservative, Moderate, Liberal, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent...and every combination or no combination...we are all AMERICANS! I just spent the last couple of hours with AMERICANS. The *side* we stood on, the candidates we supported, the hot button philosophical issues we support or object to didn't matter. We were ONE voice with ONE goal...to send a message. This message was sent today by thousands of AMERICANS across this nation at hundreds of rallies like the one I attended.
Divisiveness defeats us. Divisiveness weakens us. As long as we're arguing amongst ourselves about petty cr@p like a dog, as long as we're nitpicking and defending every little thing....we're overlooking the BIG things. Militarily speaking, how do you defeat an enemy? Distract...divide...then conquer. Perhaps I'm still on a demonstration high but this is what I see happening in my country right now. We're in a tight spot and many decisions are being made. Some will ultimately benefit us but others won't. As long as we have this adversarial attitude towards each other...as long as we allow ourselves to be distracted by every little thing that comes along..we miss the big things, the important things.
THIS is what really ticks me off. Many of you know how I came to the decision to vote for Obama. Others assume that I'm a Liberal...that I'm a Democrat...based on nothing more than a vote that I cast. There are times when my opinions and my information is discounted because of these assumptions and I'm sure I'm not the only one who experiences this. The fact is that I'm a moderate Republican, who may just switch to being an Independent in the future due to my disappointment with both parties and with hope in my heart that enough follow to make a difference. I voted as I did because I believed that what the Republican party was offering was bad for this country. John McCain chose the worst possible running mate and I could not risk this country to the likes of Sarah Palin. BUT that does not mean that I am the enemy of ANYONE who questions the decisions and policies of this administration. Unless we start THINKING for ourselves...unless we become a little more DISSERNING about what we choose to bytch about...unless we start listening to each other...we are nothing more than a bunch of lemmings running in circles and, while we're busy doing that, we're distracted. Distract a large population for long enough and things slip past them.
Today thousands demonstrated in uncoordinated protests across this great nation. We came together as AMERICANS. We spoke out as one. We need to continue to be ONE. We need to continue to watch for the important things...to discuss and rally around them or against them. We need to stop with the petty bullsh*t and act as one people.
Lecture over. As you can probably tell from this post I found the demonstration in West Palm Beach to be very stimulating and, while the likes of CNN may not give them their due, the president is aware that MANY of us are fed up and that...this time...we came together. Lets make that our goal for the future.
8 people like this
12 responses
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
16 Apr 09
One thing I should address first:
"Whether we define ourselves politically as Conservative, Moderate, Liberal, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent...."
the VERY first step we must take is to STOP defining ourselves politicly as conservative or liberal. It is a devisive and deceptive term. We are quite devided as a nation in terms of social and moral beliefs, however what we, or at least the vast majority of the country agrea on, is our political and governmental beliefs. At heart, the majority of us truely are "libertarians", not the party, the political ideology. the olove of our freedoms and the love of livong life with out a big borther watching our every move, defining our every station and deciding our every fate.
Yet as you pointed out, here we are squabbling amongst ourselves about our conservative/liberal positions and it is not entirely an accident. This benefits the proverbial "they".
anyway, glad you had a good time, wish I could have been there :(
5 people like this
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
16 Apr 09
Maybe a few of them will find there way here, you shoulda handed out referal url's lol.
One of the bigger points I was hoping to make, was that we shouldn't be definging ourselves so much as liberal/conserbvative, as that has to do more or less with social and moral beliefs rather than political and governmental ideology, since for the most part, the constitution says very little about moral and social specifics. But we pretty much all agrea we would like the government to stick by it and not become another mother russia. It seems like a simple and easy thing for all of us to agrea on, yet we fight over who's beliefs, conservative or liberal, will keep us from going down that road when in truth, it is only a distraction while they drive us down that road. Both a lot of republicans and a lot of democrats in government have become more totalitarin, less libertarian in the way they apply their various jobs, but we're so hyper focused on wether they are liberal or conservative enough, that we are blinded and over look it or simply miss it because we aren;t looking in the right place or applying the right standard.
