Well, apparently, meaningless picture-laden posts just don’t get people’s attention anymore. =p
Alright, I have to begin by admitting that I’m quite a bit more than extensively nervous to write this post. The last time I shared my opinion on something, I had to endure nothing less than a catastrophe (as some of you may recall). I was publicly and privately ridiculed, lost a very large group of friends and basically had to rearrange a large chunk of my life. And, even though I do feel like my life has improved because of it, it kinda hurt (understatement of the century) and I’d rather not do that again. So, before I begin (even though this didn’t work last time), let me state one more time that the following is completely MY OPINION!!!!! For the love of all things holy and decent, please please PLEASE do not take any of this personally.
Here goes…
Ok, some of you might be a little disappointed to learn that, as a whole, Mandy votes 99.9% Republican, no matter what the issue or who the candidate. I think that most people would find that a little upsetting and I see your point of view. I am aware of the fact that it’s not really a smart/safe practice and, a lot of times, the candidate I’m voting for truly isn’t the best man for the job. But, the truth is, the word Democrat scares the pee out of me.
As I stated in my last “controversial” post, I am quite the conservatist. This is due mostly to the way I was raised (which is true of just about everyone) and the fact that I actively hold the Bible precedent over all other sources of information, opinions, laws, etc. I do not agree with or condone abortion and homosexuality and find that, sometimes, war is, in fact, necessary. *Gasp!* I know. Deal.
Anyway, that’s a road I don’t really want to take this post down so I’m gonna back up a bit. I just wanted to give you a little background before I dive in to what I really want to say.
This year, after the Presidential candidates were chosen for this election, I decided to put my hardcore Republican-only voting record aside and really look at what I had in front of me. This was mostly due to the fact that, everywhere I looked, it seemed Obama was staring me in the face. (This was probably mostly due to the Democratic radio station I listen to almost religiously. But the music on The Buzz is sooo good!) =) Anyway, my point is, you had to dig to find anything about McCain but Obama was, and still is, incredibly popular. And, because I still have some faith left in my fellow Americans, I figured there had to be a good reason. So I started looking (though not extensively by any means) and here are the marks I gave:
Background
(Note: I believe this list to be somewhat more important than where the candidates stand on the different issues.)
Education - In truth, on paper, Obama’s gotta have a bigger IQ than McCain. I believe this is evident by their speeches for one but also the fact that McCain (at least as far as what I saw) didn’t take his schooling as seriously as Obama did. So, for education, I give Obama a checkmark and McCain a Debbie Downer “waa-waaaaa.”
Career - One thing I found quite interesting while digging into the careers of both candidates is that Obama’s list is much longer than McCains. Obama’s resume actually reminds me of mine. My “Work Experience” section stretches on for 2 whole pages (and that’s only ‘cause I left out a few babysitting jobs and the summer I spent mowing lawns for USD 348). I am an amazing candidate for secretarial work and/or customer service. It looks pretty impressive and really is if I’m applying for a job similar to the one I have now. Problem is, I could never be President with that list. And neither could 98% of the other lawyers in the world. Winner: McCain.
Religion - Blech and blech. The end.
Family – This one is split. Obama gets the gold star in marriage thanks to McCain’s somewhat shady divorce from his first wife (for whatever the reason, I’m not proud of that situation), but I love love love the McCain kids. Not that Obama’s children aren’t awesome as well, just that they’re a little young and you can’t fully see the reflection of parental responsibility until a child is grown. All seven of McCains children are, as far as I could find, good, upstanding adults.
Issues
Abortion – McCain (or, if you prefer, Republican in general)
Same Sex – Neither (but I lean towards McCains view more)
Gun Control – This is a whole other blog in itself. I’ll simply say for now that I don’t agree with the Constitution on this issue so I don’t even take it into account when voting. I just hope I don’t get shot. =)
War – Honestly, it doesn’t make sense to me to have any opinion on this issue whatsoever unless you really and truly know what we’re dealing with. So, I listen to those with military experience, especially those involved right now and especially those that are close to my heart. If you are fighting in Iraq right now or have any military experience at all and don’t agree that we should stay over there, please let me know. Until then, I’m listening to the 3 men I know over there, the 2 about to go and, most of all, my recently married cousin willingly returning in December for his 2nd tour. Winner: McCain.
