Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Train Wreck Headed Our Way!

Most of you know I have fairly liberal ideas of the role the United States should play for us citizens and our global neighbors. Looking at the hub-bub around Sarah Palin´s nomination for V.P. is bringing a rage in my soul. Today I searched for information on why I should want her to be No.2 for my country, I found very few reasons why I should. I have been a registered voter since 1988 when at the behest of my dad, I voted for Bush Sr. After the debacle that came with the reign of George the first, I made a pact with myself that I would vote with my head and my heart and not just vote a party in. Since 1988 I have been waiting for a woman to be on the ticket, regardless of party and see can she speak for me and my family? This is what Palin said that has my ire up and I want to whack her between the eyes with a spoon that has been at the bottom of a deep freezer for ten years, so cold it will stick to her cranium and wake this woman up!

"Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending [U.S. soldiers] out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that plan is God's will." -Sarah Palin

Are you even kidding me? Do not presume to have a personal telephone line with a God that sends sons and daughters to war to kill or be killed. Every day I say to my boys, no guns allowed, people with guns can kill other people. Yes I know, people can die and be killed in a multitude of ways but war...what has the war in Iraq solved for us? Osama bin Laden is still on the loose apparently so why the hell occupy Iraq? Sadam Hussein would never have allowed bin Laden in his country, he was a megalomaniac and supreme dictator, he would never have sought an alliance or allowed someone else to rule over him.(Case in point, The U.S. put him in power, he got power hungry to rule his own country without our intervention, we bagged him.) Please tell all of the loved ones of the 4,152 dead soldiers that you are praying for a plan that is God´s will, all I see is a gross abuse of tax dollars and the reverence for life. The God I believe in is not the poster dude or spokesman for your war.

Palin says she is anti-abortion, hey I am pro-life also! I´ve chosen my path as a mother but stay out of my daughter´s body. My goal is to rear children that respect life in utero AND the people in this world, it is the job of a parent to teach that indeed your body is a temple and you must respect all human beings. However, Voltaire once said: "I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to my death your right to say it." Palin, say what you want I will defend your right. I will also defend my daughter´s right to have some autonomy over her body if I know she has come to the best decision for herself and is within her constitutional rights. Having children is hard, I won´t resign a 17 to raise a baby unless I feel I can step in an be a good guide. Kudos to Palin for stepping up to that plate, she is standing up for what she feels is right, let my family stand up for our values. War is not one of our family values because we are pro-life.

The pro-life debate has long been a bone of contention for me when I meet anti-abortionists because I want to know; are you anti-war and pro-peace, are you against the death penalty, are you pro-adoption, if you are white would you adopt a child of color? Because if you respect life this much, your view should rightfully encompass all living beings otherwise I am want to use the H-word, hypocrite, in capital letters. I could rant on this subject for paragraphs because of the incongruities but on to the next quote which irritated me.


"I think God's will has to be done in unifying people and companies to get the gas line built, so pray for that."- Sarah Palin


HI-larious. So big business is God´s will? Getting a gas-line built and drilling for oil (which oil industry admits will take about 10 years to accomplish) is God´s will? Hmmm...it becomes clear with that statement that it is God´s will we wreak havoc on this beautiful planet that is bountiful for all creatures. But we humans apparently have divine right to treat the planet with reckless abandon. Get a smaller car, get a bicycle, go solar, become a better steward of how you use the finite supply of natural resources which is God´s gift to all of us, not just the companies that supply the consumer. I´m one of the people and I am not interested in drilling for more oil, I´m interested in real long-term solutions so this old world will be here for my great-great grandchildren.

So let´s talk about poverty for minute. This info came across Reuters today:

"As the convention was under way on Tuesday, a peaceful march on behalf of poor people by more than 1,000 demonstrators led to a brief confrontation of some of them with police. Pepper spray and teargas were used to drive the protesters away from the downtown Xcel Energy Center where the convention was being held."


Why was there even a kerfuffle? Poverty is an issue IN the United States, especially with the dollar loosing reputation and the sub-prime crisis the great Republic of States created. Poverty is not just inner-city these days, it´s people like me that were middle class until the sub-prime crisis swept away my husband´s lucrative commercial construction business. The blurb says a peaceful march, how did it come to tear gas and pepper spray to drive protesters away? We the people are listening to what the politicians say, we are force fed all of their opinions. Politicians should have to listen to the people and like Voltaire says ¨defend to the death your right to say it." Apparently not the case, it will earn you itchy eyes and you will choke as tears run down your face while your voice is silenced.

