I would venture to guess that almost every one of us on this planet knows what it feels like to want to strike out and smash things up when we're really pissed off. Even the most peaceful among us has felt that sharp stab of fury that raises the blood pressure and clouds the mind given the right set of circumstances.
Right now some of you who support Hillary Clinton are feeling the need to give a big fat finger to all of us Obama supporters. Hell, you even want to give that big fat finger to Obama himself - maybe ESPECIALLY to Obama.
I know, I've been there too - plenty of times when watching HRC. But you know what? It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter what you're feeling or what I might feel if somehow Hillary rises like a full blown Phoenix from the ashes. My feelings of frustration, your feelings of frustration are inconsequential.
Now wait - this isn't one more "HRC supporters fuck off" rant. Not at all. In fact, I'll be very clear about this: We need you and we want you. You know this. We know this. Or mutual anger and increasing animosity comes from the fact that we KNOW we all need and want each other because there is just too much at stake to screw it up because we disagree on our choice of candidates.
And I know that you support Hillary because you think she is the better choice. You believe in her and her ability to be a strong and effective president. You admire her or relate to her or just downright like her policies much better than Obama's. Whatever your reasons -they come from a conviction that is deeply felt.
It hurts to know that your candidate really might not be the nominee. It hurts and you're disappointed and you're god-damned pissed and disgusted. Just as we would be if Obama lost his bid for the presidency. You feel it like a blow and every time you hear an Obama supporter put Hillary down or the watch the media make fun of her or see Obama giving one of his speeches that lifts us high but leaves you cold you want to kick us all in our collective butts.
But here's the thing: I know despite your anger you are intelligent, caring, rational human beings. I know you've been angry before in your life and maybe you've lashed out in the heat of the moment only to regret it later. We all have. So I say to you without condescension, as one adult human being to another: Your momentary suffering is unimportant but your action on election day means everything. Weigh your pissed off pain and the momentary release you'll feel when you cast that McCain "gotcha" vote or when you stay home on election day against the real, deep, horrible, enduring suffering your action will cause others. You've heard this all before, I imagine. But sometimes a picture is truly worth a thousand words.
Because a Vote for McCain is:
I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. I'm just appealing to your best and highest nature. Because this Clinton/Obama smackdown isn't, after all, about Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama - it's about something far more important than two human beings at this specific moment in time - it's not even about all of us as individuals - it's literally about the fate of millions of human beings now and in the future and their fate is literally in your hands.