Just a couple of thoughts.

[kuangning]

My overwhelming mood right now is one of disgust and disbelief. This race should never ever have been a close one. But I listened to CNN last night and this morning, and something they pointed out was the "Amway-style network" (of primarily church-goers) the Republican party employed so well in this election. And that the main difference between those who support Bush and those who support Kerry came down to religion: those who almost or always attend church overwhelmingly support Bush. Those who seldom or never attend church overwhelmingly support Kerry. And that makes sense to me.

This election doesn't feel rigged, just wrong. I understand what happened better when I realize that we were campaigning -- while they were crusading. That's the difference. And this is the result of that. A large portion of the country just put their religion above their politics. Or, perhaps, just made their religion their politics -- having never stood in any danger of that myself, I'm not quite sure where the line's drawn for them. It's not the first time organized religion has persuaded people to act in a way that would seem to be against their own best interests. It won't be the last time. And we can argue until we're blue in the face about Bush's lacks, flaws, and disqualifications, but as long as they can make most people believe that he is the only Christian choice, in this overwhelmingly Judeo-Christian nation, none of our arguments will be taken to heart.

Having said that, I'm now going to say that the above doesn't relieve us of the responsibility to be vocal and insistent on pointing out the administration's flaws and abuses.

I know a couple of folks who have chosen and are acting to go abroad now, rather than remain in the country for a second Bush administration. They have their reasons, and I'm not asking them to change their minds. I am saying this, to those of you who haven't made up your minds yet, who are only considering the option. This is your country. You know that opinions from outside these borders don't sway the majority of Americans, and that if you leave, you have chosen to be silent as far as they are concerned. We need you here, at home. This is proof that you need to become more active, more vocal, not less. We need you to be present in your own communities to give the other side of the story, and show that this is not the best leadership we could come up with. Above all, we need to hammer home the principle of by their works ye shall know them -- and be on hand to point out, in terms that resound with Judeo-Christians, every time this administration's actions and their pious words don't match up. We wouldn't need you if it was going to be easy. But we do need you.

Comments

[serendipity.livejournal.com]

I completely and totally agree. May I please link to this?

[kuangning]

Absolutely.

[fairoriana.livejournal.com]

The majority of the people in the church where I'm a member and a deacon voted for Kerry.

[kuangning]

*nods.* This by no means includes every church or every voter. Just a majority of them.

[sioneva.livejournal.com]

My parents, passionate Christians, also voted for Kerry.

They (and I) would argue against those who voted for Bush because he's "Christian" - we see nothing Christian about an unjust war that has killed up to 100,000 Iraqis for nothing but lies.

[kuangning]

We're going to need more of that in the next four years. Christians pointing out to Christians that Bush's actions aren't Christian at all. I wasn't saying that every Christian voted for Bush -- just that the message of "how can you call yourself a Christian and not vote for Bush?" was frighteningly effective. The only way to combat that is by emphasizing works over words. Some people, like your parents, are already there. We just need more of them.

[salinn.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the Salem witch trials sounded like a good idea at the time.

Oh, and did I mention the holocaust? Wasn't that fun times?

Hooray religion = politics, where we never learn from our mistakes.

Salinn

[kuangning]

*wrysmile.*

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

It amazes me how many conservatives are one-issue voters, and how many of those issues are abortion. It seems to me that the people of America have chosen "anti-abortion." The next Democratic candidate will have to embrace that outlook unless some massive social change happens.

As for those people who want to leave this country, remind them that US policy affects a very large portion of the globe. In other words, you can run, but you can't hide. And like you said, you can't fight US from the outside.

[kuangning]

Abortion and gay marriage. The number of anti-gay-marriage proposals that went through makes me want to cry. And I'm cringing at the thought of Bush's appointments and Roe v. Wade under fire. But maybe this is what it takes. Maybe it has to get worse to get better. We'll make it anyhow.

[johnbot.livejournal.com]

Perhaps it does. Without trying to seem cold, women came out in huge numbers to support Bush in this election. They deserve what they get, because they know what is on the table. For those who didn't vote for him, you have your fellow citizens more than the administration to blame. While not an outstanding victory, given everything else, it was clearly an endorsement for him. Remember, last time, he didn't even get the popular vote, and he still acted as if he spoke for everyone in the country.

[serendipity.livejournal.com]

Yep. I posted about that anti-abortion thing last week. It's so damn scary, like everything else right now.

[serendipity.livejournal.com]

Oops, forgot to change my default icon.

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

Sometimes, when you've been beaten up long and hard enough, leaving is the best option for you. When you are dead or have disappeared as a captive of the night police, your voice is silent, too.

I'll admit the only reason I am not thinking about leaving is because my everyday life here in the U.S. is very, very comfortable. It may become less so, as I get more and more vocal about the direction the country needs to go in, but for now I am comfortable. So I stay, not because I feel my voice is needed, but because I am comfortable here...and since I'm here, I may as well raise my voice in dissent whenever it is necessary.