Some days I have nothing to say. And then I turn to politics.
Of course I am interested in politics always. After all politics affects everything we do, say, who we are, what our values and beliefs are, what we wear, how we behave, personal interactions, how we bring up our children, what curriculum we design for schools, our moods, standardized testing, future of our country, the world, relationships with other countries, our religion, personal actions, where to take our holidays, family relationships, books we write, books we read, newspapers, magazines, journals we read, testing, speeches we make, speeches we don't make, who we root for and who we don't root for, who we vote for and who we don't vote for. Politics makes us feel powerful and in control or powerless and helpless. It makes us sad, angry, sanctimonious, disappointed, jealous, ashamed, guilty, self-righteous, anxious, afraid, victorious, outraged, happy, gloomy, doomy, joyful, celebratory, mournful, clever, stupid, like, dislike, love and hate. The political is personal, oh so personal. Politics make us socialist, communist, capitalist, right wing, imperialist, environmentalist, independent, dependent, interdependent, left wing, fundamentalist, liberal, relativist, anarchist, atheist, neo this and neo that, conservative, reactionary, radical, activist, apathetic, emotional, objective, subjective, racist, sexist, homophobic, centrist, anti this and anti that, pro this and pro that. Politics makes us right or wrong, good or evil, just or unjust, good or bad, black or white, gray or colorful, funny or humorless, serious or flaky, compromising or uncompromising, intense and passionate or uncaring.
Politics is humankind, compassionate or cruel, selfish or selfless, accepting or intolerant, complex or simple, real or imaginary. Politics is you and me, men, women and children, old and young, cultures, abilities, sexual orientation, Christian, Muslim, Jew, Buddhist, Hindu, Jane, vegetarian, Unitarian, octogenarian, sectarian, weight, height, wealth, poverty, food, water, medicine, hospitals, prisons, schools, parks, animals, sea, earth, sky, space. Politics is Internet, bloggers, cyberspace, blogosphere, message, media, communication, written, spoken, filmed, heard, seen, felt, experienced, yesterday, today, tomorrow, over there, over here, all around, everywhere, right here, right now.
What can I say? I am speechless.
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