I am Miss America

Or, at least, I should be.

I'm pretty. Maybe it's more a self-confidence thing, maybe I'm actually not pretty, but I believe I'm pretty, and that's all that really matters. And I used to not believe, so this is a good thing. And I'm smart, book smart, I keep up with current events, and have a good amount of common sense. Back when I didn't think I was so pretty, my brain was the guard rail that kept me from leaping of the cliff of self-hate. So it's a good thing too. Talent... I can sing pretty well. I don't dance or play an instrument. I can sing well enough to pass for a "talent," and I'd wow them all with my interview session so much that my slightly faltering voice wouldn't matter.

Have you ever actually listened to the Miss America contestants talk? This is what gets me-- posed the answer-on-the-spot question of "do aliens exist," they give rambling answers somewhere around "yes, because one followed my sister's car home once" and "yes, there is an afterlife." What?? I can't believe that these are it, these women are supposed to be the best of the young US female population. The judges, hemming and hawing over (most of, not even they got the afterlife thing) these supposed great answers, are doing nothing but lowering the expectations of women's intelligence in general. "Aww, look, how cute, the pretty girl said something halfway intelligent and sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow with feeling. Let's give her a scholarship."

Meanwhile, our country is being run by idiots. Senators spend their time arguing over ridiculous issues like stem cell research (oh my god they are just cells) to Terri Shiavo's right to life (since when is that an issue the Senate should debate) to whether or not the Illinois governor should step down and whether his appointment to Obama's seat should seated. There are children starving in this country, children going completely uneducated, not even graduating, leaving school with barely a 2nd grade reading level. There are women being raped and beaten by men who are supposed to love them, rapists who actually get caught only getting 6-8 years on average. Murderers, drug dealers, kidnappers, and pimps walking the crumbling streets. And I'm supposed to believe the most important issue at hand is whether or not some frozen cell in a lab somewhere has the possibility of life, and if it does, is it happy being frozen?? 

Doesn't anyone else feel like screaming all the time? It's outrageous, it makes me furious the direction the government of our country has taken. If we could elect good, smart, decent, down-to-earth people, like my husband for example, people who would stand up and say "What the hell are you talking about?" and get down to the real issues, we'd be so much better off. 

Yes, there are a few intelligent Miss America contestants who deserve a scholarship, and there are a few good Senators who know the real issues are being ignored and are working towards solving real problems. But the majority of these people are just self-absorbed idiots. It sometimes leads me to believe the majority of Americans and of the human race are idiots, and that is not a pleasant thought.