politics...

Okay...I am so ready for this election to be over right now...ELEVEN more days! I heard Michelle Obama say today that is how people are starting to greet each other on the campaign trail and I am feeling it too...November 4th is coming, thankfully! I got my absentee ballot a while ago and took a few weeks to fill it out...I wanted to be sure. I wanted to feel good when I made that choice and I mailed it in. I wanted to do my civic duty, but also do what felt good to me. I am happy with my choice. I mailed Brandon his ballot too and he also voted and sent his back.
I have been getting into these political talks I guess on facebook with some friends that have a bit of differing opinions from mine. I have been a bit frustrated with things going on in the political world as well. I think we all should have opinions and voice them...but respect everyones' opinions while doing that. We all aren't right and no matter how passionate you feel about something, someone else feels just as passionate about their stance on something. Listen to people, open your hearts and minds and maybe we all could learn a thing or two.
My friend posted some links on her facebook site...their fired me up a bit I have to say. I have to share them and let you make up your mind...that is only fair right...but I plan to comment...my blog as my friend Kelley reminds me, so I am saying it like I see it...
http://www.catholicvote.com/
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=12231
Okay both of these are coming from the Catholic news agencies...so already I am sure you can see their is a bias. I am Catholic, so I can say that.
My friend posted these on facebook with comments about how the second one was so wrong and the first was reminding us to vote our conscience. Okay...here is my take...watch the videos if you care to know what the heck I am talking about...
The first one is a video clip made by the Catholic church to remind of us what is at stake this election...I am Catholic as I said and I watched it...and at the end I thought it told me who to vote for pretty clearly...It showed a fetus and talked about saving a life...talked about the definition of marriage and showed to men getting married...hmmm...wonder what they are talking about here. Okay...lets lay it out there...just say it. I hate the vagueness...say what you mean!!!
Second one is about comments Obama made at a rally speech...discussing if a teen gets pregnant and referred to it as a mistake and then saying he wouldn't want one of his daughters to be punished if they got pregnant with not having choices...So...here is my take...
First the Catholic Church...I expect them to be pro right wing...not that the priests in the church have always been good moral statues of society...but I know they are anti abortion and they are anti gay marriage...I get that. But the ad is just so annoying to me...pretty music, moving photos...vote with your conscience...subliminal messaging much? I have a good friend that is gay and in a serious relationship with a man....another friend that is gay and in one with a woman. Both have been with their partners for year and are very happy. Both share homes, one shares a child. I would never want to tell them you don't have the right to love who you want. They are happy and I think they deserve that....all of us do...if you find happiness, grab it and don't let go. I don't necessarily want to see marriage changed, but i do want to see the laws changed to give gay couples the same rights that they deserve and I have. I want our society to get over some of its crap and see the big picture...There are tons of heterosexual couples that are screwed up raising kids...but we think it is wrong for a loving gay couple to adopt a baby. I say if I child can living in a loving home than we should all support that.
Second...the pro lifers jumped on Obama. I agree his words were not the best in his rally speech and even I cringed a bit with the words being chosen, but step back...listen to it all with an open mind. If he has two daughters and one is raped and ends up pregnant...wouldn't he consider that punishment for her to have to keep a baby from that...I would. I have had friends who have had abortions...several in fact. I don't look at them and question their motives or wonder if I was in their shoes, what would I have done. I can't. I am not God. I know that I have to make choices in life for me. But I will not make them for others when it comes to something like a human life. If someone feels they don't want a baby, can't handle having one, had something traumatic happen to create it...then who am I to tell them to keep it. Plus we have tons of babies in this country up for adoption that no one wants because they aren't newborns and white...it is a fact. Adoption isn't always a choice for some people...they then have to carry a baby to term and go through more trauma, especially for rape or incest victims. I am not preaching that I think abortions are good. I am not pro-abortion as Mr. McCain called it in his last debate...I am pro CHOICE! I myself have always wanted to have a baby and am thrilled God blessed me with two amazing ones...I have never had to make that choice, but I can't judge others who have. They must live with their choices...McCain actually agrees with me...he is for abortion rights in the case of incest and rape, health of the mother...he is for stem cell research...I watched Hard Ball the other night when the representative from Planned Parenthood was on and a Pro Life spokesperson...oh man...the Planned Parenthood lady was so calm and the other one was yelling and screaming...planned parenthood is not an abortion center...they council people...they help with adoption information and for people wanting to keep their child, but are young, scared, etc. They give you options....CHOICES! You are the person that has to make the choice, follow through and live with it...
I have been so annoyed with the recent turn of nastiness in the ads. I think it is sad we have sunk the level of robo calls calling people terrorists...I like McCain a lot...I think that is low.
Honestly I would have been so much more torn if McCain had picked a different running mate...Sarah Palin just kills me...I actually agree with more of what McCain says than I do with most other republicans...but she and I are not on the same page...I don't think we read the same book. I think having her sitting next to him was a mistake and a scary option if he were to die, for her to run this great nation. A nation built on giving us CHOICES! Freedom of speech (I love that one)...freedom to choose our religion without persecution. Freedom of the press. Freedom to have a democratic election. To face our accusers if we are accused of a crime...so many wonderful opportunities to be a part of things...to participate in our nation...I love that about our country. I am hoping that on November 4th we don't just vote based on scare tactics and accusations slung around...we don't vote based on religion or race or our socioeconomic status...we vote on what we want for the future of this great land and who we think can help get us there...
Only 11 more days...