After watching Rand Paul on TRMS last night, I decided to write to him using the contact tool on his campaign website. Here is what I wrote:
To Rand Paul,
I live in Graves Co. I am a speech-language pathologist who homeschooled her children to adulthood and studied lots of libertarian philosophy along the way along with deep study of educational philosophy, which led me to unschooling. And I don't want anybody telling me I have to get my kids tested by someone who does not agree with my approach to education or tell me I have to have an approved curriculum. I get it. I understand your point of view. My daughter even got enamored of Ayn Rand as a young adolescent because I had her books in the house--although I have to tell you she continues to be an ardent liberal Democrat.
But you don't get it about what a democracy is all about. And you don't understand that no one--especially not Rachel Maddow in her very fair interview-- is saying you are racist or hold racist views. What they are pointing out is that your extreme anti-government ideology leads to positions (that in turn lead to votes) that have as a result perpetuation of racism in private venues of our society. That if you were to be elected to the U.S. Senate, you would affect laws negatively that most citizens in Kentucky would ardently support. Whining petulantly that this is "political" and "not an issue" was a juvenile and adolescent response. Voters have a right to know your views and not hear you avoiding answering the question and stonewalling like the classic politicians you claim to be different from. At least be honest!!
When you say you want to "take our government back" you are echoing dictators who want to impose their ideologies on the citizenry. You are saying you do not want to represent me, Leslie in Graves County, who does not agree with your extreme views. I want our politicians to act like grown-ups and be able to acknowledge that other points of view have validity and that democracy involves compromise and majority rule. I want acknowledgment that we are a pluralistic society with people that have diverse views. The Tea Party is only one of those views--a noisy one--but it is not the majority view.
I am sure you will not respond, but at least don't make the mistake Mitch McConnell made and send a form letter designed for someone who had expressed a different concern which was antithetical to my views and then someone put me on Republican mailing lists and McConnell supporter lists. So don't put me on your supporter list because I am not and never will be.
I will say you are going to equally energize the opposition. All that energy of the Tea Party is a double-edged sword.
Thank you for motivating me to get involved to volunteer to work for your defeat!
Best wishes for your health and well-being.