The worst hopenchange metaphor eva...

There are a lot of lessons you learn in West Texas. Don't ever point a gun at any thing when handling it, stay away from yellow snow, and certainly, don't play chicken with a train. Those are the obvious ones. There are more subtle ones, ones that help you blend in with the other residents. (I never really mastered those.) But if there was one that had always seemed clear to me, (one for the record that I never had to learn the hard way) it was don't let yourself be seduced by a sweet talkin' devil who will promise you the moon. Ah yes, there was many a young girl that fell from grace or at least into the quarterback's backseat. And worst of all, everyone in town knew about it. Yes, the foolishness of youth that lead to repercussions ranging from public embarrassment to an std to a twenty year sentence, the kind that involves child support and no time off for good behavior.
Now, I'm sure anyone who knows me at this point is thinking, "oh shit, what did she do now?" But I find myself considering this life lesson when I think about how my generation was seduced by the hopenchange cult and High Priest Barry. (That's President Obama to those of you not initiated in the ways of the great hopenchange.) Moreover, how The Great High Priest is trying to seduce centrist republicans and conservatives while practicing his socialist voodoo that only he can do.
We were seduced. There is no other way to describe it. There were rumors of forgiven school loans, legalization of marijuana, and health care. We were told things that would never be possible or even advisable. We ignored every instinct, the ones that told us that he wouldn't help our need for individuality and our universal distrust and cynicism of government. We stopped listening to facts and started reciting mantras. Our need to be the most popular lead us to stop thinking about our country and think about what Europe thinks about us. Because, like, its sooooo hard to like, be disliked and talked rudely to when your, like, studying abroad like. Because everyone knows that the people of Europe are so happy themselves that they would welcome everyone with open arms if we just weren't Americans. However, I digress. Like those innocent girls who made tragic mistakes, my generation believed hopenchange when it told us he loved us and didn't want anything more than just to be together.
Sadly, hopenchange was more than just a quickie under the bleachers (yes, I am still running this metaphor) It did more than just feel us up and then report it to all his friends in the locker room. Its a life sentence that we will have to live with. Of course, my generation will be the last to realize their mistake as most of them get their news from the daily show, the internet, and youtube videos. But soon, they will realize their mistake. Or maybe they won't and will be able to convince themselves that it was wonderful. Its not without precedent, (the new deal, clinton presidency)
I've always said that losing your idealism is like losing your virginity. It only happens once and its because you really got screwed. I worry about what happens when we such excitement and worship turns to cynicism and bitterness.