OK, so it’s election day in parts of the country. And, even though this blog is intended to talk about my life in and around advertising, I cannot help but chime in on some of the goings on.
There is a slight connection to advertising, now that I think about it. Especially after reading how one of the GOP contenders in my former home state has spent $71 MILLION!!!!!! of her own money to run TV ads for the primary.
I’ll say it. It makes me sick! Especially when I read things like A) our Supreme Court thinks big money has every right to give as much as they want to support their candidates (and to hell for those who don’t have the resources to fight back or the little guy/gal who doesn’t come from old money or have rich friends), and B) state parks across the country are closing because there simply isn’t enough money left in the till.
Is no one else bothered by the fact that companies spend billions lining the pockets of politicians on both sides of the aisle — combined with all the money spent invading another country (or countries) — when our own precious natural resources here in our own country are being padlocked and closed simply because there isn’t enough money? Not only are people being deprived of enjoying — and learning — about great natural treasures or historic sights, but there’s also the risk that, once closed, these parks are ripe for vandalism and neglect.
Where is our moral compass? Has it been sold to the highest bidder? Or has it simply been padlocked and left to neglect?
I know it’s easy to sit back and say “hey, it’s not in my backyard, so let someone else deal with it.” But that’s just it…it IS my backyard. This IS my country. But where do you start?
I think it’s obvious…right where I am. And right now. I have to stop sitting idly expecting people to wake up and see the consequences of our actions. I have to be the one who upholds my end of the bargain. To be the best person/neighbor/employee/friend/partner/constituent I can be.
I think that now is the time to stop giving money to politicians in the hopes they’ll make the right choices. It’s time to go direct to the source. Let’s channel our money and our energy to saving the parks and natural resources. Let’s use our efforts to make our own backyards a place that we can be proud of. Let’s worry about the issues that are local, and keep believing that local change will lead to a global movement that we all have to do our part. And, like it or not, we all have to work together — and get along — to survive in this world.
After all, it’s the only one we got.