Election day. The day where the course of the country is going to be about the same, because we are simply repeating the same mistake that has plagued America once George Washington left office. We are doing the same thing, over and over, because we keep looking to the ruling elite to guide us. I don't mean Democrats, or Republicans, my dears, I mean politicians. And it doesn't matter if they they paint themselves blue or red, politicians of both parties see themselves as the rulers of this country.

The problem lies in the political party system, and the numerous OTHER labels that have been slapped on the American people to keep us divided, and against each other.

Republican

Democrat

Conservative

Liberal

White

Black

Hispanic

Latino

(blank)-American

Christian

Mormon

Catholic

Muslim

The list goes on and on and on.

The problem with all these labels is the simple fact that many people will identify with the label before they identify themselves as American. And this has been encouraged by people who look for political power, and prestige. These people want us divided against each other, and to keep us ignorant of other points of view.

And we, the people, allow this.

We allow ourselves to be divided, because we prefer to gather in like-minded groups. We, as human beings, tend to prefer to hear our own ideas quoted back to us, and want agreeable friends. The problem with that, is that we do not learn, do not see other points of view, and become insulated against the outside. The label-makers see this, and then do their best to vilify the "other" side, and make them look evil in the eyes of their followers.

We have allowed this to happen because we can be very lazy. Doing our own research is hard work. We tend to think in stereotypes, because it's easy. And it's very easy for the leaders of each individual group to paint the "other" as the bad guy, because they know our fears, they know our beliefs, because they have guided them, and molded them. Because people don't like to think for themselves.

We need to reject labels. We need to do our own research. We have the resources, we have the ability. We need to go beyond our comfortable routines, in order to get to the facts, or else this travesty will continue. We need to stop considering ourselves Groups first, and Americans second.

Exceptionalism

It's interesting how a simple thing as a costume change will cause a firestorm of controversy.

This past year Wonder Woman went through a costume change. I didn't think much of it, really. It's just another in a long line of costume changes for super heroes. Though the jacket they put her in did look like it would provide some meager protection from scrapes, and would provide something that a lot of the typical super hero costumes didn't, namely pockets. Got to carry around that key to the bus locker where they put their street clothes somewhere... And down the cleavage isn't always the most comfortable place.

However, people hated it, because it changed her iconic look. Yeah conservative leggings and a leather jacket is SO much worse than knee-high boots, scanty star-spangled briefs, and a shoulder and cleavage exposing bustier.

There are people, however, who are so indoctrinated by the divide and conquer politics of today that they absolutely HAVE to inject the "evil liberal agenda" into EVERYTHING that doesn't agree with them, or they hate.

Somebody said that the evil liberal man-children who are running DC, nowadays, are so offended by the idea of American Exceptionalism, and wish to kow-tow to the PC-infested world, that they intentionally removed the American symbols from Wonder Woman's costume. "They're "revamping" Wonder Woman's look, because any HINT of American exceptionalism or patriotism makes them ill."

When I read that I had to facepalm.

American Exceptionalism seems to be a blanket label by a lot of people who think that America is better than everybody else, and everybody else should be more like America. Sure it can be seen as patriotic, but there are people in the United States who take this idea and run with it as far as they can go. This idea goes hand-in-hand with intolerance and bigotry, in a lot of these cases. They tend to think that "America is better than you, and should do what it wants." The problem with this is that Americans are seen as bullies, boors, and arrogant jerks, because of this thought process, even by other Americans.

The idea of "we're better than you, so we do what we want" lends itself to a world of abuse. And it is abused by the divide and conquer politicians on both sides.
Both sides think they know what's best, both sides want you to side with them, and will use patriotism to get you to do so. And both sides will use mud-slinging, and name-calling to get you to stop thinking for yourself, and just follow along. Both sides want you angry, and not using your head, and both will play to your prejudices by depicting the other side via stereotypes.

The problem with the "us vs them" mentality, however, is that eventually there isn't a "them" to be against.