The Party Line...

Nothing Personal, but my party believes...

"Yes, I believe in equality for all races, but my husband's best friend was stabbed by a black man and he died when he received an HIV tainted blood transfusion, so you can see how my husband hates all black men..."

No, I really can't. I relate that conversation that took place years ago just to illustrate a point. Yes, that man can hate the black man who stabbed his friend and eventually led to his death, but I think that you would have to really, really stretch to make the leap that that could reasonably cause you to hate all blacks. But we sometimes stretch to make that leap or ones similar to it.

Likewise, we can stretch to believe that birth control, or abortion, or gay rights, or cheap student loans are the most important issue of the 2012 election. Or we might think that the election isn't important at all. But it is. I have, without apology, voted single issue for every year I have voted. I voted for the babies. I won't argue that, because frankly, my mind cannot be changed, and I suppose yours cannot either. I pray that hearts will change and let Jesus do the work. But for the first time I have considered that maybe, my single issue, would have to be expanded...None of it really matters if we don't have our constitutional protections firmly in place and the continued ability to make that choice.  In light of that, I have tried to look at other issues. That too, is exhausting, because it seems that everyone has a pet issue. In an attempt to find harmony, I have tried to look at some points of agreement. Neither party has all the answers. Partisan politics may have out-lived its usefulness...but it's what we are stuck with for right now. However, there are a few things that we should all agree with: preserving our rights and supporting our boys in the military.

Not only do millions of our children don a uniform each year and vow to defend each and every American, they do so often at great sacrifice and often without a firm understanding of why they are fighting. I like to think they are fighting for all of us to have our opinion and the ability to cling to it, even if, for example, that opinion is to hate all blacks because of a very narrow excuse...special interest excuse, if you will. Everyone has a moment, or a person, or situation that is dear to their heart because of his or her own situation. But that doesn't make it the most important thing. I got a request to sign a petition regarding an 18 year old boy scout who was denied his final project badge or pin because he was gay. Was he surprised by that? Is it in the rules? If that is the Boy Scout rules, he should have quit before it was a problem for him...somewhat shortsighted. Would I be upset if it was my son? Yeah, but I would have tried to find out the rules before having my son invest years of his life into it. If it was still important to him, he could live without the pin. If it wasn't, no loss. I like to think I would have more important things to think about than whether or not he could get his pin, for example, life expectancy of gay men. I would hate the lifestyle my son chose to embrace and the pain his decisions would likely lead to. I would never hate my son, gays in general, the Boy Scouts, or even the people who choose to believe that this is one of the most important issues of our time. But it is a narrow issue. As long as we have the choice to agree, disagree, sign a change.org petition or not....well, that's what matters.

So 2012 is an election year. Most people are already tired of it. Wish people would start posting jokes again instead of mini campaign posters. Who cares about which party wins...they are all funded by BigPharma and Agribusiness anyway, so either candidates are going to have the same results...Apathy is the danger. Just vote and care, because it is the American way. If we don't believe in the process, the choice can and will be taken from us. Teach your children the right to vote is just as important as a Boy Scout pin. And if all playing fields are level, I say vote for the one who supports our constitutional rights and didn't go on campaigning while our embassies, flags, and citizens burned in Libya....