I thought I'd take a moment to try to explain my political views, which seem confusing to some. People on the right - like my hard-core republican boss- think I'm a total liberal, while people on the left- like my husband- think I'm a right-wing nutcake.
The truth is I really am extreme on both sides, depending on the issue.
Socially, I'm very conservative. I believe life begins at conception and a woman's right to choose does NOT override the baby's right to live. The baby in-utero absolutely has every right that the same baby has as soon as it emerges from the womb. As you all probably know, I was pro- prop-8, as well. Most other social issues - I'm gonna go the same way, because for me they are all spiritual issues and the rules are actually made by God, not man.
However, on the issues of government and finance, I am quite liberal. While capitalism is the way of our country, it doesn't work for everyone and those who are disadvantaged by the system must be helped so they can help themselves - not as handouts to live off the government and promote laziness, but so that they can become self-reliant and, in turn contribute to society and the less-fortunate. Some, who can never be self-reliant like the mentally handicapped should be helped on a more permanent basis - it is our responsibility as humans to care for each other this way. I also believe that government is for our benefit and if we want it to do certain things for us and the less-fortunate, we need to pay for it - taxes.
I do think the rich should pay more in taxes so the poorer people can get the help they need. I look forward to the day when I can pay more in taxes because I'm fabulously wealthy! Obviously, I have no problem with people having money - but they shouldn't hoard it and once you have enough to live comfortably - even luxuriously the rest of your life, share the rest. You don't need it and you could probably never spend it, anyway. Your kids would be better off working out their own fortunes, anyway. These ideals also come from my religious beliefs - love one another, feed my sheep and the other examples Christ set. And, I believe a rising tide really should raise all ships, not just the yachts.
So, it's not so confusing when you think about it - it's common sense to me and it fits perfectly with what I've been taught all my life. It's based on Christ and his great example. It's also based on many values coming from the left- tolerance, caring and idealism - we can be better and we absolutely should be the best we can be.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Monday, November 10, 2008
Mormons' support of Proposition 8
To all those thinking the Mormon church should be taxed, hurt or otherwise punished for its members support of Proposition 8:
1. Mormons make up less than 2% of the population of California . There are approximately 800,000 LDS out of a total population of approximately 34 million.
2. Mormon voters were less than 5% of the yes vote. If one estimates that 250,000 LDS are registered voters (the rest being children), then LDS voters made up 4.6% of the Yes vote and 2.4% of the total Proposition 8 vote.
3. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon church) donated no money to the Yes on 8 campaign. Individual members of the Church were encouraged to support the Yes on 8 efforts and, exercising their constitutional right to free speech, donated whatever they felt like donating.
4. The No on 8 campaign raised more money than the Yes on 8 campaign. Unofficial estimates put No on 8 at $38 million and Yes on 8 at $32 million, making it the most expensive non-presidential election in the country.
5. Advertising messages for the Yes on 8 campaign are based on case law and real-life situations. The No on 8 supporters have insisted that the Yes on 8 messaging is based on lies. Every Yes on 8 claim is supported.
6. The majority of our friends and neighbors voted Yes on 8.
7. African Americans overwhelmingly supported Yes on 8. Exit polls show that 70% of Black voters chose Yes on 8. This was interesting because the majority of these voters voted for President-elect Obama. No on 8 supporters had assumed that Obama voters would vote No on 8.
8. The majority of Latino voters voted Yes on 8. Exit polls show that the majority of Latinos supported Yes on 8 and cited religious beliefs (assumed to be primarily Catholic).
9. The Yes on 8 coalition was a broad spectrum of religious organizations. Catholics, Evangelicals, Protestants, Orthodox Jews, Muslims - all supported Yes on 8. It is estimated that there are 10 million Catholics and 10 million Protestants in California . Mormons were a tiny fraction of the population represented by Yes on 8 coalition members.
10. Not all Mormons voted in favor of Proposition 8. Our faith accords that each person be allowed to choose for him or her self. Church leaders have asked members to treat other members with "civility, respect and love," despite their differing views.
11. The Church did not violate the principal of separation of church and state. This principle is derived from the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . ." The phrase "separation of church and state", which does not appear in the Constitution itself, is generally traced to an 1802 letter by Thomas Jefferson, although it has since been quoted in several opinions handed down by the United States Supreme Court in recent years. The LDS Church is under no obligation to refrain from participating in the political process, to the extent permitted by law. U.S. election law is very clear that churches may not endorse candidates, but may support issues. The Church has always been very careful on this matter and occasionally (not often) chooses to support causes that it feels to be of a moral nature.
