Well. Here we are, countdown to Election 2004, and I still don't know who I'm going to vote for, Bush or Kerry.
It's been interesting to be a Christian lately, because overwhelmingly, most Christians seem to be staunch supporters of Bush. I, however, am not, which might just possibly be a cardinal sin in some quarters.
Most of the people I have heard praising Bush do so on the basis of the Iraq war, and the fact that we have brought peace to the land, and established a democratic government. I wonder though...I just read an article on the BBC web site recently, about how the civilian deaths in Iraq are well over 10,000 since the war began. That's not really much better than Saddam's record, is it? And what about the soldiers still being killed in battles and skirmishes and bombings? Not exactly a shining testimony to peace.
And anyway, how did Iraq win the freedom lottery? There are lots of other countries suffering under oppressive or corrupt governments. What about Sudan? What about Saudi Arabia (which, by the way, has the highest rate of persecution of Christians in the world)? Are we going to free other nations too, or was Iraq just lucky?
Well, we have to remember that the rallying cry for the Iraq war was not initially about liberation. It was about the legendary weapons of mass destruction...which, in fact, turned out to BE legendary, for all practical purposes. When that became apparent, the rhetoric changed dramatically to the whole "liberating Iraq" mantra. Nobody really stopped to ask if the Iraqis were asking to be liberated. Even if they were, did they want the US to do it?
But this is all a bit beside the original point, which was something along the lines of: as a Christian, is it a foregone conclusion that I must vote for Bush, who also claims to be a Christian? You know, support the home team: all for one, one for all. He's one of the family, so to speak, so you've got to support him. Well, I am not going to question the genuineness of the guy's faith, because to do so means I have to question my own. After all, I am not perfect (shhh! don't tell!), and I don't always do "the right thing." But I believe that Christianity is about grace, and grace is about getting what you don't deserve, in the best possible way. If there is grace for me, there has to be grace for Bush. Otherwise, Christianity is just another religious system and what's really the point? We all know you can't be good all the time, we don't need another system to tell us that.
So I don't question his Christianity. But I DO question, and I have a right to question, his ability to make wise decisions. I question his commitment to my civil liberties. I question his understanding of diplomacy and our position in the global community. And these are reasons why I lean toward voting "No" for Bush.
And yet...I can't quite bring myself to vote "Yes" for Kerry, who appears to me to have elevated being-swayed-by-public-opinion to an art form. Or maybe it's teling-people-what-they-want-to-hear. Whatever the case, I'm in a definite quandary.
I think I'll vote for me. Oh wait, I'm not over 35. Well, I'll vote for my friend Steve then. Maybe you should too. He's pretty cool. He even has a blog: blah, blah, blog..... Comment on one of his posts, it will make him feel happy.
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8 comments:
ha! well I would say i have one thing in common with the 2 candidates, im as GOOFY looking as both of them! well, if you vote for me i'll be sure to do the following my first year in office: put a baseball team in San Jose (preferable the A's!), reduce the price of xbox games, require seinfeld to start making his sitcom again and make a kennedy "man on the moon by the end of the decade" speech to find a way to invent a fat that is not bad for you! healthy french fries for ALL! (oh, i meant "freedom" fries)
You've got my vote, Steve. But can you get the Rams to come home to L.A.?
Kiss a baby for me...
Kameel
Well written post, I must say. (and that is high praise, considering how much I hate dealing with the commenting system on blogspot!) I was initially worried, that since you were criticizing Bush (and they were valid criticisms, I think) you laud Kerry. I'm glad that you see through his facade.
Anywho, I hope you were able to decide whom to vote for. Personally, although I share your distrust of Bush in many areas, I do prefer him to Kerry, who seems to be far too accomplished a liar.
-a brother in Christ
Grace, i have to say you make some very good points. i often find myself decieded who i should not vote for instead of who i should vote. i really respect your opinion, because i think you know what its like in the middle east better than most people. i am finding it very hard to find what is really the truth on alot of issues. it seems like everyone is willing to say anything for popularity or to make the other side look bad. anyway, i have to say that steve's goals are very tempting.
-Matt
Okay so you dont like what bush has done. 10,000 people dead. That is the least amout of people killed in any war to date. Also more people die in the United State from alcohol than we have lost in the war. And yes. Many of the Iraquis people are happy that we are helping them out. They are co-operating with us and trying to establish their goverernment. More civillians killed? People die every day in that country from starvation, because of the poverty that saddam created. He also tested his own weapons on his people. How can you leave him in power? And last of all on the Nuclear weapons. Every country in the world is trying to get nuclear weapons. It is the sign of power. Power Corrupts and controls. Saddam was trying, no doubt. Now he is a rich man. Whats going to keep him from buying them. Poverty countries can become rich buy the selling of weapons. Money is power. Power corrupts and utterly destroyes. So did Bush do the wrong thing? No. Im gald you disaggree with Kerry cause he is horrible. Just listen to this. http://images.radcity.net/5145/792261.mp3
Oh ya this is Kit (matts cousin)
oooh I can feel the heat right through my computer screen!
Thanks for posting, Kit. You are right: I don't like what Bush and his administration have done. The passing of the Patriot Act, which infringes on civil liberties to an alarming degree; a pre-emptive strike against a sovereign nation on the basis of scant (and later discovered to be just about zilch) evidence; starting the Iraq war in spite of UN opposition (why are we even IN the UN, I sometimes wonder); ignoring the humanitarian crises happening in other countries (such as Sudan, which I mentioned) while spouting rhetoric about liberation and freedom in a country that, as far as I can tell, is far more unstable now than it was before we started mucking around in it. (Please note that none of this is to say that I'm a fan of Saddam and think he was a great guy. Of course I don't. No one does.)
And if we want to talk about power and money and corruption: well. Bush isn't exactly poor, is he? I'm going to hazard a guess that he is richer than Saddam ever was. And the US is certainly one of, if not the, richest nations on earth, which according to your own logic, makes us probably the most corrupt (I don't necessarily believe this, just following your argument to its conclusion). We also have a fair amount of nuclear weapons which we have not gotten rid of, in spite of the fact that we demand other countries to do so. Don't you think other countries are looking at us and worrying about the corruption of power? Don't you think they are concerned about OUR weapons of mass destruction?
At any rate, I have a feeling we will probably have to agree to disagree, and that is the beauty of this nation: it's legal to have differing opinions--and express them. :)
I'm enjoying the dialogue, folks. Thanks for writing in!
Gracious! Nice topic! :) I have to say, I feel the EXACT same way as you. I am finding myself so bugged lately with the big christian push for Bush. All week and especially all day long I've had people asking, did you vote? And I keep just wanting to say, why should I? I'm basically just disenchanted and confused, and I really don't want to add my voice to the rampant cacophony of sound jabbering on in this election. I don't think Bush is particularly well-respected throughout the world and I don't think that having him as president does too much to boost America's rating, but like you, I just don't feel right about voting Kerry.
So, will I vote? Probably. And as much as I hate to say it, a big reason I'll vote is to keep everyone off my back tomorrow. I love bowing to peer pressure. Yay me. Steve, I think you may just get a write in vote from me too!
Now, on to all those pesky ISSUES I should be informed on before voting...
Becca :o)
test me.
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