2 people like this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
16 Apr 09
You were there in spirit, x. I was talking to a couple of women I met about this site and how passionate folks here are about what is happening to our country. One of the speakers mentioned that, for every person who attended, there were numerous others who wanted to be there but couldn't for one reason or another.
I do agree with you that we, as a nation, should not be bound by political ideologies. It hurts us and we need to stop because as one people we are STRONG!
3 people like this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
16 Apr 09
While I was talking about this site I was thinking the same thing...referrals! Wish I had thought about printing up some little cards but I was so focused on getting my butt there. At any rate, I couldn't agree with you more.
2 people like this
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
16 Apr 09
Wasn't it great. Being there with people from all kinds of political beliefs...but coming together for a common goal. It was not a republican thing...it was not a conservative thing....it was an american event. For all american people.
5 people like this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
16 Apr 09
Yes, Lil, it was great! I stayed longer than I had planned *because* it was so great. There was no talk of party politics...it was all about America and what we as Americans were fed up with. I kept my eyes open for infiltrators but I guess none came to Florida. This was an amazing day. All across the country we spoke out with one voice. This was not a national event...it was not coordinated or promoted by any national organization...it just was what it was. Americans coming together and I was proud to be a part of it today.
4 people like this
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
16 Apr 09
Did you happen to get any pictures while you where there? All of us that went and took pictures need to post them up for everyone to see.
3 people like this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
16 Apr 09
No, we have one digital camera which my husband needed to use to take photos of a motorcycle that was coming into our shop on consignment today so he could put it on Ebay. I wish I had thought to stop and get a disposable camera but I was in a bit of a rush. They had been talking about parking problems on the radio so I wanted to get there early. Turns out that they had lots of help with that little problem. I saw a lot with a sign indicating that demonstrators were welcome to park there which was only a few blocks from the main event so I was very happy about that.
3 people like this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
16 Apr 09
I hope this conviction you brought away from the protest has struck and stayed with the majority of people attending. THAT is the spirit we need in this country! We need to take back our government--remember "of the people, by the people and for the people"? Whatever happened to that? If we can share a spirit such as you have seen, we can take our country back from the politicians and lobbyists and have a true government of the people.
2 people like this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
16 Apr 09
I couldn't agree with you more. It's my hope that folks continue to share this spirit taking back our country because, as so many of us all across the country proved today...yes we can!
2 people like this
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
16 Apr 09
Hi, spalladino! You are right, you are not our enemy! You made your decision whom you wanted to vote for and that is your choice. No one should knock you down for your decision. We all are doing the best that we can to make life what it should be. And tearimg each other down is not the way to go! We all have rights to our opinions and beliefs. No one is perfect only God is! We need to be more concerned about what is really taking place in life. Not the petty and immature mess that is happening all over the world. Once we start to do what is right, then we can better resort to understanding life like we are supposed to.
2 people like this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
16 Apr 09
Hi cream! I couldn't agree with you more. We need to stand up for what's right and stand against what's wrong. The White House heard, even though they're pretending they didn't. I'm sure they have all the numbers by now and are scratching their heads about yesterday. Over 500 demonstrations, independently organized and attended by tens of thousands of Americans. Whoda thunk it? 
@Barbietre (1438)
• United States
16 Apr 09
I just watched a PBS special called " The Journey of Man" which showed where humans began and how they migrated to where we all are now. It all boils down to the fact we all share the same DNA. We may be 20,000 gneration apart, but we are ALL related.
3 people like this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
16 Apr 09
Yes, we are and we're also Americans. It used to be the class system that divided us the most...rich vs poor. Lately it's politics but we DO have power when we work together. We showed that yesterday.
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
16 Apr 09
Ohhhhh, You are in Trouble! You said something bad about the Great One, you have now served yourself to the lions here.
You started a very nice post, I always considered myself an Independent because I couldn't see myself voting for a party. Although this was the first year I voted completely Democratic. I think that there are people here that will just ignore what you say, continue to enjoy their rumors and pettiness and maybe some will understand what you mean.
You said something bad about the Great One, you have now served yourself to the lions here.
