As the election approaches, it's time to pick a side. Here's where I'm at:
I hate where our country seems to be heading. I think the nation under the current administration has been a train wreck.
I'm against the war and the way it's been waged. I think they've used scare tactics to cut into some of our most basic civil rights, condoned torture and made us the target of increasing hatred from the islamic world.
I think they've destroyed our economy and allowed the very richest among us to get even richer while the middle class shrinks and pays for the excesses of Wall Street criminals masquerading as CEOs and lobbyists - all the while neglecting the needs of the poorest among us and demonizing welfare recipients and illegal aliens.
I am so ready for a change. Historically, I've liked McCain. He seems to play well with others - specifically liberals. But his campaign has been sometimes nasty, sometimes unbalanced, sometimes blatantly divisive. As he's tried to bring on more conservative blocks of the party, he seems to be painting himself as more conservative than he really is.
As for Obama - the dude is flawless. His language is inspiring. His manner is sophisticated. He seems unflappable. And for the most part, he's stuck to the issues and run a fairly positive campaign. I like him. I really like him. Even when they try to corner him - like with the comments of his pastor - he responds with class and candor.
But let's talk about the elephant in the room. The one thing I can't seem to get around. Obama has a 100% rating from NARAL - the pro-choice lobbying organization. He has stated his intent to roll back the partial birth abortion ban and remove all restrictions from getting an abortion. He has voted against parental consent and notification. He's literally 100% in their camp.
McCain has not always been as staunch a supporter as he claims. He has ridden the fence when it helped him politically - like during his campaign against Bush in 2000. During that campaign, he aligned himself against Bush - opposing putting pro-life language in the party platform. But McCain's voting record gives himself away:
- Supports repealing Roe v. Wade. (May 2007)
- Voted YES on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP. (Mar 2008)
- Voted YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions. (Oct 2007)
- Voted YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Apr 2007)
- Voted YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions. (Jul 2006)
- Voted NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives. (Mar 2005)
- Voted YES on criminal penalty for harming unborn fetus during other crime. (Mar 2004)
- Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life. (Mar 2003)
- Voted YES on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions. (Jun 2000)
- Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions. (Oct 1999)
- Voted YES on banning human cloning. (Feb 1998)
- Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003)
- Expand embryonic stem cell research. (Jun 2004)
- Rated 75% by the NRLC, indicating a mixed record on abortion. (Dec 2006)
- Prohibit transporting minors across state lines for abortion. (Jan 2008)
Here's where I have to tip my hand to my more liberal friends. I really don't like abortion. Generally, I like the idea of choice. Choice is a good thing. Overall, I'd would consider myself "pro"- choice. "Regular or decaf?" "Jeans or khakis?" "Chimay Red or Blue?"
But there are some areas where choice is not appropriate. I cannot choose whether or not I'd like to steal your car. I cannot choose to blow up a building or set dogs on fire. There are things that we as a society have defined as wrong. One of those things is the taking of innocent life. That is wrong. I can't think of anything more innocent than a baby in its mother's womb.
I don't believe that choice is appropriate here. In the natural course of time, that embryo will continue to mature and will emerge a fully-functioning human with its own distinct DNA. It is not a part of the mother like a kidney or liver or heart. It's a person - or at the very least it will be a person. I believe our constitution clearly protects the weak and innocent from having their rights trampled by others. So from a civil rights perspective, I cannot support the legalization of abortion on demand.
I'm open to discussions about exceptions when the mother's life is in danger or in cases or rape or incest, but let's face it - that's a fraction of abortions that happen. The vast majority of abortions amount to "fixing" mistakes. I believe that the appropriate place for "choice" in the equation comes at the point of conception - when couples choose to have sex.
So I've outed the elephant! What's a boy to do? I'm completely sick of everything the republican party has done. I like Obama's tone and think he lines up much better with many other moral issues (poverty, war, energy, etc). But then there's that elephant.
Some of you are no doubt pittying me about now - silly Christian stuck on one issue. I confess - I truly am. I wish it wasn't so, but I have to be true to deeply felt convictions. Can I support a candidate who is so committed to the Planned Parenthood view of life? Is my desire for change so great that I would elect a man who will probably get 1-2 appointments to the Supreme Court - sadly the real battleground for this issue?
I'm still not sure who I'll pull the lever for. I'm still praying and soul-searching and generally agonizing over the decision. I believe it's my duty to vote. But as a God-follower, I wonder what His view is on all this. Are His elephants my elephants?
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4 comments:
A few thoughts.
-I hate the idea of a life being cut short, at any age.
-I hate the idea of an abortion for convenience.
-If I had to choose between the life of my wife and the life of the baby inside her (no folks, we are not pregnant!!!), hands down I'm choosing my wife.
-I don't feel comfortable telling any woman that she should not or can not have an abortion.
-I don't want the bureaucrats deciding what is acceptable medical treatment and what is not. We already have the insurance companies for that injustice.
-I do not believe abortion laws and/or supreme court justices will change the frequency of abortions, or change people's minds about the procedure.
-I believe that abortion is only a small piece of the pie of unfortunate acts (most of which are unknown or overlooked) that is our American culture.
-I don't think politics are the solution to very many, if any, problems.
-I think truly relevant solutions and positive change are often more easily found within small communities.
-If government is to make decisions regarding abortions, I think it should fall on the hands of local public servants and at very most, the state government.
