I have avoided commenting on the US Election until now; despite wanting to jump in to the debate many times I have felt the propaganda and campaigning on both sides has been so hateful, intolerant and hypocritical that I always decided against joining in.

So this morning Barack Obama was re-elected as US President and I for one am pleased.  I’m sure Obama is not perfect, as many of his supporters would like us to believe, but I found the alternative truly frightening.

I believe that everyone is entitled to their opinions and has a right to express them. What irritated me most about the unofficial (and at times the official) Obama campaign was the continuous stream of hate directed at Romney for his intolerance of beliefs other than his own, which in itself was intolerant of Romney’s beliefs.  He is entitled to those beliefs whatever we may think of them.

I do, however, find it very difficult to comprehend how America could even contemplate electing someone who’s thinking is so medieval.  That a man who is anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage and homophobic (and I do think they deserve to be listed as separate issues); who would return to a system where healthcare is the preserve of the rich; who would deny climate change and turn away from green energy while privatising the essential disaster relief services that have saved lives, homes and communities so many times from natural disasters caused by that very policy; that a man like that could be elected to the most powerful role in the world in the 21st century is a very frightening thought.

I’m sure Obama will be judged as a good president who dealt with difficult times but I’m not yet sure, even after 4 years, how I feel about him.  I’m sure as hell glad he isn’t Romney though!