I am a lowly citizen of the lovely Harrisburg PA, and about once a week I receive one of those free newspapers advertising local businesses, offering coupons and the like. I never read these things, I may have opened one once or twice before, probably used one or two as a cat pan liner (which after today I have deemed its best use). I got home from work today, sat in the sunroom of my new home and since the "Community Courier" was the only mail I received at my new address, I sat down, coffee in hand, and opened it up.
The Community Courier is delivered to over 200,000 homes in South Central PA. The Merchandiser's distribution is about the same.
Inside was a "Voters Guide", a "Non-Partisan Guide to the November 4th Election", published by PaVoter.info. Interesting, I thought.
It was paid for by the Pennsylvania Family Institute. It lists crucial and pressing 'issues' such as Gay Pride, Youth and Abortion, Traditional Marriage, Cloning, Homosexual Education and Human Life. It showcases the typical two columns; McCain's stance and Obama's stance on each issue. Nothing about taxes, the economy, education or anything even really remotely relevant. Well, actually, what they do say about education is reason I even was compelled to write.
Here's the part that pisses me off. On the issues:
Firstly,
Business Freedom:
Opposes Laws Forcing Business to Favor Homosexuality
Obama: NO
McCain: YES
(aka civil rights, equal opportunity....????)
Then this one:
Opposes Gay Pride
Refused to Support Gay Pride Celebrations
Obama: NO
McCain: YES
People really care about this crap?
Or this one:
Youth & Abortion
Supports Transporting Minor Girls across State Lines for a Secret Abortion without Parental Knowledge
Obama: YES
McCain: NO
That's right, the scary man wants to steal away your daughters and give them secret abortions!!! Where's the holy water?
Or..
Human Life
Supports Protecting the Lives of Children Who Are Born Alive and Survive a Botched Abortion
Obama: NO
McCain: YES
Well, right, Obama hates babies and has no regard for life. We learned this from the previous question.
And lastly, my favorite smear of all.
Homosexual Education
Supports Curriculum that Promotes Homosexuality
Obama: YES
McCain: NO
Seriously? Promotes Homosexuality? That is like saying taking a horticulture class promotes growing pot. (I see nothing wrong with either)
In all honesty it's more like a Christian Movement Guide. One Nation Under God is on the cover. One nation under God, except those who are gay and have abortions. After immediately calling my Momma for Obama, she looked in her copy of The Merchandiser, a similar publication, and said the guide was in there, too. It is biased and factually incorrect, and since the Courier delivers to so many homes, I felt I had to let the Watchdogs and the Publishers know, and I feel good about having done that. It is clearly directed a certain Republican "mind-set" and comes from an organization funded by Churches. Please don't tell me you're "Non-Partisan". If you're going to lie to me about these issues, you don't have to lie to me about your Endorsement. It's quite obvious.
It makes me think about the clear divide between people these days.
Does being A True Real American these days mean standing behind candidates who are steering us back in time? I see all these diaries about destruction and threats and hate mongering....it is deeply saddening to me that religion, even, can facilitate this.
In this election we have two candidates; One tells us not to Boo at his Opponent, One who brings people of all races and color and age together for one common cause. One who inspires some of us to be more understanding and take better care of each other.
Then we have One who is willingly and very successfully separating people like oil from water. One who does not try to keep the peace, but instead one who seems to enjoy the unrest. One who does not reprimand his crowds for yelling obscenities and booing his opponent, but one who actually seems to pause for them, and allow them to continue. His supporters have burnt crosses on lawns of American families, smashed windows of fellow Americans cars, and have even resorted to physical violence.
We are all the same inside, we all feel and think and love and grow. Sometimes I forget how hateful some people are, how narrow minded and sheltered they can be. Me; being a 25 year old, Tax-Paying, Planned Parenthood Supporting, Liberal, Fake American Woman. (First generation American, I might add)
I forget that people will actually vote on these issues, or not vote for Obama because he's black.
I hear my Abuelito, who is 86, talking about how when he moved to American he and my Abuelita were appalled at the segregation...they thought to themselves, but wait! This is the Land of the Free!?!
It makes me think about my Paternal grandparents, who are church going, choir singing good christian people, and how they kicked out of the house and did not attend their own daughter's wedding....why? Because she was marrying a black guy. Or how they did not think my own parents (who are still very happily married after many years) should marry, because my mother is Catholic and she is Spanish and older than my father. They just didn't think it was 'right'. Is this what being religious is like? Judging and criticizing and separating?
I hear people at work talk about it, the church attending accountant, or the guy who is down to 3 dollars at payday, I hear them make jokes and say "nig-nog" and "monkey-boy" I hear them loud and clear, and when I call them out on it, and tell them they are a bigot and a racist, they get offended. They call Obama the Messiah and call me a blind follower. He is not the Messiah, but he is for damn sure the only hope we've got.
I really don't know the point of this diary, just that after the other day when my loving boyfriend (whom I met while we volunteered for Obama)
mentioned how upsetting it is, all the hate... and then coming home and trying to relax, I instead was infuriated and making phone calls to the papers who put this crap out.
I have not been asked to volunteer for the Obama Camp much over the past few weeks, but I still feel like I can help fight the good fight.
My mother (and I am sure many other Mothers) always said "Choose your battles wisely." If I can try to stop the hate, the fear, the slander....I will. It's the right battle to fight and it's worth fighting. We can't forget that in these last 13 days.
Talk to your friends and families about the issues. Make this election about what is truly important for those people who are still undecided.
State the facts, don't twist them to fit your agenda.
If you're in PA and feel compelled to contact the papers, let me know if you do.
Obama/Biden '08, or I don't know what the hell is going to happen.