-I think bureaucrats are way too involved in the regulations of local communities. Freedom in America is very limited, as per the status quo.
The solution as I see it:
-Opt out of government programs whenever possible.
-Vote with your dollars (you already do).
-Love your neighbors (yes it really is that easy).
-Buy locally and stimulate the economy in your local community, even when it costs more (when more people buy local the price will go down).
-Turn off the TV and read more. I recommend the alternative press.
-Get in touch with your food, where it comes from and who cared for it.
-Processed food is NOT FOOD.
-As Michael Pollen said, "Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly Vegetables."
-Get "off the grid" as much as possible. Energy independence starts with the individual and household.
-Be aware of your footprint on the world, and if you give a d*mn, work to make it smaller.
-Give a d*mn.
-Opt out of the status quo and question everything.
-Stop justifying irresponsible living (I do it too).
-Complain if you like, but then do something about it.
-Life is what you miss when you are busting your a** to make enough money to pay your bills.
-There are other paths to sustainability and yes you can do it, if it's important to you.
Pour the coca-cola down the drain (the HFCS will kill you), relax and have a beer and a smile (preferablly locally brewed).
I'm happy to report I'm already on board with many of your suggestions. We've been tv-free for more than 3 months now, am an official "bus rider", have given up soda and coffee and definitely enjoy the occasional Murphy's Stout. I'm still only dabbling in fair trade and buy-local, but I'm down with those ideas as well.
As for the topic of abortion, here are some facts I came upon in my research. I find them hard to get around:
- Only 1% of abortions are for rape or incest.
- 6% are determined to be for the "health" of the mother. The reason I put that in quotes is because Planned Parenthood and others include not only physical health, but mental and/or emotional health. So even though a mother might not be in physical danger from seeing a pregnancy through to birth, they might determine it would hurt her emotionally. As you can imagine, that leaves a lot of room for some pretty triste science.
- That leaves 93% that are for "social" reasons.
- Every year, Americans abort about 1.4 million babies.
This is the civil rights issue of our day. As believers, we are called to defend the defenseless - to protect the weak and the innocent. If unborn babies don't fall into that category, then I don't know who does.
And as Americans, we believe that no one person's rights should be trampled on by another person. But this is exactly what up to 93% of abortions are - one person taking away the rights of another.
While I'm no fan of invasive regulation, it seems to me that the most basic decisions as to right and wrong are often made at the federal level.
Would people still seek out abortions if they weren't legal? Sure. But I think the numbers would be a lot lower. And, it would send a message that the society feels this to be morally wrong.
At the end of the day, I am pro-choice. But the choice should be made long before there's a baby involved. Couples should choose to either abstain from sex or practice safe sex and not become pregnant. That choice affects only the people who are making those choices.
Once there's another person involved (ie - a baby), the choice not to have a baby has already been passed. You now have a baby. It has it's own DNA, it's own organs and biological systems. If left to mature naturally, it will soon be self-sustaining. As believers and Americans, I feel it's our duty to protect the rights of all people - even unborn ones.
I realize that just outlawing abortion-on-demand won't fix the problem. We need better sex education, more accountability for women who have multiple unwanted pregnancies, cheaper and easier adoption policies, and much more.
On re-reading my 2am post, I think I should clarify one part. I said:
"While I'm no fan of invasive regulation, it seems to me that the most basic decisions as to right and wrong are often made at the federal level."
What I meant to say is that there are some really, universal laws that we have said apply to everyone. There's not a state where murder is legal. There's not a state where it's legal to beat a black man for being black. These are decisions not best left to states.
I believe that abortion should be regulated in the same way.
I think I can see your point. I'm just not as inclined to promote government involvement in this issue. I am very much pro separation of church and state. And although you argue well that this is a civil rights issue, I just don't have the faith, in our government (especially at the federal level), to handle these issues. Let me also make very clear that I don't presume to believe that I am right in my thinking. I speak from what I perceive to be right, knowing that I am limited in my knowledge and perspective. I think the problem with encouraging more federal regulation, in any instance, is the unexpected and often unwanted spread of regulation into other areas. Abortion is not going to cease to exist, and as long as our culture and economy are driven by immediate gratification, convenience, consumerism, individualism, entitlement, justified apathy and global irresponsibility (i.e. the American Dream as it has evolved to become), tragic acts will continue to escalate. I truly believe the only solution, however meek it may appear to be, is through community and one-on-one relationships. Anything else, I believe, is time better spent on more productive activities. I can totally see your point about murder being illegal (and perhaps assumed to be morally unacceptable, although I suspect it is more about legality than morality) in all states. I wonder how many lives are stopped abruptly and purposely all in the name of national security or justified retaliation. Ideally, everyone would live "well" until the day they die "naturally". But this is a lofty concept. The food and nutrition industries, along with the medical and pharmaceutical industries are directly and indirectly responsible for entire generations of sick people and premature deaths. In my mind this is equal, in every way, to the appalling act of abortion. But I doubt many would agree with me on this. Our culture is ****** **, period. The ship of national recovery has sailed. Insight is rare and far-sighted and self-righteousness is prevalent. Pride covers hopelessness and drugs synthesize wellness. The choices, as I see them, are to move to a healthier environment, and/or live for change, and by example, in your (my) local community. I suppose this is equally idealistic. It keeps me from succumbing to complete insanity. It's nice to toss thoughts back and forth with you, Griff. Would be better in person. Let me know when a window of opportunity emerges from the "tyranny of the urgent".
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