Dear Religious Right: It’s My God, Too
I am positively ecstatic about the shift in the cultural tide, away from the stifling narrowness of the neoconservatives. We’re moving towards a more liberal agenda and policies, but we’re also seeing a long-needed resurgence of traditional conservatism with its fiscal restraint and hope for smaller government. While Sarah Palin managed to “energize the base” (whose “base”? “Base” of what exactly?), the backlash has been energizing for the rest of us.
Colin Powell stepped up in support of American Muslims and Jon Stewart led the smackdown on Palin and McCain’s “real America” claims. We’re getting closer, but we’re not there yet. Obama needs to get elected, conservatives need to put forth substantive candidates who don’t pander to the religious right, and the rest of us need to continue to reclaim our country, and especially, our God.
I am not a born-again Christian. Technically, I’m not even a Christian. Neither am I an agnostic. I believe there is most definitely a “God” though I am of the belief that we as humans are too simple to even begin to comprehend the depth and breadth of what God is. I believe we have a sense of God, a palpable sense that we define for ourselves. This definition takes the form of many religions and views. The sooner we come to understand that it’s the same God we all feel, the better, more humble, less punitive, and certainly more tolerant we’ll become.
While I espouse tolerance, I tread the fine line that many of us struggle with: I have no tolerance for zealots. I can’t stand abortion clinic bombers, nor can I bear Jewish or Islamic extremists who sow intolerance and promote war. One thing my palpable feeling of God taught me is that violence is not the answer.
The religious right in this country offends me because, like many religions, they claim to have exclusive 
rights to God. That smug, narrow-minded, ignorant thinking, that Sarah Palin arrogance, has no place in American politics, no place in this country where diversity and religious freedom are two of our greatest accomplishments.
Petition Against Palin
This arrived in my email inbox today. I thought it nailed my exact sentiments where Palin was concerned. We reject her on her merits, not on her personal details. Sometimes a vote just doesn’t seem like it’s enough…
_______________________________________________
Say no to Palin
Friends, compatriots, fellow-lamenters,
We are writing to you because of the fury and dread we have felt since the announcement of Sarah Palin as the Vice-Presidential candidate for the Republican Party. We believe that this terrible decision has surpassed mere partisanship, and that it is a dangerous farce on the part of a pandering and rudderless Presidential candidate that has a real possibility of becoming fact.
Perhaps like us, as American women, you share the fear of what Ms. Palin and her professed beliefs and proven record could lead to for ourselves and for our present or future daughters. To date, she is against sex education, birth control, the pro-choice platform, environmental protection, alternative energy development, freedom of speech (as mayor she wanted to ban books and attempted to fire the librarian who stood against her), gun control, the separation of church and state, and polar bears. To say nothing of her complete lack of real preparation to become the second-most-powerful person on the planet.
We want to clarify that we are not against Sarah Palin as a woman, a mother, or, for that matter, a parent of a pregnant teenager, but solely as a rash, incompetent, and altogether devastating choice for Vice President. Ms. Palin’s political views are in every way a slap in the face to the accomplishments that our mothers and grandmothers and great-grandmothers so fiercely fought for, and that we’ve so demonstrably benefited from.
First and foremost, Ms. Palin does not represent us. She does not demonstrate or uphold our interests as American women. It is presumed that the inclusion of a woman on the Republican ticket could win over women voters. We want to disagree, publicly. Therefore, we invite you to reply here
Please include your name (last initial is fine), age, and place of residence.
We will post your responses on a blog called “Women Against Sarah Palin,” which we intend to publicize as widely as possible. Please send us your reply at your earliest convenience. The greater the volume of responses we receive, the stronger our message will be.
Thank you for your time and action.
Sincerely,
Quinn Latimer and Lyra Kilston
New York, NY
womensaynopalin@gmail.com
_______________________________________________
-
-
About
Welcome to duh pookie where we work hard to bring you sparkly new thoughts.
-
- RSS Feed
-
Visit Political Voices of Women Community
