I was watching MSNBC the other day, and this idiot was asked who he thought McCain’s running mate should be. He said that since McCain was a white male, and the Democratic presidential nominee would either be a woman or a black male, he should choose Condoleezza Rice. After all, Condi represents the best of both worlds, a female and an African-American. What more could someone want in a Vice President?
Watching the news over the past few months has made me frustrated. Almost without exception, whenever commentators discuss the Democratic candidates, especially during the South Carolina primary where there is a substantial black vote, they speak of women and blacks as though they will instinctively vote for Hillary and Barack, respectively. According to these fools, black women are the most conflicted group during this election. Will they vote according to their skin color, or according to their gender?
The Republican side also has its fair share of unintelligence. This is most obvious when one considers that an anti-Darwinian, white supremacist sympathizer, and religious crackpot has won several primaries, especially in the south. Mike Huckabee’s denial of the theory of evolution has earned him the support of members of his alma mater, Liberty University (founded by the anti-Semite Jerry Falwell). His opposition to stem cell research has earned him the social conservative vote. His staunch support for hanging the Confederate flag on South Carolina’s capitol has earned him the support of the Klan and other white-supremacist organizations, like the Council of Conservative Citizens. The fact that a man who knows less about science than my 10-year-old cousin is still a contender and hasn’t yet been laughed out of this race should bother all of us.
There have been some reasons to remain optimistic about the integrity of American democracy. Obama has repeatedly distanced himself from entering racial politics, which can be difficult at times when the Clintons are pressuring him to do so. Rudy, who would have been, and may one day be, the first Italian-American president, never made a big deal of the vowel at the end of his last name. Instead, each candidate has focused on their records and the issues to gain votes.
This has been the first presidential election that I have followed, and I have increasingly realized that American democracy is dysfunctional. When friends ask me whether or not I think it is important to have a female or black person in office, I usually respond that, yes, I think it is important and would be good for the country. But seeing how my vote will go for the next ruler of the free world and commander of the largest military in the history of our species, I try to take it more seriously than if I were voting on a game show. Considering the stupidity and tribalism of many votes, and the outdated Electoral College, I do not believe in the value of my vote and therefore will not vote come Election Day.
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