A Break From the News...

Brandon Boyd from Incubus once beautifully sang, in the opening verse to the underrated song, "Consequence," "Blink and you'll miss a beat..." It seems odd to connect a 2001 song from an American alternative rock band to the 2008 presidential election, but the linkage cannot be clearer. It seems that if I neglect to tune into MSNBC each evening, I will miss something potentially catastrophic for either the McCain or Obama campaigns. If I don't refresh the CNN website every two minutes, I risk missing the "BREAKING NEWS" red banner that flashes across the screen as if I had just "won" a Nintendo Wii. All I have to do is complete these 17 offers? Sounds too good to be true! The news media has the attention of the American people, and have been holding it hostage for the past twenty months. Despite what the poll turnouts of the past eight years have suggested, it seems that now, more than ever, people are interested in the future of our country and the role they can play in its development. Sure, Barack Obama went back on a promise to accept so-called "public financing" when he was a longshot candidate back in December 2007, but once he was the presumptive nominee, and he realized that the amount of money that he could raise would far exceed the $80 million in taxpayer funds available to him through the Federal government, he opened his campaign to the American people. In the process, he has raised over $600 million, a whopping eight times as much as would have been initially available to him... but how? Through highfalutin events, cocktail parties, and million-dollar auctions? No. Over two million people have given an average of $83 each. It is truly a campaign that is funded by the people and run for the people. But my post isn't about continuing the election overkill, nor is it about lambasting the media for its nauseating reporting of every single pitstop, rally, or handshake performed by a senior member of the Obama or McCain campaigns. The crux of this post is about people. Random people making unorthodox, bewildering statements that I have overheard during the past two weeks. It really is baffling just what offal spews out of people's mouths and how willing we all are to accept it. For example, I strolled past this group of three as they were in the middle of a heated discussion...

Guy: "...fuck that mouse..."
Girl: "I don't know why anyone wouldn't want to eat its face..."

Perplexing.

Girl: "...and I threw up all over Scott, all down my dress and on my shoes, it was fucking gross."
Girl 2: "Oh, sweetie. Are you okay?"
Girl: "Yeah, I'm fine, my head just hurts a little."
Girl 2: "Awww... wait... which shoes?"
Girl: "The white ones with the bangley things"
Girl 2: "Oh my God, bitch, I love those shoes."
Girl: "I know, right!"

It really shows that as we wind down the last few days of this two-year long election season, people are really talking about the issues. Take this exchange between a parent and child, for example:

Mom: "So where is this stadium?"
Student: "It's right down there (points at building) to your right"
Mom: "Where, [Student's name]? I can't see it." (Mom pulls down glasses to get a better look.
Student: "Mom, it's right in front of you, we're walking towards it now."
Mom: "Do you think one of those Navigation things would work?"

And this exchange between a guy and his female friend:

Guy: "How could you do that?"
Girl: "So what? So I had sex with his five cousins."

I was mortified... and really, really curious. I guess all I'm trying to say is that if you feel overwhelmed by election news, by the McCain campaign's lies, by Obama's cult of personality... take a breath, go outside, and listen to people talk. You'll be amazed what you can hear.

I would be remiss if I didn't end this post with the following:
Go out and vote on Tuesday, November 4th. Vote like your health, your life, your present, and your future depends on it, because they do.