Note: I wrote this for my itsy bitsy blog,
Columbian Watch, but blogger seems to be messed up today.
But please drop in sometime when blogger is actually functioning, especially if you live in Portland/Vancouver metro. Thanks.
And now the beginning of what was going to be on Columbian Watch:
It sure would be great if someone started a web site focused on civility in elections. Wait, Columbian reporter Don Jenkins has found one!
Keeping Faith in Democracy
A Vancouver Web developer this week launched what he hopes will be a popular and short-lived site promoting a civil presidential election. He proposes to do this through prayer and fasting.
"I'm not worried about riots, but in a loss of faith in the system," said Andrew Deal, 42. "It's not a Bush-vs.-Kerry thing. It's a democracy-vs.-chaos thing."
---snip---
By Monday evening, the nonpartisan VigilForCivility.com was on the Internet, said Deal, whose Web development company is called CGI Productions.
But Deal's business site contains an anti-Kerry page.
Here is a brief list of John Kerry links relevant to fact, not fantasy.
---snip---
This page is provided for informational sourcing only. It is not provided to create a partisan position, but rather to demonstrate the facts concerning his record on the issue HE has made the centerpiece of his campaign.
Deal links to this page from "Operation Just Cause,"which includes the following passage:
John Kerry claims war hero status in diminishing President Bush's National Guard service. Kerry served four (4) months in Vietnam, when the normal tour of duty was a minimum of twelve (12) months. So how did Kerry get out of serving the minimum tour? According to the book, Unfit For Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry, due out on 15 August, is filled with interviews of hundreds Navy Vietnam Veterans who call Kerry a "Purple Heart Chaser."
Don't know if I would call the Swift Boat Liars a stellar example of civility in politics.
Another "Operation Just Cause pagelists just about every Rethug talking point anyone every drudged up...Daniel Ortega, abortion, gay marriage, etc.
So what Deal is saying is: "I'm not partisan, but here is the partisan case against John Kerry."
And The Worst Little Paper West of the Mississippi is giving him free publicity to talk about "civility?"
Note to Jenkins: It's spelled g-o-o-g-l-e.