It's That Fabulous Time of Year Again
October 19, 2006 Posted by Amy Hall
I hate election season. I hate, hate, hate, hate it. I'm not sure what makes me hate it most–the extra tension in the air, the mailbox clogged with ridiculous political ads, the repeated messages on my answering machine from Arnold Schwarzenegger and Richard Riordan, the attempted manipulation, the rude jokes, being branded as evil even more often than usual….
As we go through these last few weeks before the election, debating for and against certain matters on the ballot, I urge you all–wherever you fall on the political spectrum–to remember that your words matter.
Fourteen-year-old Julia Wilson discovered this the hard way when she threatened the president on her MySpace page (a federal offense) and was promptly paid a visit by two secret service agents. How normal people can say the things they do about their political opponents, I'll never know, but there is a serious disconnect in “a very peace-loving person” who stencils a heart on her backpack and then “post[s] a picture of the president, scrawl[s] 'Kill Bush' across the top and dr[aws] a dagger stabbing his outstretched hand.”
Other people taught her to speak this way. She learned it was okay from them, and now as she speaks, she's affecting the way other people see those with whom she disagrees. People will be treated badly because of her words. People who don't deserve it.
God forbid you should do the same with your words. So please, put away your holy water and wooden stakes, try to maintain your rationality, and give your fellow citizens a little credit. They might be wrong, but chances are their motives and intelligence are as good as yours.
Related posts:
- The A-Team Blog Book of the Year Award (2005)
- Pray For Barack Obama
- The A-Team Blog Book of the Year Award (2005): Contestants
- Tax Madness
- President Bush on the problem of evil
- It's That Time Again
Posted in Amy's Posts, Main Page, Miscellaneous, Politics
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October 19th, 2006 at 12:54 am
You're right about Julia. I can just imagine that in a 14 year old's mind, some things don't quite connect. But with the recent rash of school shootings where people have posted their intentions publicly, I don't blame the secret service to at least question her.
On the other point about the political season in general–it's poison. The whole thing is poisonous. It seems that voting for is really voting against. In other words, if i were to vote for the oil tax, it's because i'm voting against the no on oil people (at least that's how some of these campaigns are being spun).
if anything, the US is an “experiment in democracy.” So I suppose we're still learning how to do all of this!
October 21st, 2006 at 12:51 pm
It is no better in Alabama. The amazing thing to me is the lack of substance in most political ads. I know, I know – 30 seconds is all they have. But since studies have shown that negative ads earn higher votes, everyone goes for the throat of the opponent.
How could a Christian striving to bear the Fruit of the Spirit ever be elected?