This is my rant, I am one p-o´ed citizen of the United States. What is worse, I have no control over the sinking of the Republic, I can only vote and pray that my absentee ballot will be counted this election. Sarah Palin, I am praying that God has a plan for us, all of us, to unify we the people and hold irresponsible politicians (republican, democrat, libertarian, hell you could be martian for all I care at this point!) to task. I pray to God that war will end and reparations can be made for the lives lost. I´m praying that poverty becomes non-existent and no one on this planet has to perish because they are malnourished. I think this would be more in line with God´s will and I think Jesus is rooting for this also. Jesus was one of the greatest revolutionaries of a millennium taking a stand for the little guy, like you and me, and I think Jesus would be greatly offended that this woman is asking God´s will be to unify the people and companies to get a gas line built.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

i love you and once agian really miss you today. those days are more and more often it seems. i need some shannon avenue - rebel mom moments in a bad way. ;)

With that, here are my comments...#1, thanks for using the word "rear" and not "raise" when refering to your children. You raise cows & rear children.

#2 We have discussed the pro-life across the board, more than one time and you know how I feel. If you call yourself pro-life be consistant. If you are anti-abortion, pro-war --PLEASE do us all a favor and don't say you are pro-life, b/c I'm not sure you really are.

#3 a "christians" mandate (i call it that, i'm not sure what the actual term would be) to care for the earth:
Genesis 1:28 God says to man & woman - multiply, fill the earth and govern it, reigh over the fish, bird and animals...I take that to mean humans are in charge here and trusted to make wise decisions. (obviously that didn't happen...the forbidden fruit...different story, but a bit noteworthy)
Genesis 2:15 - again it is mentioned that man was place in the garden to "tend and watch over it"...does tend and watch mean distroy and abuse?
another translation of the Bible I have says "work and take care of it" in verse 15.
I'm no biblical scholar, but I have known since I was a child that we were to do our part to care for the gifts we have been given and one of the biggest gifts is the earth and its universe.
#4 i liked that you used "p.o'ed" that made me smile.

Yesterday I stopped by the Obama office in Springfield, MO and tomorrow I'll have coffee with the person who is heading up the efforts in Branson. But you have known for a few years that is who had my vote.

Oh yea and #5 adopting a child of color...on a serious prayer note & seeking God's will, (because I am a follower of Jesus and that is what I do when I face a large or small decision in my life)...our family is waiting to hear what our next step will be. Even though I'm the only white one in my family, 2 are light brown and one is dark brown. She's a bit darker than our boys and almost as dark as Jonathan. Does this count? ;)

Who knows what the future will hold - hopefully less war and more babies born into loving families who truly want them, a truly United states and for my own selfish reasons, an upswing in the housing market - at least in Indy.

Elizabeth said...

oh ´bec, if only a new version of shannon ave existed where we could walk to the stop sign. my mother taught me to use the word rear, blees her real heart ;) i used the word steward because you have kept that word present and real for me, this is lesson of the year for our family. stewardship affects every piece of your life, every action, be a good steward of the gift you have been given. currently, i´d give it a C-, but we´re working on it!

BettyDuffy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Elizabeth said...

betty, if i had to the trrorist would be shoot, not fatal, maybe right in the crotch. anyway, what makes our friendship and being u.s citizens so wonderful is we are allowed to have a diversity of views. i would love to sit on the porch with you too, although you can´t have a G&T or a C, bummer. i really do defend pali´s right to speak, but i would still whack her on the forehead with the spoon, not fatal again, and then i´d probably ask her sister, WTF, let´s talk some business.wish i were with my hubby too...

BettyDuffy said...

What an interesting conversation we would have on your porch right now.
I'm loving Palin, but you knew I would.
I'm tempted to comment on each one of your points, but I don't think I can do that with any economy of words. Might take a book.

Some night...when we are gathered around martinis--several martinis apiece.

BettyDuffy said...

Glory! You're fast!!!
Too bad I deleted that first comment.

Above is my less contradictory comment.