Maybe it was a feature in past elections and I just wasn't paying close enough attention to notice it but there seems to be a large segment of the American populace that expects the country to collapse into ruin if their chosen presidential candidate doesn't win and, in response, have developed deeply emotional feelings towards the "other guy". People saying things such as "Obama will turn us into a Muslim country" or "McCain will destroy our country" seem far more common place than what I've seen in the past.
While I expect statements such as these to come from political operatives of all the parties, it amazes me when I hear it from a 20 something college grad or a 65 year old grandmother. People who seem perfectly reasonable and to have at least average intelligence suddenly drop any semblance of logic and spew off hateful statements with no basis in reality. To be sure, sentiments such as these have always existed along the extremes of American society but in the past year they seem to have found their way much closer to "main street".
Of course it could just be that this emotionally based, logic deprived hatred has always been a component of the average Americana's political views and is simply more visible now due to the internet giving anyone with a computer and a camera their own little world stage. I'm not sure if that possibility makes me feel better or worse about the current situation.
Trassin
- I'm holding out, not giving an answer.
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