Obviously there are a whole lot of other issues that I could (and probably should) address but, this post is already a lot longer than I intended and I haven’t gotten to the thing I hold the highest opinion on. So I’m gonna move on. Considering I’m a Republican though, it’s a safe bet to assume that I’ll lean towards McCain on just about all of the rest.
So…as you can see, in background, I’m pretty split down the middle of these two candidates. It is only their position on issues that makes me lean towards McCain. But that, again, is because of my background and the fact that I too – at least as far as issues go – am a Republican. It was bound to happen. So, based on all that I listed, it makes sense for me (that’s me, not you) to vote for McCain, wouldn’t you agree? In the bag. Done. Finito! Or so I thought…
Enter Vice Presidential candidates. If you don’t hate me yet, you probably will.
Confession: Mandy is sexist.
Hard to believe? Probably not. Refer to that "controversial" post and the reason 2/3 of the CABB group no longer speak to me and you’ll see that you already knew that. What’s funny is, most of the time when you say someone is “sexist,” it is assumed that they value their gender above the other. Not me. I’m the exact opposite (which is NOT reverse sexism people!!!) Sorry, flashback to my days at the EEOC…
“Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God…For man did not come from woman but woman from man; neither was man made for woman but woman for man.” –1 Corinthians 11:3,8-9
You had to know there was gonna be some Bible in here somewhere. Well, there it is. I get my Jesus star for the day. =) Kidding!!!
Anyway, so, if you haven’t already figured it out, I am having some struggle dealing with McCains choosing of Sarah Palin as his running mate. First of all, I can already see the arguments my Christian friends might have with equating this verse with this situation:
“But Mandy, McCain IS the head. Palin is just the Vice President. I could see how this argument would fit if Hilary was still in the running.” (Which it did, by the way.)
Or
“But Mandy, this verse is intended for marriage, not the presidential candidates.” (Prove it.)
And one step further…
“Well Mandy, do you have a problem with female bosses in businesses? What if Waddell & Reed got a female CEO?” (Answer: Yes and I’d quit.)
Please understand that I do not believe that women are not capable of doing the same things men do. Well, some really aren’t but, have you met my mother? I just think we’re (A) not supposed to, (B) don’t need too or, (C) shouldn’t. Take your pick. I apply the appropriate answer depending on the situation. With Palin, however, I can’t really figure out which response to specifically apply to her. Maybe, in this case, I don’t need to apply any. *Gasp!* “Wait! Are you saying you think a woman SHOULD be VP?!”
No. I’m not. But I’m not saying a woman shouldn’t either. Perhaps that verse DOES apply just to marriage. Perhaps it’s ok for women to be VP’s or P’s or CEO’s or any other letter or letters they wanna be. I’m not comfortable with it, but that alone doesn’t necessarily make it wrong for anyone but me personally. (Hence, why I’ve always been an “Assistant.”) Especially where Palin is concerned. As far as women go for being really good Presidential or Vice Presidential candidates, she pretty much takes the cake. I believe she truly has the ability, resume and general presence to do the job she’s running for.
Here’s the problem I do have with Palin:
Son Track (19) – Just deployed to Iraq
Daughter Bristol (17) – Pregnant, unwed
Daughter Willow (13) – 13 years old; enough said
Daughter Piper (7) – Hilarious and full of energy
Son Trig (4 months) – Down syndrome
This an argument that I’ve found is usually put out there by self-proclaimed Democrats. One said:
“I've had to chuckle over conservative pundits tripping over themselves with delight when they name Sarah Palin as the poster child for conservative women with family values. True heroines of conservative women, such as Dr. Laura Schlessinger, assert that parents, especially mothers, need to spend large quantities of time with their children and arrange their working hours so that one parent is always available to care for the children. In this framework, the concept of a feminist pro-life woman is oxymoronic; the life the woman is concerned about is her own.”