You started a very nice post, I always considered myself an Independent because I couldn't see myself voting for a party. Although this was the first year I voted completely Democratic. I think that there are people here that will just ignore what you say, continue to enjoy their rumors and pettiness and maybe some will understand what you mean.2 people like this
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
16 Apr 09
Let them try to bite. I was exercising my God given right to express my opinion and to relay the facts. 
I agree, some folks on both sides won't change but they're in the minority. From what I saw, heard about and read about yesterday, there are too many who really care about this country for any of us to be discouraged.
I agree, some folks on both sides won't change but they're in the minority. From what I saw, heard about and read about yesterday, there are too many who really care about this country for any of us to be discouraged.1 person likes this
@xParanoiax (6987)
• United States
16 Apr 09
I can't agree more. I keep hearing that tea parties are only a republican thing, but I keep saying, "I thought it was for everybody who was just sick and tired of all this crap..."
I think that this movement has alot of potential to unite everybody...and that's why alot of people are trying to use it to divide us.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
16 Apr 09
I couldn't agree with you more about this movement uniting us. I haven't heard the rough numbers from West Palm Beach yet but the host of one of the talk radio stations I listen to was at the one in Lauderdale last night. The estimate is that over 5,000 people were at that one. I do know that the one I attended was very large as well.
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
16 Apr 09
Great post, Spall! It's really a shame that to many people it seems anyone who disagrees with them IS the "enemy" and that shouldn't be! I know I'm as guilty as the next person here on myLot of getting a bit over-sensitive (for lack of a better word) when I'm called a name or told I'm stupid, ignorant, etc. because of what I believe to be right and who I support politically. However, I never hold it against anyone if the disagree with me because I agree with you that we're all AMERICANS. In other words, I try not to take it personal unless someone GETS personal about it with me. Nothing would make me happier than for us to once again be united as a nation as we were immediately following 9/11.
I'm very glad the tea party you went to was a good one and that it was what you'd hoped it would be. I'll admit to having my doubts about this whole movement because to me it seemed that it WAS coordinated by the RNC, Fox News and groups like FreedomWorks. I feared it would be more of a protest against President Obama personally than anything else and I felt that was what has divided us lately rather than unite us. With people like Hannity and Beck involved I felt even more that it would be a divisive thing. Since you've come away from the party you attended feeling so positive I know that wasn't the case with at least that one.
Annie
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
16 Apr 09
I did hear rumors that some demonstrations had backing but, as far as I know, the ones here in Florida didn't. In fact, I heard on the radio that the woman who organized the one in Lauderdale...who is just an average mom...took a lot of heat about it before the event but I didn't catch from whom.
@gitfiddleplayer (10362)
• United States
24 Apr 09
This is the first I've heard of anybody reporting this on myLot, hope they weren't too scared to do so. I agree with you that we need to come together but we have to iron out the issues first, that's what I think is going on here. For years people have been the silent majority and now there is a rift that is growing and people are speaking out against it. We elect these people, they need to represent us, if they don't we will speak out. The media wouldn't report anything good on Bush, it came from the people, the media is doing the same thing, they are trying to shut down the people. Get the media out of the way and then you will see a change, they can't be the filter for everybody.
@oyenkai (4394)
• Philippines
24 Apr 09
What's good about your culture is that you don't easily forget. You mentioned "past issues" such as voting for Obama instead of McCain because you'd rather not risk your future in the hands of Sarah Pallin - that shows that you didn't forget why you came to your decision to support Obama.
I think that your people will pull through this problem because you make it a point to make sure that you cast your vote on something that will make a difference - what will affect you the most, or the least evil in the worst of times.
I envy your people's passion. I'm from the Philippines and the most memorable demonstration my country had was a Peaceful Revolution against the Marcos regime. That was a time of tyranny and now people are voting Marcos cronies back in the government offices, some are even supporting his wife for the next presidential election. I dread what happens next. I hope that my vote and my support will at least be enough cry against corruption in the government.
Thanks for the response on my discussion!
@dineshkumargn (152)
• India
16 Apr 09
agrred ur opinion......... every friend has enemy.... but every enemy has a friend..
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
16 Apr 09
This is true and sometimes people are enemies for the wrong reasons.
