I am saddened by the entire political arena this past year. It was ugly. It was horrible. It was mean. It was hard to watch. What saddens me the most is that our children saw and heard so many terrible things about candidates. That shouldn't be the way campaigns are run. I am fortunate to live in a country that is founded on freedom...freedom of press, freedom of speech. It's a wonderful privilege that we can say what we think and not be persecuted for our beliefs. But, wouldn't it be even more wonderful if we all could be nice in how we express our beliefs? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all express our opinions without so much venom? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all respect one another's opinions, even if we disagree with them? Wouldn't it be wonderful if candidates would just point out their strengths and have a clear and concise message as to why he/she should be elected to office? Wouldn't it be wonderful if candidates showed class and refrained from immature comments, mudslinging, and negative ads? Wouldn't it be wonderful to teach our children about the democratic process without so much hatred?