As harsh as this may be, I have to say that I agree with this opinion. Look at Palin’s situation. I am not a mother but motherly instinct tells me that, if you were to pick any one of those children, you’d have yourself a full-time job. Palin’s got 5!!
Now, who knows? Maybe she can co-lead a country and raise 5 children who could all use a little extra attention. Maybe Todd Palin wants to be a stay at home Dad and is really, really good at it. I don’t know. And I probably never will. But, as a conservative woman and (Lord willing) future mother, I do not condone her taking this on. At least not right now. Her children should be her first priority and I just cannot see anyway they could with the demand of what she is trying to do.
So here’s my dilemma: If I don’t condone her running alongside McCain in the first place, should I vote in a way that may allow her entry to the White House? Like I said, she IS a good candidate but I hold family values higher on my list of priorities than any other issue. So what now? Do I allow McCains choice in running mate to discredit my decision to vote for him? Afterall, I don’t think Obama is a BAD choice. I just don’t think he’s the BEST choice. But, then again, is McCain really the BEST choice? Reminds me of a quote by a noted scholar: “I’m pretty convinced that whoever it comes down to in the general election, it’s going to be like Alien vs. Predator: Whoever wins, we lose.” Gah! *Tears hair out*
Maybe Jesus will come back before November 6. We can only hope and pray.
All my love my babies,
Alright, I have to begin by admitting that I’m quite a bit more than extensively nervous to write this post. The last time I shared my opinion on something, I had to endure nothing less than a catastrophe (as some of you may recall). I was publicly and privately ridiculed, lost a very large group of friends and basically had to rearrange a large chunk of my life. And, even though I do feel like my life has improved because of it, it kinda hurt (understatement of the century) and I’d rather not do that again. So, before I begin (even though this didn’t work last time), let me state one more time that the following is completely MY OPINION!!!!! For the love of all things holy and decent, please please PLEASE do not take any of this personally.
Here goes…
Ok, some of you might be a little disappointed to learn that, as a whole, Mandy votes 99.9% Republican, no matter what the issue or who the candidate. I think that most people would find that a little upsetting and I see your point of view. I am aware of the fact that it’s not really a smart/safe practice and, a lot of times, the candidate I’m voting for truly isn’t the best man for the job. But, the truth is, the word Democrat scares the pee out of me.
As I stated in my last “controversial” post, I am quite the conservatist. This is due mostly to the way I was raised (which is true of just about everyone) and the fact that I actively hold the Bible precedent over all other sources of information, opinions, laws, etc. I do not agree with or condone abortion and homosexuality and find that, sometimes, war is, in fact, necessary. *Gasp!* I know. Deal.
Anyway, that’s a road I don’t really want to take this post down so I’m gonna back up a bit. I just wanted to give you a little background before I dive in to what I really want to say.
This year, after the Presidential candidates were chosen for this election, I decided to put my hardcore Republican-only voting record aside and really look at what I had in front of me. This was mostly due to the fact that, everywhere I looked, it seemed Obama was staring me in the face. (This was probably mostly due to the Democratic radio station I listen to almost religiously. But the music on The Buzz is sooo good!) =) Anyway, my point is, you had to dig to find anything about McCain but Obama was, and still is, incredibly popular. And, because I still have some faith left in my fellow Americans, I figured there had to be a good reason. So I started looking (though not extensively by any means) and here are the marks I gave:
Background
(Note: I believe this list to be somewhat more important than where the candidates stand on the different issues.)
Education - In truth, on paper, Obama’s gotta have a bigger IQ than McCain. I believe this is evident by their speeches for one but also the fact that McCain (at least as far as what I saw) didn’t take his schooling as seriously as Obama did. So, for education, I give Obama a checkmark and McCain a Debbie Downer “waa-waaaaa.”
