I hate politics

"Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism. That you put down your divisions. That you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones. That you push yourselves to be better. And that you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed."

"You have to stay at the seat at the table of democracy with a man like Barack Obama not just on Tuesday but in a year from now, in four years from now, in eights years from now, you will have to be engaged."

These two statements by Michelle Obama at a rally at UCLA recently stopped me in my tracks.

I am pretty libertarian in my outlook. Small "l", but a big believer in leaving people to find their own bliss, and to not presume that individuals or groups, including governments or corporations or churches know better. They can help, but should not prescribe, often even for the "greater good", since this is a road too often paved with good intentions that leads to...ah, screw it. I'm not going to bother justifying being libertarian. I just don't trust the government or the corporations to act on my behalf. Sorry.

All that said, I was beginning to be a bit beguiled by the 'Audacity of Hope." I think Obama is one of the most interesting (and hypnotic) political figures I ever remember seeing.

But, as God (whether S/He exists or not) as my witness, neither Obama nor Hillary nor St. Ronald Reagan will ever take my cynicism from me. I will stand in outright rebellion against any foe, foreign or domestic, that tries to make me give a damn, or to work for, anyone else's idea of political rectitude. No way.

All kidding aside, this kind of talk bugs me. I don't like spiritual spirituality, let alone equating politics with some sort of moral imperative. No. No. NO. I will not engage unless I want to. I will not work for Obama or any other human being unless I find common cause with them. I will not bow to my government. No.

Maybe this was just high-minded political fluff talk. I don't disagree with a direction of being hopeful and working together. I think we should. But when maybe 1st lady starts telling me what I am going to have to do, I may have to resist.