Hypocrisy gets to me sometimes. I am not talking about someone who changes his or her mind about something, and therefore changes the way to do things. This is a normal thing that almost everyone does at some time or another in their own lifetimes, yet it is very often mistaken or misused as hypocrisy. For instance a politician may believe that a war is necessary, yet that same politician may have been against war at an earlier time in life. So long as either belief is not simply one of convenience, say for avoiding military service early, then later for political gain, I can understand how such a core belief may have changed. That is not hypocrisy and it does not bother me. Even out and out hypocrisy on a small basis is not too bad a thing, it just happens sometimes , and it usually does not ruffle my feathers. It is ongoing hypocrisy on important issues that gets me riled.
The hypocrisy of which I speak is more along the lines of someone spouting off beliefs to others such as on religion, telling folks how to act holy and all that shit, then being caught with his or her pants down in a sexual act of just the same type he had preached against for years. Hypocrisy is someone saying they are conservative or liberal, spouting off their political agenda for themselves and pushing it onto others by telling other folks to lean left or right in a like manner politically, then regularly being seen to do things in just the opposite political direction. For instance, when a blogger tell you he is a staunch conservative, but that he does not believe in God you should be suspect. Now, I will admit I don’t believe in God, not at least in any conventional standards of today, but I tend to lean toward being somewhat conservative, and even very conservative on many issues other than religion. So I readily admit that I am indeed liberal on that stance as would be seen in the eyes of conservatives regarding that issue. I am likewise on some others such as abortion, as I do not believe it is my choice as much as it is a potential mothers to make decisions on said issue; and I do believe there are times when abortion should be legal and is in fact quite ethical. Then again, I also believe it should not be seen as an alternative to keeping one’s legs closed, or in other words it is not a cure all for promiscuity. I am middle of the road, leaning right, on prostitution and some legal uses of currently illicit narcotics. I am just to fairly conservative on issues of the economy, on natural resources, big business, illegal drug usage, education, and so forth. I am a strict conservative on issues of patriotism, firearms ownership, hunting and fishing rights, protection of our sovereign nation, national defense, foreign policy, immigration and nationality policies, voting, law enforcement of existing laws (though I would change many, then enforce them strictly), heterosexual marriage, our rights under the constitution, and so forth. I try though to let people know this about me up front, I do not pretend to be what I am not. So when a so called self proclaimed conservative says that you should vote a straight republican or democratic ticket, that you should never consider voting for a third party to try to accomplish political reform – in fact hammers you for months on end with such rhetoric - then that same person suddenly rants about how he is going to vote straight Republican or straight Democrat for the last time unless the Republican or Democratic party comes round to his way of thinking…; well then there it is - him saying such should not be done by you, but it is okay for him, and that my friends and loyal readers is out and out royal hypocrisy. I mean how is it okay for him to say he will abandon the party, when he continually rants it is not okay for you or I to do so?
Of course, that is just an example of hypocrisy, a hypothetical one at that. I have no one in particular in mind, though if I, or you, thought about it for a moment, I would bet a few could readily come to mind. The Internet blogs are full of hypocrites, but then so too are the news media, the schools, the movies, and all other aspects of normal everyday life. Being a hypocrite is not the worst thing in the world. Killers, rapists, pedophiles certainly rank much worse than mere hypocrites; although I will admit such hypocrisy galls me especially when it is done simply to make points on whatever issue is at hand, such as keeping your blog ratings high, or getting a vote in the elections.
Election day is coming, it is only a mere few days away. Please go out to vote. Vote for the people who you think will get the best job done, instead of for whom the blowhards tell you to vote. That means you need to be aware of the issues, maybe you will have to read some of the stuff written by hypocrites, but you will also read others things that are supported by hard cold facts. Read it, as much as you can, to become aware of the real issues, the real problems, and the proposed practical solutions. Then vote your conscience. I tend to think that will have you voting more for conservatives, or maybe libertarians (who probably do not stand a chance of winning) than for liberals, but it is your vote to cast. Just make sure not to waste your vote by voting based upon ignorance, or only upon party affiliation, get it done after checking on the issues. Voting is a citizen’s responsibility, voting wisely is the way a responsible citizen does it.
