I keep hearing this word mentioned as I talk with people about how they're feeling. Yes, we're all in mourning. The religious zealots have won out against logic. Big business has triumphed over the working folk. Invading countries to line the pockets of massive corporations is A-OK with us, since the President is a God-fearing man (never mind the fact that he actually attended church fewer times than any other president in history).

Personally, I'm mourning the Jodi of yesterday. Yesterday, I had hope and faith in this great nation. I had hope that reason would triumph over self-righteousness. I had hope that a man who had actually fought in a war and had been personally touched by its ugliness would take over from a man who had used his daddy's influence to avoid any hint of combat (and who didn't even bother to show up for the last year of 'service'), and therefore interject the war effort with a bit of wisdom from experience. I had hope that science would triumph over ignorance. The hope is gone, and has left pure cynicism in its wake. I feel so jaded. I feel like I need a shower, but I don't think this icky feeling will wash off anytime soon.

I thought we were going to send a message that WE outnumber THEM, that WE are taking over the reins and will no longer allow the ultra-conservative, ultra-religious right-wingers dictate national and international policy completely out of step with the rest of the world. But, we were wrong. We thought the youth of this country would get motivated and turn out in droves at the polls to get rid of Bush. But we were wrong. And THEY re-elected Bush to chants of "Four More Years". To do what? He has fucked up everything in the past four years, do you really think he's suddenly going to start governing properly? Let's see, we're already at war with Iraq, why not just step on over and invade Iran? The economy is shit, so let's just go ahead and make sure American companies have lots of incentive to outsource American jobs - after all, we have the No Child Left Behind act, which will remedy everything, according to Bush in the 3rd debate. We let more people into this country now than pre-9/11, none of our nuclear energy plants have been protected, so since he's doing such a bang-up job of keeping us "safe", he should just keep on doing nothing! Go Bush! Oh, that's not good enough - let's make sure to stir up international tension a bit more, just for good measure. Let's reaffirm to the world that we are all on his side, that Americans really do believe we're right to invade whoever we want, whenever we want, and that we're so stupid we can't see the truth right in front of our eyes. Let's reaffirm every single negative American stereotype, shall we? That will make me feel so very much safer.

I can't even take it anymore. This country is not the country I thought it was. This country has seriously disappointed me. I thought better of us. I really did. Dave was born in Vancouver, B.C., so he has dual citizenship. Maybe it's time to get the hell out. Time to leave this country to the dictators and their willing sheep. Time to allow it to disintegrate in its own capitalism, feeding on the ignorant who mindlessly follow a puppet leader.

1984 has arrived, only 20 years late.