Career - One thing I found quite interesting while digging into the careers of both candidates is that Obama’s list is much longer than McCains. Obama’s resume actually reminds me of mine. My “Work Experience” section stretches on for 2 whole pages (and that’s only ‘cause I left out a few babysitting jobs and the summer I spent mowing lawns for USD 348). I am an amazing candidate for secretarial work and/or customer service. It looks pretty impressive and really is if I’m applying for a job similar to the one I have now. Problem is, I could never be President with that list. And neither could 98% of the other lawyers in the world. Winner: McCain.
Religion - Blech and blech. The end.
Family – This one is split. Obama gets the gold star in marriage thanks to McCain’s somewhat shady divorce from his first wife (for whatever the reason, I’m not proud of that situation), but I love love love the McCain kids. Not that Obama’s children aren’t awesome as well, just that they’re a little young and you can’t fully see the reflection of parental responsibility until a child is grown. All seven of McCains children are, as far as I could find, good, upstanding adults.
Issues
Abortion – McCain (or, if you prefer, Republican in general)
Same Sex – Neither (but I lean towards McCains view more)
Gun Control – This is a whole other blog in itself. I’ll simply say for now that I don’t agree with the Constitution on this issue so I don’t even take it into account when voting. I just hope I don’t get shot. =)
War – Honestly, it doesn’t make sense to me to have any opinion on this issue whatsoever unless you really and truly know what we’re dealing with. So, I listen to those with military experience, especially those involved right now and especially those that are close to my heart. If you are fighting in Iraq right now or have any military experience at all and don’t agree that we should stay over there, please let me know. Until then, I’m listening to the 3 men I know over there, the 2 about to go and, most of all, my recently married cousin willingly returning in December for his 2nd tour. Winner: McCain.
Obviously there are a whole lot of other issues that I could (and probably should) address but, this post is already a lot longer than I intended and I haven’t gotten to the thing I hold the highest opinion on. So I’m gonna move on. Considering I’m a Republican though, it’s a safe bet to assume that I’ll lean towards McCain on just about all of the rest.
So…as you can see, in background, I’m pretty split down the middle of these two candidates. It is only their position on issues that makes me lean towards McCain. But that, again, is because of my background and the fact that I too – at least as far as issues go – am a Republican. It was bound to happen. So, based on all that I listed, it makes sense for me (that’s me, not you) to vote for McCain, wouldn’t you agree? In the bag. Done. Finito! Or so I thought…
Enter Vice Presidential candidates. If you don’t hate me yet, you probably will.
Confession: Mandy is sexist.
Hard to believe? Probably not. Refer to that "controversial" post and the reason 2/3 of the CABB group no longer speak to me and you’ll see that you already knew that. What’s funny is, most of the time when you say someone is “sexist,” it is assumed that they value their gender above the other. Not me. I’m the exact opposite (which is NOT reverse sexism people!!!) Sorry, flashback to my days at the EEOC…
“Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God…For man did not come from woman but woman from man; neither was man made for woman but woman for man.” –1 Corinthians 11:3,8-9
You had to know there was gonna be some Bible in here somewhere. Well, there it is. I get my Jesus star for the day. =) Kidding!!!
Anyway, so, if you haven’t already figured it out, I am having some struggle dealing with McCains choosing of Sarah Palin as his running mate. First of all, I can already see the arguments my Christian friends might have with equating this verse with this situation:
“But Mandy, McCain IS the head. Palin is just the Vice President. I could see how this argument would fit if Hilary was still in the running.” (Which it did, by the way.)
Or
“But Mandy, this verse is intended for marriage, not the presidential candidates.” (Prove it.)
And one step further…
“Well Mandy, do you have a problem with female bosses in businesses? What if Waddell & Reed got a female CEO?” (Answer: Yes and I’d quit.)