12. Supporters of Proposition 8 did exactly what the Constitution provides for all citizens: they exercised their First Amendment rights to speak out on an issue that concerned them, make contributions to a cause that they support, and then vote in the regular electoral process. For the most part, this seems to have been done in an open, fair, and civil way. Opponents of 8 have accused supporters of being bigots, liars, and worse. The fact is, we simply did what Americans do - we spoke up, we campaigned, and we voted.
Written by a member in the Newbury Park area.
1. Mormons make up less than 2% of the population of California . There are approximately 800,000 LDS out of a total population of approximately 34 million.
2. Mormon voters were less than 5% of the yes vote. If one estimates that 250,000 LDS are registered voters (the rest being children), then LDS voters made up 4.6% of the Yes vote and 2.4% of the total Proposition 8 vote.
3. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon church) donated no money to the Yes on 8 campaign. Individual members of the Church were encouraged to support the Yes on 8 efforts and, exercising their constitutional right to free speech, donated whatever they felt like donating.
4. The No on 8 campaign raised more money than the Yes on 8 campaign. Unofficial estimates put No on 8 at $38 million and Yes on 8 at $32 million, making it the most expensive non-presidential election in the country.
5. Advertising messages for the Yes on 8 campaign are based on case law and real-life situations. The No on 8 supporters have insisted that the Yes on 8 messaging is based on lies. Every Yes on 8 claim is supported.
6. The majority of our friends and neighbors voted Yes on 8.
7. African Americans overwhelmingly supported Yes on 8. Exit polls show that 70% of Black voters chose Yes on 8. This was interesting because the majority of these voters voted for President-elect Obama. No on 8 supporters had assumed that Obama voters would vote No on 8.
8. The majority of Latino voters voted Yes on 8. Exit polls show that the majority of Latinos supported Yes on 8 and cited religious beliefs (assumed to be primarily Catholic).
9. The Yes on 8 coalition was a broad spectrum of religious organizations. Catholics, Evangelicals, Protestants, Orthodox Jews, Muslims - all supported Yes on 8. It is estimated that there are 10 million Catholics and 10 million Protestants in California . Mormons were a tiny fraction of the population represented by Yes on 8 coalition members.
10. Not all Mormons voted in favor of Proposition 8. Our faith accords that each person be allowed to choose for him or her self. Church leaders have asked members to treat other members with "civility, respect and love," despite their differing views.
11. The Church did not violate the principal of separation of church and state. This principle is derived from the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which reads, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . . ." The phrase "separation of church and state", which does not appear in the Constitution itself, is generally traced to an 1802 letter by Thomas Jefferson, although it has since been quoted in several opinions handed down by the United States Supreme Court in recent years. The LDS Church is under no obligation to refrain from participating in the political process, to the extent permitted by law. U.S. election law is very clear that churches may not endorse candidates, but may support issues. The Church has always been very careful on this matter and occasionally (not often) chooses to support causes that it feels to be of a moral nature.
12. Supporters of Proposition 8 did exactly what the Constitution provides for all citizens: they exercised their First Amendment rights to speak out on an issue that concerned them, make contributions to a cause that they support, and then vote in the regular electoral process. For the most part, this seems to have been done in an open, fair, and civil way. Opponents of 8 have accused supporters of being bigots, liars, and worse. The fact is, we simply did what Americans do - we spoke up, we campaigned, and we voted.
Written by a member in the Newbury Park area.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Election Post-Mortem
I find it hard to describe how I feel about life, today. I am calm, tired and at peace, I guess. Basically, I feel the lightness of me now that the weight of the campaign is off my shoulders. I can enjoy life again.
In fact, I don't even really want to write this but feel I should as a remembrance for myself. As Andy says, "It's the gift I give myself" for the future. It was a very momentous time for me and the country.
I was really enjoying the election season - two great candidates, exciting debates, public energy at the thought of really good change coming- no matter which candidate won, in my opinion. I think both John McCain and Barak Obama are very competent and smart guys. It was fun to sit back each night and watch the activities of the day from both sides and hear the commentary from the pundits.
Then, I got the assignment to run the local Yes on Prop 8 campaign (the one man one woman marriage amendment) and my entire view of the season changed. Now I had big responsibilities, that other people really didn't want, and I don't blame them a bit. I had to gather volunteers, coordinate a ton of activities, including phone calls, distributing yard signs, redistributing them daily after they'd been stolen, sign-waving rallies on street corners and a myriad of other things.
