"If Pigs Could Vote..."

It is easy to look at the current squabbles in American politics and wonder whether that thing in the approaching hand basket is indeed hell. The talking heads on the Sunday shows and competing newscasts arouse our passions as much as the politicians do. They each use half-truths to fortify their rhetorical positions and, unfortunately, the constituencies on both sides eat it up. I'm not pointing fingers. I'm just as deserving of indictment. I'm just as guilty of spouting off and the whole "eating it up" part. I'm a junkie for it. But someone I learned a tremendous amount from introduced me to Orson Scott Card's related quote and I think it provides a reminder of the skepticism we should employ when judging our politicians (and those that promote their platforms): "If pigs could vote, the man with the slop bucket would be elected swineherd every time, no matter how much slaughtering he did on the side."

There is much one can connote from my posting this quote and relating it to the current political situation in America. One might deduce I'm jabbing a finger into the chest of those currently in power. Another may think I'm thumbing my nose at "greedy" corporations and their equally greedy advocates in Washington and state governments. Others may think, "Who the hell is Orson Scott Card? Roy continues to be a complete geek." My response to all of these is a resounding "Yes!" I aim my finger at the collective political system and curse it. I gnash my teeth, yell, and throw very lightweight, harmless pillows without sharp edges at the expensive television I own and wonder aloud what the world is coming to. But in that practice, I find hope.

You see, I read real-life stories about those that try to influence their countries' political systems and the struggles they must endure--even to the point of death. The hope I derive comes from the fact that my country's political revolutions don't have to begin at the end of a rifle barrel, but the inky point of a pen. We have the means in our country to fix what many conclude is a broken political system. We are lucky that our foundation--The United States Constitution--provides the mechanism to do that. God bless America! The way we fix our problems is to vote for whoever we feel can competently lead us out of our woes. We have the ability; we just have to employ it. I laugh at the vignette where the curmudgeon is asked, "Did you vote?" and he answers, "No. What good would it do anyway?" This is one of the challenges our "broken" political system faces: concerned yet ultimately--as evidenced by their inaction--indifferent people. American people must vote.

I find hope in the fact that we have more access to more information than any other society in our world's history. That abundance of information is being utilized I believed. The problem is that it is selectively applied to buoy preconceived notions about everything from global warming/temperature change/cooling/cow flatulence to the President's birthplace. Be skeptical! Throw aside biased analyses and pull together your own opinion. As responsible members of the population, we should research those that we commission to serve in our highest offices and not choose based on a candidate's ability to throw a football or because he looks good in a red tie with complimentary flag pin.

I ask--no, beg--the six or seven people (including family) that read my blog when they have nothing better to do to please pay attention to this and ensuing elections. God blessed America's citizens with so many privileges. One of those is the ability to cast a vote for those they find worthy of it. Another is the ability to find the unvarnished truth. We just have to chip it off through unbiased research and open-minded analysis. Card's metaphorical analysis of our political system is true only insofar as we allow it to be. Push away from the trough and examine the "slop" you're being fed and the "swineherd" feeding it to you. Depending on the results of the next election, they will be feeding us for the next two, four, or six years so it's important you get it right--especially right now!

Though I'll be in Afghanistan, I'll "see" you on Election Day.