This might just be the last blog I write about politics in America. I have written about Obama being the American Mandela, the burden of the hope he brings, and the man he is in his own right. But I don’t know anymore. I still believe in Obama, but I just don’t believe in American politics anymore. If this is how they want to play politics in America then I don’t want to play anymore. This is too sick. This is nothing to be proud of. My fleeting experience has made me question this thing they call American politics in an American democracy. Yes, they won - the cynics and morally corrupt. All of them - left, right and centre. This isn’t fun anymore. I don’t mind the comments on my blog. I have a thick skin. But if this election is what politics is all about in the US, then I don’t know if I have the stomach for it. This is just not right guys. This is not what people fought for and died for.

This is not the America I got to know and love over the last 18 months. This is not the people I have met. And I hope to God that this isn’t a reflection of how people outside the US see America. But they do. Because it goes out to everyone out there. You might not care. But I do. And so should you. Because when your President says he wants to bring democracy to people everywhere… this is what they see. And I can assure you. This is not something you want to export.

I just can’t believe that this is what politics has come to. What democracy has come to. I don’t agree with President Clinton and other politicians on the left, right and centre when they say, “That’s just politics“. No. That’s how you made politics. That’s the direction you have taken politics. You are the leaders of this great nation. And you should be ashamed of yourself. You should be ashamed in turning this great democracy into the laughing stock of the world. And you should be ashamed of not inspiring people to participate anymore. You are the reason for democracy failing in the US.

But it is not just the politicians. It’s the media. Slurping up everything that the politicians say. Or trying to spew hatred about every politician they don’t agree with. They don’t question policies. They don’t look into the future these political promises. No. They spew hatred about the mis(character) of potential leaders whether it is true or not. Or whether it is relevant or not. You should be ashamed of yourself. I thought you were here to inform people and be the guardians of this great democracy. But no. You don’t. You spew hatred and take no responsibility. You just sit back and laugh at the people - all the way to the bank.

It is no wonder people don’t want to vote. It is no wonder that young people feel that it is not worth it. They are still young enough to believe that politics should be about leadership, honor and truth. But they look up at “their” political leaders and all they smell is the foul smell of corrupt souls. People with vested interests. A city of sin where lobbyist outnumber politicians. And the lies they tell and the stories they spin. You should be ashamed of yourself for lying to the people of America. And especially for making the young people lose hope even before they truly start off in life. You cynics and liers are making cynics of those with hope in their hearts. You make the young people old before they should. You make them lose their hope and love for America. You kill the American Dream little bit bit little lie. You should be ashamed.

I can’t believe the character assassination taking place. Whether it is an attack on Hillary because she is married to Bill and stuck with him because of his sleeping around. Or McCain because he changes his opinion on issues the way we all do all of the time. Or Obama because a black man spoke from the heart about race and you attack him as racist. Look in the mirror and ask yourself who would be a leader that you can respect and look up to. Can you live with any of these three if you kill their character like this? When you show no respect - can you expect any back? You should be ashamed of yourself.

And to Hillary and Mac and Obama. You should be ashamed of yourselves. I know you try to be honorable. But you are not trying hard enough. You should act like the leader people need and not just the leaders they want. You should be clear and direct with any of your supporters or those who work for you when they attack the character of the other. Whether it is a twitter message (McCain), or racist (Hillary), or monsters (Obama). Be the leader people need. Because it has never been more important than now. People are losing hope. Losing hope in American politics. And you are not helping.

And to the Republicans and Democrats. To the left and the right. Be ashamed of yourself. You talk more about how you are different. Why you hate the other side - because they are gay, pro or anti abortion, because they are for or against immigration, because they are godless or too godly, because they are pro or anti big business, because they are pro or anti war. But you never talk about what makes this country great. You never talk about what makes you American. What makes you one. You just try and carve your little niche of hatred. And you know what? It just gives your enemies more reasons to hate you - because you are telling them everything that is wrong about America. Instead of telling them what is great about America. You should be ashamed of yourself.

I have seen corrupt leaders. Morally corrupt leaders. I come from South Africa and lived under Apartheid. And I have seen the hatred that politicians and their followers can create. And you are walking a fine line here. I see so many PW Botha’s walking around parading as politicians here in America. And I see the Dutch Reformed Church in many places of worship. And Die Burger in so many newspapers and televisions. But I have also seen great leaders. I have seen Mandela who we all know well. But I have seen leaders I don’t agree with who brought greatness to themselves. FW De Klerk. I didn’t like him, but he showed his greatness as a leader by making the difficult choices “his people” didn’t want to take. I don’t like McCain or Hillary - but they can show greatness without my support. It is up to them. They make the choice.

