I have just now become eligible to post diaries, so this is my first one. This is from a discussion a few weeks ago with my boss, an educated man with a Master's degree. Of course we do live in the bible belt. Because it was a while ago, some of the arguments that are used, are dated, but it is interesting to see how much McCain has changed his campaign focus since then.
Update:
I have received some good criticism that my poll was not well thought out, and I should have included at least one option of just because they have different opinions. I thought that was pretty obvious, there are plenty of people I respect that are voting the other way, but I was mostly responding to what I have encountered when trying to engage in discussion with them. But, still, I see the point, and I would revise it if I could, but there does not seem to be a way to revise it.
This is what my friend and boss told me today when we started discussing the election, and mcain's vp choice. I asked him how McCain could be so hypocritical as to choose an inexperienced vp when that is his biggest argument against Obama. He said you know what, everyone that supports Obama is antiamerican. I couldn't believe it, this is a man that is my friend and that knows me. My wife is training away from home in the National Guard right now! Then he pretty much left, here is the email I wrote to him after he left
>..., that is what I feel is the biggest problem with the Republican ticket. They attack. They attack in the world, and they attack other people at home that disagree with their point of view. I am not antiamerican, nor do I think you are, and I would never call you that.
I love America, and have given my wife, and our time together as a family to this country. I have been alone all summer caring for my daughter and never once did I utter that I wish she didn't do it. I am proud of her, even though her absence at home is felt daily by me and Kismet, I believe in service to this country, even though it causes us personal hardship and for my wife very real physical harm and the possibility of far worse. I do not feel that we are under great leadership right now, nor do I feel that McCain is the answer for the future. You disagree. That is what makes this country great, that we can disagree. I will always support our troops, but that does not mean that I always think they are sent into harms way for the right reason. I thought Sadaam Hussein had to go, but I did not think it was the right time to attack Iraq, one war at a time, and we did it alone, way different that the first gulf war.
We are mocked around the world, and we live in a global society where we can not go us against the world anymore. The world has caught up. The creation of the Euro has made Europe one financial institution whose currency is currently quite a bit stronger than ours.
I am against abortion, as my mother had me when she was 14, but I do not believe that I have the right to choose for a woman that has been raped. I am for the right to bear arms, but I do not think anyone needs fully automatic or even semiautomatic weapons. I personally feel that all politicians should only be allowed to talk about themselves and their own plans, rather than talk about their opponent. That would stop the constant negative campaigning. No matter who wins this election, they will be our president. They will get to make choices that effect my life, and my family, in many ways, from education funding with the nclb, to national defense with my wife perhaps being deployed, and healthcare. My mother has diabetes, works at the waffle house full time, and can't get health insurance. She is 51 years old, and is currently in the hospital, where she is racking up a bill that she will never be able to pay. We as teachers have to give 1/5 of our salary to make sure that if we get sick we will not go bankrupt.
We live in the greatest country in the world, so why can't we find a way to give our own citizens health care? We can, we just haven't yet. We live in the greatest country in the world, but we routinely put education funding at the bottom of the barrel. Arkansas schools sued their state to make sure that stopped happening here, but should it ever really need to come to that? Should our children not come first in funding, and our teachers get more respect and support? We can do this, but we haven't yet. I love that in our country we have the power to change the things that are not working....that is what truly makes our country so strong, and great. That was the sure genious of our founding fathers, and why that document, the constitution, written so many years ago, is still the greatest document in the world. We are allowed to disagree, with each other, and with our leaders, it is only because we live in America that we are able to do this, and that is why my wife joined the national guard. She wanted to give back to the country, this country that gave her Mexican immigrant parents a new home and life. This country that enabled her to be educated, where she could get a job in a school like ..., but instead chooses to teach in the poorest schools in ...., to try to help other people who need it. Is that not American?
Is service to others, and belief in the ideals that your country was founded for: freedom of religion, press, so forth, is that not patriotism? People who disagree are not less patriotic, they just have a different personal story. Sorry to ramble. I do want to know what you think, but we are both too passionate about these issues so I think it is better if we don't talk about it, but instead write about it. Coach, you are my friend, and you are a good man, and person, and I respect you, and your views, even though I don't agree with many of them.
Jeremy
I still can't believe he said it.