jwaneeta

>
> Message:
> Ms. Boyle,
>
> You had my vote until Saturday, when your latest campaign flyer arrived at
> my home. Half the text was devoted to your Pro Life views and
> credentials.
>
> Dragging such a polarizing issue into a City Council race shows very poor
> judgment, in my opinion. Sorry.
>
> C. Martin



I regret your decision. After my opponent sent three campaign flyers
suggesting I was hiding something, after I received assaults at people's
front doors and at events from those who said I respresented a party that is
for a "culture of death", I needed to say that I cherish life as much as
everyone and I do... and I am sure you do too.

In fact, I believe that everyone is pro life regardless if those who
criticize me have captured the term "pro-life". They don't own it and I
refuse to give it to them. Those of us who are criticized have failed by
letting them have that term. They have been clever and we have not been
able to match them.

The message on the flyer is true. I do believe we are children of God made
in His image and likeness... no distinctions... including gays and
lesbians... and it is not for me to judge anyone. I received a phone call
Sunday from the pastor at St. Peter's Church who dressed me down because I
wouldn't criticize gays and lesbians. I told him that some day the church
will apologize to them and to their families just like they did to the Jews
when it remained silent during the rise of Adolph Hiltler and did nothing.
I didn't even get a chance to bring up the abuse of children and the
church's denial that it existed. I am always waiting to see if there will
be an effort to excommunicate me.

You may not remember this but when I was state chair of the Nebraska
Democratic Party, the archbishop issued a statement, in essence, saying you
can't be a Catholic and a Democrat. I simply am not going to let anyone
publicly portray me as something other than what I am without response.

So, I regret your decision. I will not be coerced by the church to demonize
people for what they are and I will not let Jim Vokal portray me as someone
who has no values.

I assume you are not voting for him either. Your non vote is, in essence, a
vote for him. My long political life has taught me that I must look at the
broad picture and the ramifications of my decisions. Long ago, I decided
that I cannot vote on single issues as that is how those on the other side
have beat us.

In closing, I welcome you to respond and to help me try to solve this
dilemma as we will continue to lose elections to a very narrow agenda until
we unite; however, we are splintered and only find one another when, it
seems, we are angry. not a good way to solve anything.


Anne

In an effort to feel less alienated in my own Church, I've kinda sorta become a Lay Associate to a local order of Catholic sisters. Tonight I have to go to a gathering, which means doing battle with the VCR. I hate trying to set a timer. Lost is on tonight, and it's one of the last shows of the season, and there might be Cutie!Sawyer, and I'm going to be sitting in a touchy-feely women's spirituality meeting. The sacrifices I make for my faith, I tell you.

And the hilarious cleolinda has a book deal to do her dangerously funny recaps professionally, and therefore has a deadline, so there'll be no recap. Go cleolinda! But, woe.

Okay, I'll cop. Soap operas pollute my television day after day.

I don't like them, truly I don't. I have the TV on for the white noise, and in order to be catch newsflashes about tornados/the odd war scare.

Monotony is my ally. I keep the channel on ABC so I don't have to actually think about it. The TV drones all day long, and I can tell the time by it from the next room. It's pretty ugly, but there are compensations. I'm in on the ground floor of the next big thing -- the soap opera Mary Sue. ( Read more... )

ETA: We had a righteous storm last night. Awesome. That's more like it she said foolishly. I put the kitties in the bathroom, went onto the porch and rocked out, conveniently forgetting that if I got decapitated by hurtling debris, the wee kitties would have no more food provider.

This morning we discovered it actually was a tornado. So much for the siren system. Oops. Run that siren, guys! I'm too stupid to recognize danger without your help. *blush*