Up until this past week or so, I've been rather avoidant of the blogs, more out of lack of free time than any other real reason.  However, I did have an internal battle with myself on whether I'd even make a real attempt to follow the blogs, knowing full and well that upon the Inauguration of President Obama, the conservative-minded on this website would begin a relentless tirade of groans, gripes and the like.

I thought that by ignoring the blogs, I would be able to close off a lot of the unwanted banter that I knew would be spewn all across these blogs.  I was wrong.  Every where I go in this county, I hear fearful accusations.  I hear ignorance.  I hear anger.  I hear frustration. I hear an unwillingness to move forward.  I sometimes hear a desire to revert back to the past. I sometimes even hear hatred.

I don't think there's anything wrong with having questions in out current times of strife, heartache and pain. I don't think there are many Americans who do not have questions right now.  Whereas I think this is the time when we should be working together, I see discord and stonewalling. 

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I've heard some people in this community speak out of rage and anger, and their words have been ignorant and bigoted.  Instead of calling them out on it, I have said nothing - more out of professionalism than anything else.  I'm saddended that in 2009, some people still cannot look beyond the color of one's skin.

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I cannot help but be reminded of Sept. 11, 2001 and it's aftermath - how for a short time, we were able to put aside our normal disagreements and come together as a country under a common goal.  I reflect on this and think about how sad it is that it takes such a tremendous and violent event as that to bring us together.  Think long and hard - have we had such teamwork since then?  When was the last time we had a real sense of community prior to that event?

No matter who you are, or what you think, we all have something in common right now - none of us really has the right answer.  We can speculate until we are blue in the face, but the reality is that our current economic condition is historical in nature - and it is filled with a unique set of factors that make this almost impossible to solve without some trial and error.  Had McCain been elected, I'm sure that we'd be in a similar spot right now - dejected, confused, angry and ready to get out of this hole we're in. 

This is what I'm asking of every person in Kern County - for once, please set aside your anger.  Set aside your intolerance.  Let us show a little patience, and even some support for our new administration.  Some things have gotten off to a rocky start, but honestly, what Presidency hasn't?  This is not to say that we should not voice our opinions and try to have a positive impact; more that we should change the tone of our voices from spiteful to helpful.

And honestly, let's stop spreading wild rumors that have no real validity.  Stick to the facts, and not to speculatory nonsense.  We're better than that.