Bring It On!

The Annoying Bumper Sticker

I saw this sticker again for the umpteenth time yesterday on the back of a SUV. The sticker says, “He’s Not My President”. A long with it were around 20 other stickers for various causes but mainly were directed at the war. This person obviously has a beef with our government and for all I know, since I was about a block from Steve Pearcy’s house, it was Pearcy himself. But I really wasn’t paying attention since I was on my way to the hardware store and had a one track mind on my new Ikea sink. Besides I am not one to harass somebody on the road because they have a sticker I disagree with. I keep my sanity in public. The “Not My President” sticker though, jumped out at me.

And then Pjordansr writes a nice post today. A few comments came after mine and well here’s where I have problem with the sticker.

“He’s not my President”.

I could have easily made the same statements about Clinton during his second term. I technically voted for him in 1992 instead of throwing my vote away on Perot. What was I doing? I know, I was 18, it was my first election… and I was young. I voted for Dole in 1996. Bush 2 in 2000 and 2004. The older I get the more I vote. I voted in the last “Special Election” in which a lot of Californians didn’t. Turn out was 48% last November, no matter what history says 48% is low in any election. Still leaders and special elections will come and go and I will be there voting.

And then you have a “He’s not my President” sticker on a car.

I voted for and against many other things as well in the past. I am always one of those who reads the damn ballot before I show up. I wanna make sure I make the correct decision when it comes to state propositions. I am sensitive when it comes to education bills since my wife is a teacher. I am curious when it comes to new laws that effect my life socially. I am always doing the research on new taxes, balanced budgets. Chances are someday some real powerful issues will come up for my vote and I will be there voting.

And then you have a “He’s not my President” sticker on a car.

I always vote against Boxer because I think she is a twit. I cannot believe she had the nerve to take on Rice who is a billion times smarter than she is. I’ve voted for Feinstein. These are the only Senators in my state that have won since I have been a voter. I haven’t had a real chance to vote for somebody different. Chances are someone will come up and take on one of these seats someday and I’ll be there voting.

And then you have a “He’s not my President” sticker on a car.

So what is it that I am really trying to say here? Well, I think you are entirely wrong to put a “He’s not my President” sticker on your car. Reason being… Boxer isn’t my senator since I didn’t vote for her. I hate her. I can’t stand her. The special election results? Well those decisions aren’t mine either right? All those ballot measures that I lose, those local mayorial candidates and city supervisors that I vote for that lose. They aren’t all mine either, right? Wrong… They are mine. Mr. Bush, unfortunately for some of you, is our President. Boxer and Feinstein are both my senators. The mayor is my mayor. We can’t always pick and choose what we want. If you really embrace our democracy and vote in every election, you must understand what I am saying. It’s all or nothing. Election day is the day we change it, as a society, not for our personal, emotional gain.

Teddy Roosevelt’s quote on this blog means a lot to many people. It means something to me as well. But there is much more to it than disagreeing with a President. As some of you know, my father was not born here. He was born in Germany right after WWII. Basically, a war refugee. My grandfather brought the family here in the 1950’s on a boat that took three weeks. He went right through the NYC port. There were no handouts except for that “sponsership” which brought him by Greyhound bus to San Jose. My Dad finally became a citizen officially in 2000. He was always here legally until then. I asked one day why he went through with it and did it, to become an American citizen. Answer: So he could vote. My father is a simple person. Worked hard all his life. Bought the house he wanted, drove the car he could afford and gave me and my brothers the best opportunities that were available to us. And all he wanted was to be a citizen. I remember in November when I asked him how it went for the California Special Election and he just said, “You win some and lose some. At least we can vote.” Next to his chair at home are stacks of books on Cuba, Castro and Che Guevara. Books on Vietnam. He didn’t vote in the 60’s, now he reads about what he missed. Every election day since he became “official” he’s attended. Voting to him puts one in control.

So sitting here and thinking about that sticker on that car and my father’s past really leads me to this. How can we say something is “not mine” when the system we contribute to, fight and defend, even cherish makes it ours, no matter the outcome, when it works like it should? Our first amendment lets us criticize it, tear it apart, call it monkey boy and whatever other offense name we can come up with but in the end our right to vote, our Democracy, still protects us from ourselves. Criticism is how we cope and entertain ourselves in bad times. Change, comes from us on Election Day.

(You can say all you want about wire tapping now, I am still right:)).