Sometimes, I get a little upset when I read people�s diaries. It�s not that I expect everyone to agree with me and my point of view. It�s not because I think that my point of view is right. It�s because I recognize that it�s merely MY point of view and that I am not right or wrong. And it bothers me when I read other people who express their point of view with the belief that they are right and anyone who doesn�t agree is wrong. And then have the gall to call themselves open-minded. I�m not here to gunsling or call names. It doesn�t matter who said what. I just want to say, and this is only my opinion and doesn�t make me better than anyone for thinking this way, that the �I�m right � You�re wrong� ideology is what gets the world into wars in the first place. So by saying war is wrong and you are wrong to support it, is just like shooting the first bullet into the innocent crowd. Just my opinion.
I�ve walked a strange road, politically. I�ve been far right and far left (almost joined the communist party!). Now I find myself resting somewhere in the middle. I am registered as a republican but vote my conscience not my party. I don�t think Clinton was the best thing that ever happened to this country. Nor do I think he is the worst. I don�t think Bush walks on water, nor do I think he�s taking this country to hell. The truth is, (the truth according to Janet anyway� not me being right and you being wrong, just my opinion on the presidential matter) that every president gets in office and does some good and some bad. They all do things that help and things that hurt. And truth #2 (again, according to Janet) is that what actually happens to the nation during any presidential term, had the groundwork laid on it long before that president takes office. It takes YEARS before a policy actually affects change (economic or otherwise). We can blame Bush for the state of the world today, but the attacks of September 11th were planned while Clinton was in office. We can blame Bush for the economy, but again, the groundwork from that was laid during the Clinton years. Not to bash Clinton, but let�s not turn him into a god either. No man is perfect, they all have flaws. I have no idea who I�m going to vote for in the next presidential election, but I can guarantee one thing � any president elected will do a few things that make me go RAH RAH and a few things that make me go BOO. That is a fact in the life of Janet.
So, a few of my political views:
I am against abortion but for choice. Just because it�s the right choice for me doesn�t mean I get to make that choice for any other person.
I am for social services but against the lazy mindset that they can create.
I respect people of other races/ethnicities/cultures, but am appalled that my tax money is used to support people who aren�t even here legally (And here�s an aside � how is it that we think we can secure the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan when we can�t even secure the border between the U.S. and Mexico?)
I understand that there are jobs here in America that I would not want to perform, yet I am against the idea of illegal immigration, which is the very man-power supply that is needed to fill those jobs
I hate that the world gets mad at the U.S. for fiddling in their affairs but then chastises us for not helping them fix their problems.
I appreciate that you can be in America and express your opinion but when you express how much America sucks, why are you here?
I am for taxes to support the nation but I still hate paying them.
I like laws and appreciate our need for them but wish that I could have unlimited �get out of jail free� cards so I can break the ones I want (such as speeding in Texas)
I hate war but I love a soldier and recognize the need for someone to police the world.
I don�t think the U.S. should decide what type of government exists in every country in the world. I think Cuba should be allowed to be communist if that�s what the people of that country really want. I don�t think democracy works for every country.
I don�t think that American policy is always right simply because it�s American. Yet, I do like our culture better than others (but only because it�s what I�m used to)
I think what I'm trying to get at here, is that even within my OWN views, there is a lot of room for dichotomy. And I recognize that my own views may not be "right" or even "policitally correct" but it is what I think and to deny that is to lie to myself. I recognize the prejudice that exists within me, we all carry some prejudice. And I hope I haven't pissed off any one with my views. Some people might read about my views and say �No Janet, You�re wrong!� but the fact of the matter is, I�m NOT saying that I�m right. I�m just saying that here in America, I have the right to an opinion. Just like everyone else.