I have been here for 18 months. And I got to love this country called America. It was nothing like I expected. The people are great, great people. Warm, open and friendly. And hardworking. More than you can imagine. I see them behind the tills and at the gas stations. Those are the people who make you great. Those people who will fight your wars not because they believe in the war, but because that is what America does when one is hurt - they all stand up. These people who sweat blood and tears every single day to pay the mortgage and give their kids a chance in life. These are the people you lie to every day. It has not been the America I read about in books or seen in the movies. I have seen why this country is so great. Why you can be proud to be American. And you should be ashamed for not liking them and for lying to them.

But when it comes to politics I am not so sure. There is just too much hatred. This is the worse case of democracy I have seen anywhere. This is not how you convince the world that democracy works. This is the ugly underbelly of America. The moral corruption of democracy but the sick and twisted who wants to win above anything else. And the people I speak to in the streets and the shops don’t like what they see or what they hear. And the lies create so much white noise that they don’t know what to believe in anymore. They thought they saw greatness and then it was taken away from them by hate-speech and lies. You should be ashamed of yourself.

You set the example for all Americans. You want to know why they take drugs in baseball and football? Ask youself what kind of message you send when you tell people that everything goes as long as you win. You can lie and you can steal. As long as you win. What are you telling those who grow up? And those who should entertain us with pride in sport? You should be ashamed of yourself. You are corrupting America every single day.

But most of all, you should hang your head in shame for what you have done to the Founding Fathers of this great nation. They have sacrificed and fought for your freedom. They were not perfect. But they were honest. And they fought an honest fight. They gave you everything. And you spit in their face with your lies and twisted speech. Look in the mirror and ask yourself what they would think of you. What would they say if they saw what you do and what you say? And what you think. You should be ashamed for belittling what they fought for and died for. Thank God that you were never asked to sign the Declaration of Independence. Thank God you were not one of those Founding Fathers. Because America would not be if it was for you. Hang your head in shame. Your founding father and everyone who have died for America and lived for America will be ashamed of you. You do not “hold up”. You should be ashamed for even calling yourself American. You put this country to shame. Shame on you. You don’t deserve greatness because you don’t know what it means.

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I won’t be writing about American politics anymore. I will write about my life and my experiences. And I will write about what bugs me. I will write about anything and everything that comes to mind. But not about American politics anymore. You know I support Obama. But I don’t think America is ready for Obama. And sadly, I don’t think America deserves Obama. Not those Americans who play these games. They will drag him down the way they have dragged me down. And the America I know is greater than that. Should be better than that.

I am busy reading The Audacity of Hope. And sorry. I just don’t have that audacity… or that hope. He is a better and a bigger man than me. I just hope to God I am wrong and he is right. But I don’t know. I just don’t know.

Tomorrow is another day. And I will still be proud of living in this country. When I see those people working behind the counters and in the factories. Those good to honest hard-working Americans who have shown me their love and affection. Those Americans I have come to love. I just don’t want anything to do with American politics anymore. That is just not American anymore.

It irritates the living hell out of me when politicians (or anyone for that matter) uses the “I have been there” line. You know, that line when a country comes up in a conversation and they say “I have been there”. I was listening Bill Maher (yeah, yeah) on my iPod when some or other politician was using this argument that things are soooo much better in Iraq. You know - he’s “been there”. Like he knows something we don’t know. Sorry buddy. You haven’t been there. Going on an escorted trip to some holiday camp isn’t “been there”. It’s just a package deal holiday trip. It’s buying that Disney trip off the travel agent. Not planning your own trip to Florida. Disney isn’t Florida. You haven’t been to Florida just because you have been to Disney World. Mickey Mouse isn’t Governor Charlie Crist - and Goofy isn’t Jeb Bush either. They just act like them. I know - it’s a shocker. But that’s the truth.