While I am very strong in my conviction on this issue, I didn't know where everyone I knew stood on it. It was not fun figuring it out since it's such a divisive issue and I do NOT like confronting people on them when there's a possibility I could get "rejected", lose a friend or even have mean words said to me. I'm actually quite sensitive and my main goal in life is for everyone to like me so this was hard for me. But, I manned-up and did what I could and slowly but surely I had a small contingency of volunteers (thanks to the help of some others who aren't as afraid as I am) and we were making calls, having phone banks, passing around email news and waving signs together.
With my group of supporters, I felt really positive and energetic. But, by myself, I still felt those pangs of fear that people I cared about would disown me. It almost happened once and I am so very grateful that we are still friends and can hopefully move past this. I did get plenty of swear words, birds shot at me and really mean words of response to things I wrote to the paper or online. Those things were easier to deal with because, for the most part, I don't know those people and will probably never have to face them.
Anyway, it is now over and regardless of the result - I am glad it is over. I am still reading a few news stories just to see what's happening and what will happen next but otherwise - I am avoiding the topic as much as possible.
Now, I want to bask. Bask in the lightness and the change that is coming to our country. I am so very excited that Barak Obama will be our President. While John McCain is truly a great man and would have made a good president, Obama is truly inspiring, to me and many others and I think that unity really is what our country needs right now. We have been so divided for so long that we must pull together to accomplish real good for ourselves and the world. I believe Obama is the one that can do that.
So, tonight I'm going to watch the news of what happened, today - who Obama is thinking about for Secretary of this or that, the implications of his election and all the positive things that we have to look forward to. We really do live in a great country where great things can happen and great people can be president. And, now I can enjoy it again.
Thank you to all those who supported me in the last 2 months - especially my wonderful husband Andy who, even though disagrees with me on this issue, stood up for me, allowed me time and space to accomplish my task and even went on a stakeout with me to protect our signs. He's the best husband ever!
In fact, I don't even really want to write this but feel I should as a remembrance for myself. As Andy says, "It's the gift I give myself" for the future. It was a very momentous time for me and the country.
I was really enjoying the election season - two great candidates, exciting debates, public energy at the thought of really good change coming- no matter which candidate won, in my opinion. I think both John McCain and Barak Obama are very competent and smart guys. It was fun to sit back each night and watch the activities of the day from both sides and hear the commentary from the pundits.
Then, I got the assignment to run the local Yes on Prop 8 campaign (the one man one woman marriage amendment) and my entire view of the season changed. Now I had big responsibilities, that other people really didn't want, and I don't blame them a bit. I had to gather volunteers, coordinate a ton of activities, including phone calls, distributing yard signs, redistributing them daily after they'd been stolen, sign-waving rallies on street corners and a myriad of other things.
While I am very strong in my conviction on this issue, I didn't know where everyone I knew stood on it. It was not fun figuring it out since it's such a divisive issue and I do NOT like confronting people on them when there's a possibility I could get "rejected", lose a friend or even have mean words said to me. I'm actually quite sensitive and my main goal in life is for everyone to like me so this was hard for me. But, I manned-up and did what I could and slowly but surely I had a small contingency of volunteers (thanks to the help of some others who aren't as afraid as I am) and we were making calls, having phone banks, passing around email news and waving signs together.
With my group of supporters, I felt really positive and energetic. But, by myself, I still felt those pangs of fear that people I cared about would disown me. It almost happened once and I am so very grateful that we are still friends and can hopefully move past this. I did get plenty of swear words, birds shot at me and really mean words of response to things I wrote to the paper or online. Those things were easier to deal with because, for the most part, I don't know those people and will probably never have to face them.
Anyway, it is now over and regardless of the result - I am glad it is over. I am still reading a few news stories just to see what's happening and what will happen next but otherwise - I am avoiding the topic as much as possible.
Now, I want to bask. Bask in the lightness and the change that is coming to our country. I am so very excited that Barak Obama will be our President. While John McCain is truly a great man and would have made a good president, Obama is truly inspiring, to me and many others and I think that unity really is what our country needs right now. We have been so divided for so long that we must pull together to accomplish real good for ourselves and the world. I believe Obama is the one that can do that.
So, tonight I'm going to watch the news of what happened, today - who Obama is thinking about for Secretary of this or that, the implications of his election and all the positive things that we have to look forward to. We really do live in a great country where great things can happen and great people can be president. And, now I can enjoy it again.
Thank you to all those who supported me in the last 2 months - especially my wonderful husband Andy who, even though disagrees with me on this issue, stood up for me, allowed me time and space to accomplish my task and even went on a stakeout with me to protect our signs. He's the best husband ever!
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