Put Me Out Of My Misery

I like to avoid uncomfortable situations. Yet here I am in the middle of one, yet again. Doing something important is not always easy, or comfortable. That is one of the biggest lessons that has been impressed on me in the last 10 years or so.

In 2000, I made a vow that I would retreat to a remote mountain in Tibet for the 2004 election. I would come back some time around Christmas. God willing, the whole election thing would be sorted out by then.

2000 was miserable. I sat awake until about 2:30am, watching the various news channels. I saw Comrade Dan Rather throw Florida to Gore, even though it was not quite the way he called it. I saw Tim Russert look like someone kicked him in the nether regions every time a state went red for Bush.

I decided my health could not take it again. I declared that I would vote early, and then seclude myself until well after the election was settled.

It’s not happening.

I volunteered to be an election judge. Well, an alternate election judge, actually. Election judge just sounds better. This means that I will be smack dab in the middle of the whole election mess, all day long.

Isn’t there a circle of Hell that meets that description?

I actually didn’t volunteer; I just ratified my volunteer-status after a friend went ahead and submitted me for his alternate election judge. There will be favors called in at a later date. Big favors. Such as helping bury bodies. Or no-interest loans. Or something like that.

At any rate, I figured that it was my civic duty to get involved in some small way. Helping to run the polls is pretty darned important. Especially since the Democrats seem to be hell-bent on stealing the election through phony voter intimidation, provisional balloting, and other assorted legal nightmares. I want to do my part to make sure at least my precinct is fair.

In other words, I will do everything possible to ensure that everyone who is supposed to vote in my precinct gets to vote. Even if they are so miserably stupid that they vote for Kerry, I will do whatever is necessary to make sure their vote gets counted. This will be the best run precinct in Tarrant County, if I have my way.

However, I am still scared. This is all out of my hands, but I cannot help but feel a sense of impending doom. If Bush loses, this is going to be very hard for me. I am so convinced that the Democratic party is socialism reborn that I am actually physically ill at the thought of Kerry winning.

I am also scared because I realize that at least 50% of this country believes in the Democrats’ agenda. This scares me. Badly. There are people who actually want a socialist lifestyle, and they get to vote in this country.

To me, the choice is clear. I cannot fathom anyone seeing it any differently. My view of the world as black and white pretty much puts the Democrats in the black column. Do people actually want higher taxes? Do they want more government intervention in their lives? Do they want their goods and services to go up in price because of lawsuits? Do they want someone who believes that abortion is not an evil thing? Do they want to lose the Second Amendment? Do they want our security governed by a “global test?” I’m starting my own business. I do not want a tax and spend Democrat in office. Ever.

If the answer to all that is yes, I really do not want to be associated with people like that. I cannot consider a Democrat a friend anymore. They stand for things that I think are pure evil.

That’s why this election is going to be hard for me. The tension is almost unbearable. I know life will go on if the worst happens. I am just worried that it will be a much poorer life if Kerry wins.

Yet here I am, smack dab in the middle of it all. I guess I owe it to the country to do a little something to help out. Even if I do not like the result, I need to do my part to make sure the process is protected. This is bigger than me, and my fears.