In Which I Rant: Politics

UPDATE: Literally seconds after posting this, I read that Syria is turning its weapons over to the UN. So...yay, World.

I don't usually post political things. I don't post because I don't think I'm the smartest person in the world, the most informed, nor do I think I understand everything.

I realize I am just one person with strong opinions. I know I operate quite often out of a place of emotions combined with logical thinking.

What I'm saying is: I know that I'm quite often wrong.

So, just keep that in mind as you read my rant about the US and Syria. But what I would encourage you to do after reading this is take a moment and evaluate this situation for yourself, read as many articles as you can, ask yourself WHY after every statement made by a politician. I urge you to research those whys.

Then, when you've made YOUR OWN decision about what the US should do there (and how it will impact our WORLD forever), I want you to compare what's happening in Syria to other similar (or even not so similar) LIFE-IMPACTING things. Such as "Genocide in Rwanda", "Homelessness in America", "Cancer in America". Do a tally of the amount of people those things impacted or currently impact. I also want you to take note of how many people there are in the world. Then, ask yourself if striking on behalf of Syrians, as sad as innocent lives being lost is, and ask yourself this question: Is every single life on the planet worth stopping their civil war?

Now, I promised a rant, and here it is. I almost posted this on Facebook but thought...nah. Let me blog about it. Let me make this permanent. Because even though I realize I will receive some backlash for my OPINION and my EMOTIONS, I stand by what I've said.

It really saddens me that we as human beings have progressed so far yet we still believe blowing each other up is acceptable. It saddens me that politicians who apparently have zero concept of reality wish to strike a country that DID NOT STRIKE US FIRST. I'm sad that DC is even considering what they're considering, and I'm sad that some voters even support what politicians are considering.

I'm sad that Washington thinks our military (our SONS and our DAUGHTERS) can even handle more fighting, more pain and suffering and time away from their families. For what purpose? We are not the police of the world.

I'm sad for the innocent lives lost in Syria. I'm sad that our government feels responsible for those innocent lives, and I'm certainly sad that our government is willing to engage in WWIII and risk AMERICAN INNOCENT LIVES.

I'm sad that this country has become so engaged with the international community that it forgot to be what made it great.

I'm sad that so many people will probably argue with me, or blame Bush, or say Bush did something similar in Iraq, or blame Republicans, or Democrats, or Liberals, or whatever. This is NOT the same as Iraq, Afghanistan, or simply any war of the past.

This is a situation in which members of the ridiculous international committees have THREATENED THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IF WE TAKE ACTION.

I'm sad that our government feels the need to make threats and engage in this anyway, to so callously say, "Ha ha. You can't threaten us."

I'm sad they think themselves indestructible, because frankly that's what makes us the most vulnerable. I'm sad that there are millions of people suffering all over the world of starvation, disease, homelessness and yet we are willing to let them suffer of starvation, disease, homelessness while we strike a country who needs to figure their own war out.

This is not about politics, or whether you're a Republican or Democrat or other such party affiliation. Your conscience should not be clear because you chose to agree with a party line. You need to question EVERYTHING Congress does, because you voted for them. You need to question EVERYTHING our country engages in, because YOU PUT THOSE PEOPLE INTO POWER who decide YOUR FATE.

Think, people. Think long and hard about what we're positioning ourselves to do here. Think beyond a strike by our government (which is FOR THE PEOPLE AND BY THE PEOPLE and you better believe that everyone outside this country sees our government AS US. They will seek revenge on US ALL.) tomorrow, or the next day. Think about what that strike will mean to others, how they'll get back at us. Think about your neighbor, the active duty military member. Think about what this will mean for them. Think about your lifestyle, our economy. Think beyond one simple strike. Because nothing is simple.

And, please, for what it's worth THINK FOR YOURSELF.