To the Editor:
Although I have lived in the Metro East for twenty-five plus years, my heart will remain with my hometown of Pittsburgh and, as such, I will always remain a die-hard Steelers fan. They may never return to the glory days of the Steel Curtain but they might, and that hope is what I hold onto. I am no fair weather fan either - I wear the black and gold with pride throughout the season.
When the season ends, a poor performance record leaves me feeling a bit bruised on the inside (especially when the Steelers get beaten by Cleveland, ugh!); but even that does not deter me from declaring that the Steelers are still the greatest team ever. My feelings don’t want to hear the facts.
Facts can be funny things, especially when feelings are involved. For example, one group of people can accuse another group of people of propaganda but not see the propaganda perpetuated by their own pundits. Both sides will say that their candidate’s election was stolen and that their anger is righteous while the other side’s is not. One side will profess that they always tell the truth, and the other side tells nothing but lies. Both sides are blind to the fallibilities within their own tribe primarily because of “feelings” in the face of facts.
If the health and integration of our society were not at stake, it might be amusing to engage in the verbal MMA events that we call political discourse. It might release some pressure to “own the libs” or “own the Trumpers.” But we are long past the momentary pleasure that winning such an argument gets us when our country is being torn apart by division.
The 2024 election boils down to this rather simple consideration: are you happy with the direction of the country? Consider:
Are you happy with your economic circumstances and standard of living?
Are you able to pay your bills, provide for your family and do this without putting all essential costs on your credit card?
Are you happy with your children being put through the ideological meat grinder that is government education?
Are you happy with a government that prioritizes other countries’ rights over the rights of its own citizens?
Are you happy with the obvious two-tiered justice system?
Are you happy with the current justice system that penalizes victims over criminals?
Are you happy with the inflation and high taxes that government has imposed upon you?
Are you happy with the tyranny of more regulation?
If you are happy with these things, you should continue to vote for those who are currently in power.
If you are not happy with these things, you cannot afford to let blind loyalty to your tribe override the facts in front of you; and the only way for change to happen is to vote differently.
Only the very rich, politically connected and special interest groups have the luxury of voting from the hate perspective that tribal politics encourages. The rest of us don’t have the luxury of a hate vote - we are the ones bearing the brunt of poor financial policies and we are watching the middle class being obliterated right before our very eyes. This country should work for all of us and that - more than any tribal loyalty I might feel - is what is going to guide my vote in 2024.
Pamela Moody
Edwardsville, IL