I probably should have self-censored. But instead it gotted git r’ done-d to me…maybe for the best…I’m sure…I hope. I cannot remember that ever happening to me until now. Always a first time, right? Say what you think unless what is said is disagreeable. Then just simply hit the upper right hand corner “x” button and that trouble conveniently goes away. Blip! Interesting how free speech really isn’t; anger can snuff out relationships with a few key strokes and mouse clicks; so-called equal opportunity rights of expression in a public format can be judged…quick and dead. Go away! Be gone!

OK, I asked for it. I failed to keep a grip on what I thought was a light stirring of politics in a Facebook chat, and before I knew it, it got a little too whipped up and frothy. I positioned myself atop a political fence – so I thought – and was entirely oblivious to the voltage that would spark though the comment discussions. Apologies for being dumb about the chat were extended, and are done so again here.

Regardless of my misadventure in Facebook commentaries, label (election) day is here.  In the ever-changing political makeup of our government, it doesn’t matter what political party is in power or who is seeking it. Government and the party faithful always seems to manipulate media and propaganda to their advantage, protection, and self-service. That’s been my contention all along: it matters not which hook you hang your political hat, the folks obsessed by baseball politics are all the same when it comes right down to it. Our political process is nothing more than a home run contest where the winner rounds the bases with arms raised in triumph, and then sits us down in the dugout for some “proper” schooling, management, and coaching (whether we’ve asked for it or not).

Politics is no longer about governing. Sadly, and against everything our founding fathers intended our democratic system to be, the process has become nothing more than a popularity (or unpopularity) contest. Campaigns are all about who can be the most negative; who can do the most trash talking while running the base paths before election (label) day. Incumbent politicians quickly become entrenched and impotent in their responsibilities…and the activists point their finger and get more upset.

Those conniving political games play out at the national level, and even work their way back to our home computer and Facebook log-in. No longer can I say “that won’t happen to me”…it did…I caught a commentary foul ball right in the noggin and when I came to, I was no longer being heard by the crowd nor did I hear their conversations.

And speaking of no longers, am I the only one seeing much of Facebook losing appeal as being a social network? It now has been populated as a political forum for activism and home to many commercial ventures marketing their wares, goods, and services – an unsocial network.

Give me a good blog anytime. If you leave a non-spam, civil, genuine comment on most blog posts, it will stay there for all to see, consider, and respond if so inclined…”unlike” Facebooking where everyone can be an editor-in-judgement.

And speaking of stay, I understand that Facebooking will be around for a while longer and so it is that I continue a stewardship of my account. I realize I truly enjoy the OFNi and OFNe banter, more times than not. I laugh with the pictures posted by family as they are uploaded for everyone’s enjoyment and pleasure, more times than not. I appreciate my “Friend’s” sense of humor, more times than not. I really have fun with high school and college classmates that rattle my cage in good spirit, and me their’s, more times than not. Imagine that…Facebook Friends networking socially – too bad the “more times than not” is kind of the other way around.

Wait a minute…

Now wait just one stinkin’ minute….

I am a bit slow with my thinking I admit, but you know what? I’m just as
guilty as those I criticize, tease, stir, and annoy. I post political sarcasm on my blog and let WordPress automatically forward it to Facebook for my “Friends'” reading pleasure/displeasure – what shameful hypocrisy I practice!

I commercialize my photography hobby through Flickr and Picasa uploads
that are automatically linked by Facebook – again, I  bestow shameful criticism upon myself for the double standard exercised with my uploads.

So here I sit: bottom lip out, sad-eyed, and guilty as judged.  I’m sorry gang. If
I lighten up with the next post, will that be OK?

Lighten up? Let me say this: maybe that’s how I got politically labeled in the first place – I make light of things too often.

Or is it that my logical grasp on political realism and common sense is viewed as being too gray in some folk’s black and white world?

Or is it that my publicly undeclared, is-it-really-your-business political affiliation is unacceptable in the world of Face(less)booking?

Or is it that the cyphering of my often-times confusing posts is too frustrating in trying to make a quick judgement on what might be a political persuasion in me?

Or is it that because I stubbornly refuse to buy into the popularity of the wolves leading the sheep in the over-grazed fields of political activism? Being in the business that I am, I know that when fields are over-grazed, we get a weed problem. And really…I don’t much care for weeds.

Hmmm. You tell me.

Oh, no, wait…on second thought, I have been politically labeled and raked for other reasons, one is for having said things that got censored before I could hit the delete button myself.

Perhaps I should be thankful someone has better (c)sense(orship) than me….

Go vote today.

Vote your heart, vote your voice, vote because we have that privilege of expression granted us by our Constitution.

I won’t judge you on how you vote. I won’t label or ridicule if your vote is different from mine. I just want you to vote.

But if you don’t vote…well you and I might just have to have a Facebook chat for all to see on that matter.