This vote is NOT for sale!

OK, I'll admit it. I am a Hillary supporter. I believe in equal rights for all, regardless of your lifestyle. I believe in controlling weapons that have no purpose other than to kill another human being. (Yes, a .22 is a varmint gun and a 12-gauge is useful for hunting, but that's it.) I believe that healthcare should be affordable and available to all. I believe that stem cell research should be used to end horrible diseases. And, I believe that the government should tend to the business of running the government, provide the funding to support American life, and stay the hell out of my personal life. But, just because my candidate was not nominated as the Democrat presidential candidate does not mean I will abandon my beliefs. I supported Hillary because she stood for many of the same things I believe in, not because she was Hillary.

Now, John McCain thinks he can gain my vote by choosing a female running mate. Does he really think I am stupid or just plain gullible? Why would I go against all I believe in to vote for someone who stands for all I deplore just because she is a woman? And, while he's pointing fingers at Obama's lack of experience, he picks someone who has less political experience than anyone since Ulysses S. Grant. Come on, John, stop trying to play us for fools.

I don't know that Obama has all the answers I'm looking for, but I do know that the McCain-Whoever ticket has no answers at all. From what I can see, all they are promising is more of the same, and this nation cannot stand any more of that.

And, while I'm complaining about our politicians, I would like to see all political ads banned. Not one ad tells me anything right about the candidate, only everything wrong with the opponent. If you can't explain what you stand for without pointing fingers at your opponent, you don't deserve to run for office. Tell me what's right about you if you want my vote. Otherwise, shut the hell up.

Tired of Living in This One-Horse Town

Did you ever want to get away from a place so badly that you started each day thinking about what to move and what to leave? Living here was never a choice; it was simply something we fell into. The jobs were here when we were looking. We looked elsewhere, but when the children came along, it was too convenient to stay put. We gave up trying to move while they were growing up, but the desire was still there. Now that they are grown and gone, we're renewing our commitment to get out of this place.

I never wanted to come back to my hometown after college. I hated growing up here, hated the way people acted here, hated the fact that this was a cultural vacuum. But there were good jobs here at the beginning and we became complacent. Now, I literally feel the brain cells dying from disuse and lack of stimulation. Ever try to talk politics or literature with people who are probably married to their own cousins?

It wasn't always like that here. This community used to be populated with engineers and business professionals; now most people are doing good to even have a job. Mediocrity has become the accepted norm and we cater to the lowest common denominator. In other words, we are dumbing down to reach the masses. Quite honestly, I can't stand it any longer!

In my job, I see parents who care little about what their children do. It's not an issue if the kids do poorly in school, get into trouble, backtalk, use drugs, get pregnant, lack any type of motivation at all. It's all fine as long as they don't bother Mom or Dad. Better yet, they hope the schools and community organizations do the work of raising the kids for them. The complete opposite are the parents who live vicariously through their child's athletic endeavors. They believe their kid is the next Heisman winner or Olympic gold medalist, and they have the kid believing it too. Few, if any, of these kids will ever play D-3 sports, let alone be a sports star. And, none of them will do anything to change the possibilities except talk about it.

Others have told me that it's the same no matter where you go. I don't believe that. No place is as provincial as the Mid-Ohio Valley. Even if if is, I at least want the chance to find out for myself.

That Other ""L" Word

I thought I raised my sons to be good people. From their earliest days, they learned that all people were equal and they were to treat everyone with respect, kindness and fairness. They should show good character at all times and, whatever their spiritual beliefs, they should practice the basic tenets of the Bible: the 10 commandments and the golden rule. They were taught never to harm another living being, except in defense of their own being or that of those they love. They were raised to defer to those wiser and older than themselves and acknowledge authority. They were expected to help those in need or those less fortunate than they were. And, as difficult as it can be in this world, eschew superficiality; in other words, be real. I always thought those were the characteristics of good people. I guess I was wrong.

Now, because I also taught them to think for themselves, they, along with their father and I, have been labeled as bad, unpatriotic, something less than human. We are -- God forbid -- LIBERALS, and Kennedy liberals at that! Because we believe our government is supposed to care for the people and not inject itself into our daily lives, we are anathema according to the right, conservatives, moral majority, or whatever you want to call them. Strangely enough, while these conservatives may be in the majority, I've yet to see anything moral about any of them. We may be liberals, but we don't steal and lie; we don't cheat on our loved ones or manipulate others with deceit. Few if any members of that elitist group can make that same claim, yet we are the ones in the wrong.

A great man of words once said, "My government fears me because I think for myself." Perhaps if more of us thought for ourselves and spent less time following the flock, our country would not be in the predicament we are in today. Perhaps if the moral majority spent less time worrying about that other "L" word and more time caring for each other, our nation could be healed and strong once more.

I still believe I raised my sons correctly -- to be good people. We will continue to think for ourselves and practice our "liberal" ways that, strangely enough, have accomplished good in our community. We cannot change ignorance, but we can keep thinking, questioning and doing what is right (not what is expedient). And, as my sons teach their children these same values, I will know that I raised them right.

Time and A Word

For some time now, others have tried to convince me to start journaling or blogging. My thoughts just aren't that organized, especially when you know that you have to keep at it on a regular basis. But, I'm going to give it a try. My apologies to any readers who find my ramblings offensive . . . or just plain boring. Now that I have some time, I'm offering a few words.

We just returned from installing our youngest son in his college apartment at Bowling Green, OH. This year was better than last, in some ways. I felt much better about his ability to handle college and living on his own. But I find that I'm more homesick than ever for NW Ohio. It's my husband's home and where we went to college. I just feel so much better when I'm there. So, we're committing the next year to finding jobs and a place to live in the Hancock-Wood Counties area.

I'm looking forward to Sept. 20 when we're going back north for the weekend. Danny is being inducted into an honorary at college so it gives us a good excuse to book it out of this God-forsaken place for an all-too brief respite.

This year has seen many changes in our household. Why not make one more and make it a big one? My inner gypsy is calling . . .