Dick Cheney has been to Iraq. Hillary has been all over the place. All escorted trips. Talking to people and seeing people that other people controlled. Not a moment of meeting the people in the streets. No. They met the people those in power wanted them to meet. Those “good little soldiers”. Those on the side of the winners or warlords or occupiers - not those who suffer in their homes without water or electricity or food or jobs. Or walls for that matter. Those have been bombed as well. So what you have are just very big windows as the Republicans would like you to believe. You see what they want you to see. And not what you should see. You don’t see the families caring for the wounded ones or crying for the lost ones.

It brings me to McCain. (No, I am still not writing about the election - just the topic of “I have been there”). McCain went to Iraq last week. Made a few “misspokes” by confusing a few issues. Wouldn’t you with Lieberman standing next to you? You just don’t know which way Lieberman might go - Independent today, Republican tomorrow, Democrat yesterday. Anyway - I digress. Again. So McCain went to the marketplace. Bought a few goods there I hope. You know. A bucket of water (just a few minor shrapnel holes in it). Some oil (imported from Saudi Arabia because you can’t find Iraqi oil). An AK47 (seen some action). But no food and no freedom fries. But why didn’t he go to the market he went to the last time? Because it wasn’t safe. Not even with those Blackwater guards, marines, armoured vehicles and helicopters. He hasn’t “been there”. He could only say “I haven’t been there”.

They don’t know those places. They don’t live in those places. They fly in and they fly out. Just so they can say “I have been there”. Just so they can spin it in a way that you like it - with a bit of cream on top thank you. It makes it soooo much easier to swallow. It’s just the way I used to feed my dog his medicine - hide it in a piece of ham. But even my dog got it in the end. He started spitting out the pills (but still ate the ham). Americans aren’t stupid. No. Let me rephrase that. Americans aren’t dumb for long. You start smelling something rotten and starts spitting out the pill of stupidity. And the approval rating of those “who have been there” starts dropping faster than the bombs in Iraq. You can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time…

“I have been there”. I should be a politician really. No - I should be the ruler of the world by now. Hear me people of the world - your leader is here. The wait is over. Get the roses and the wine ready, because here I come. The people of Cameroon - I am your main-man. I have been there once. For almost a day. A stopover on my flight to Bamako, Mali. Actually, I have been there twice - on my return flight as well. I am the most knowledgeable foreign policy person I know. Why? Because “I have been there”. Zambia - vote me in. I spend time in Lusaka - many times. “I have been there”. I’ve eaten your nsima and drank your Mosi. Ivory Coast - your saviour and warlord is here. “I have been there”. Twice. Stuck at the airport.  Hungary - anoint me in the Danube. “I have been there”. For 3 long days in a luxury hotel that included a massage from a big hairy Hungarian - male. Mexico - ola, make me your main revolutionary piñata. “I have been there”. Mexico City, Chihuahua, Monterrey and many Tequila’s. France - c‘est la vie, your monsieur of la resistance has arrived. “I have been there”. Four long days in Paris - baguettes, wine, cheese, insults and all. Germany - your über prince of the united country is here. “I have been there”. In Trier to shop for toys, in Berlin to do nothing really, and in Nuremberg for a job interview. “I have been there”. I have been everywhere. Almost. Never mind South Africa where I was born and raised. Or the UK where I spend four long years watching footie, drinking pints and eating crap “fish and chips” like a real Englishman. Or the US where I have lived for the last 18 months shouting for the Red Sox and hating the Yankees like all good Americans should. Yes, I have been there. But I know nothing. Because I don’t live their lives. I am just a guy from South Africa. An Umlungu who knows too little and says too much.

Really, if “I have been there” qualifies you as a foreign policy expert then every pilot on the Delta international route is Boutros Boutros-Ghali. And sorry my friend, you ain’t from Egypt or his world. I sometimes even doubt if you are even from this world. Even if you “have been there”. You still haven’t “been there” or “got it”.

So. Stop it please. Stop trying to sound all travelled and wise because you “have been there”. You haven’t. You haven’t even “been there” when it comes to the US. You can’t use a daft and brainless line just to justify and spin your stupid, warped and pathetic policies. It isn’t an answer. It isn’t an analysis. It isn’t even SNL or Real Time. It’s just you being stupid. Like my dog was in the beginning. But even he got over it. He roams and knows his territory. He even marks it by lifting his leg on everything. Instead of telling me “I have been there”, tell me how you are going to “be here”. Just don’t leave a mark like my dog. Just don’t take the piss.

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