Ginny and Politics

Disclaimer for those of you who need it: frankly, this post might be offensive, it might not. It all depends on how open minded you are. I will say this much--what follows are my thoughts, my feelings, myself. If I didn't write what I honestly feel, then I would not only be disservicing the online journal that this is, I would be untrue to myself. And that I cannot allow.

Election Day is Nov. 2. If you can vote, by all means, do so--but please be an informed voter. And by this point, you should be registered. Around here, registration is closed.
Know that I'm not going to vote your way just to gain favor with you; I'm going to vote in my best interests.
Finally, if you don't vote, don't complain about the results.

Even the most loving, most mature, most intelligent people can become akin to religious zealots when it comes to their political candidate, especially around Election Time. I can tell we are getting close because, ever since Sunday, the personal political debates have begun in earnest. Bush Boosters and Kerry Supporters are loudly proclaiming the greatness of their boy and the slovenness of the opponent. And neither are leaving any room for openminded discussion (I was preached at no less than 5 times today, and, like the nonreligious, I'm getting tired of voters trying to convert me to their side). I would say, let the election hurry up and come, but then I'd have to listen to the winning team boast for a good month and the losing team wail for that same month. Ugh.

Where do I stand? Traditionally, my family is conservative Repubs. I voted for Bush last time around. This year, things are quite different. A LOT of things have changed in the past four short years. If you don't agree the world isn't today was it was back then, you've obviously been living under a rock.

Frankly, I'm bitter about politics. I'm relieved yet also ashamed to admit that, ever since 9-11, I've paid a lot more attention to what the government has been doing or failing to do. (Relieved because I'm more informed; ashamed that it took 9-11 to pull me in.) I do think we were right in fighting back those first few months, and that we would have fought back regardless of who was in office. I also think that we have been fighting far too long, that we've proven our point and that we're now just wasting resources. Would it have been different if we had had a different leader? I don't know. "What if" isn't the game to play; it's "where do we go from here"?

"Here" being a place that is showing signs of not understanding what the seperation of Church and State means. For pastors to tell their congregations how to vote is wrong--I am a firm believer in free will. But that isn't where the problem of the seperation lies. Recently in Massachusetts, laws have been passed that state pastors can be arrested if they do not teach their congregations the "right" way.

This coming from a government that took the Ten Commandments away from the front of the court? Who banned prayer on school grounds? Who tore "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance? And if the government can encroach on churches, why isn't it also busting into mosques and temples? Who is to say they are teaching the "right" way?

But it gets better--I've been told again, and twice today, that the world is pushing to block Christians out. Now, I'm not going to believe that until I get some hard evidence, but that hurts, that really does. It's difficult enough for me to live different from everyone else and be constantly attacked for it, but I'll be damned if I let any mortal on this earth tell me how to live my relationship with my God.

Where do I stand? I stand for a leader that is going to uphold the First Ammendment for once. Someone who can make an America that will (continue to) allow me to be able to worship as I see fit, without worrying about the police taking the preacher away in handcuffs during the sermon. A country where I don't have worry about being discrimanated against just because I'm Christian. Because if I deny my belief, I am denying myself.

Show me a leader like that, and I will gladly cast my vote for him.

Until then, don't be a sheep.