Monday, March 3, 2008

Tex Mess

Tomorrow is the big day for Clinton. Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont vote. Of course Ohio and Texas are the biggies. Her lead in Ohio is slim and apparently Clinton and Obama are neck and neck in Texas. 


It's anyone's guess what will happen when the polls close tomorrow evening, but even if Obama's streak isn't broken, I don't see Clinton throwing in the towel just yet. And of course she may surprise us all and pull the two states out, which would change the whole picture and give her campaign new life.


I was at church yesterday ("Yes, Annelle, I pray! Well I do. There I said it, I hope you're satisfied.") and the scripture the sermon was based on was John 9: 1-41. It is the story of a blind man that Jesus gives sight to and how every one gets stuck on who gave the man sight and not that the man can now see. At least that is my interpretation, you biblical scholars can argue with me on that.


The minister discussed how the people in the story had lost sight of what was important. I think that is something we are all guilty of in a variety of fashions—one being this election. (See you knew I would work it back around to politics and away from religion pretty quickly.)

For instance, 60 minutes had an election piece on last night with Steve Kroft where he was talking to voters in Ohio. At one house there were a couple of good 'ole boys sitting on the sofa. One pipes up that he is probably voting for Obama but he has somethings he wasn't clear about. (Let me preface this by saying the Kroft said that some voters in south Ohio were less than enthusiastic about voting for a black or a woman.) The voter's areas of doubt? That Obama doesn't know the National Anthem, he wouldn't use the Bible and that he is a Muslim.


None of this is true of course and Kroft told the guy that. But dang if that doesn't put fear in my heart that the propaganda of the right or whomever still has that strong of an effect on how people think.


But here I am getting distracted from the big picture. Even if all of these things were true—that Obama didn't want to use the Bible, that he was a Muslim that he didn't know the National Anthem—what difference would it make in his ability to govern this country?


We shouldn't be voting for someone because the are a certain color or they aren't. We shouldn't be voting for someone because they are male, not female. We shouldn't even be voting for someone because they come from the party we have always voted for. We should be voting for the person that will help fix our country.


Because if we don't, then we aren't focused on what's important.

5 comments:

Rev Wes Isley said...

Well said! None of that should matter but it does to way too many people. They believe what they want regardless of the facts, and most are too lazy to investigate and think for themselves. Ouch--feeling catty today.

Anonymous said...

Good for Kroft for correcting the guy. Some journo ethicists would probably cry foul (you could argue that correcting misinformation about a candidate indicates bias), but I don't really care. Misinformation on that level is too egregious to let stand.

I hate that this has become an issue. If there are any Muslims on Obama's staff, I wonder how they feel about all this. Lord knows this particular rosary rattler would not want to have to be all "Oh no, s/he's not a Catholic, not at all, you can feel safe now."

broad minded said...

Exactly, way to improve our image abroad—he's Muslim! Oh no! We can't elect someone who isn't a white Christian!!!

Not that there is anything wrong with being a white Christian . . . unless you are Catholic of course;)

Anonymous said...

well, you know, I don't move a muscle without checking with Benny 16 first. That's why I'm so vacant after about 4 p.m. - with the time difference between Rome and here, I have no one to tell me what to do after he goes to bed.

creative kerfuffle said...

i'm brain dead at the moment but had to take a look at what you've been up too. love the steel magnolio reference wheezer! ; )
CK