Red Pill Politics

by Wendy N.

I can honestly say that if someone asked me two months ago whether I would be posting a political blog, I would have answered with a resounding, “NO.” Politics has always remained outside the periphery of my intellectual curiosities. Like sports, I could follow the game, but was never personally vested. And up until 2000, this philosophy had served me fine. I, like my other brethren in blue, dutifully showed up on ballot day to vote for my party, but I paid very little attention to major issues or the political players of the day. To me they were all the same. In and out they came. Like cards re-shuffled in a deck. New faces, same politics. Seemingly petty people embroiled in a petty game.

But the past 7 years have made me realize how bad it can get with the wrong administration in place. Apparently, we can be blatantly lied to by our “leadership” and purposely misled into believing “weapons of mass destruction” existed. I will also go on record that I believe the reasons for going into Iraq are far more complicated than Bush wanting to wage a holy war or clean up after his daddy. (But I’ll leave that for another post…)

The last month has been exciting. Two candidates, both worthy of our nomination, are battling it out to convince the Democratic party and eventually the nation that they can lead us out of the mess that Bush has led us in. I started off in January optimistic and energized about the potential of all the Democratic primary contestants. But 5 weeks later, I can say I’m disappointed again. Disappointed about how polarized even our own party can get. Disappointed by our trite media coverage of issues and candidates.

So, this is why I’m blogging. I’m blogging to voice concerns I see about the process. I’m blogging to defend my ethnicity, my class and my gender, which have been much maligned in recent weeks. I’m blogging because my neurotic thoughts are keeping me up at night.

Welcome to red pill politics. Blue pill people not welcomed. (Bonus points to my friends who get the reference.) =P

And yes, we all know I can get overly dramatic, so just take all of this with a grain of salt.