Anger Eve

Over the past few days, I’ve spoken to several friends in the States, read many blogs, and looked at postings on Facebook and Twitter. The overall message I’m getting is not the hyped message of hope, but rather one of anger.

While I can understand why there is so much anger, having it as an overriding emotion leading into a presidential election is causing me a great deal of distress and concern.

Americans are an emotional people, and I think that’s great. But should a president be elected on emotions?

Has the anger and frustration that people feel towards the Bush administration diminished objectivity toward the presidential candidates? Had that anger influenced the results of the primaries?

How objective do voters need to be? How important is a candidate’s experience? Is voting for a particular party of overriding importance? Do voters ever truly believe that a candidate will keep their campaign promises once they are in office? Do they cast their vote according to those promises?

I’m seeing deeper and more openly discussed emotions surrounding this election than any I can remember in a long time. But that’s almost all I’m hearing- expressions of frustration and of disgust. I rarely hear any suggestions for change.

Where are the wishes and dreams of hope? I hear demands for change, but they are not accompanied by a sense of hope that things will get better.

Somehow, hope, the most American of all things, has gone into hiding.

On this election day, when Americans proudly stand up as Americans, both to themselves and to the world, they are doing so in a sadly un-American atmosphere. An America without hope is an America without pride.