Please understand that I do not believe that women are not capable of doing the same things men do. Well, some really aren’t but, have you met my mother? I just think we’re (A) not supposed to, (B) don’t need too or, (C) shouldn’t. Take your pick. I apply the appropriate answer depending on the situation. With Palin, however, I can’t really figure out which response to specifically apply to her. Maybe, in this case, I don’t need to apply any. *Gasp!* “Wait! Are you saying you think a woman SHOULD be VP?!”
No. I’m not. But I’m not saying a woman shouldn’t either. Perhaps that verse DOES apply just to marriage. Perhaps it’s ok for women to be VP’s or P’s or CEO’s or any other letter or letters they wanna be. I’m not comfortable with it, but that alone doesn’t necessarily make it wrong for anyone but me personally. (Hence, why I’ve always been an “Assistant.”) Especially where Palin is concerned. As far as women go for being really good Presidential or Vice Presidential candidates, she pretty much takes the cake. I believe she truly has the ability, resume and general presence to do the job she’s running for.
Here’s the problem I do have with Palin:
Son Track (19) – Just deployed to Iraq
Daughter Bristol (17) – Pregnant, unwed
Daughter Willow (13) – 13 years old; enough said
Daughter Piper (7) – Hilarious and full of energy
Son Trig (4 months) – Down syndrome
This an argument that I’ve found is usually put out there by self-proclaimed Democrats. One said:
“I've had to chuckle over conservative pundits tripping over themselves with delight when they name Sarah Palin as the poster child for conservative women with family values. True heroines of conservative women, such as Dr. Laura Schlessinger, assert that parents, especially mothers, need to spend large quantities of time with their children and arrange their working hours so that one parent is always available to care for the children. In this framework, the concept of a feminist pro-life woman is oxymoronic; the life the woman is concerned about is her own.”
As harsh as this may be, I have to say that I agree with this opinion. Look at Palin’s situation. I am not a mother but motherly instinct tells me that, if you were to pick any one of those children, you’d have yourself a full-time job. Palin’s got 5!!
Now, who knows? Maybe she can co-lead a country and raise 5 children who could all use a little extra attention. Maybe Todd Palin wants to be a stay at home Dad and is really, really good at it. I don’t know. And I probably never will. But, as a conservative woman and (Lord willing) future mother, I do not condone her taking this on. At least not right now. Her children should be her first priority and I just cannot see anyway they could with the demand of what she is trying to do.
So here’s my dilemma: If I don’t condone her running alongside McCain in the first place, should I vote in a way that may allow her entry to the White House? Like I said, she IS a good candidate but I hold family values higher on my list of priorities than any other issue. So what now? Do I allow McCains choice in running mate to discredit my decision to vote for him? Afterall, I don’t think Obama is a BAD choice. I just don’t think he’s the BEST choice. But, then again, is McCain really the BEST choice? Reminds me of a quote by a noted scholar: “I’m pretty convinced that whoever it comes down to in the general election, it’s going to be like Alien vs. Predator: Whoever wins, we lose.” Gah! *Tears hair out*
Maybe Jesus will come back before November 6. We can only hope and pray.
All my love my babies,
Mandy ><>
5 comments:
Mandy,
It is commonplace in our society for the world to speak with great distain upon any individual who has any type of moral leaning whatsoever, especially if that leaning is even slightly religious in nature. The framers of our nation were, for the most part, moral and good men who believed in a just and loving God and sought His providence and mercy openly. They sought for their freedom to worship Almighty God, beseeching the inalienable rights of humanity in their purpose.
This being said, any individual who will question your friendship or abandon your company due to your religious leanings in thought, philosophy, or lifestyle is similar to those so-called allies of Job who, in the midst of his greatest afflictions, sought to find fault with him and left him destitute and alone. I find comfort in the words of Thomas Paine when he said “what we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly.” We both know it is not easy in this world of shifting values and maelstrom of godlessness to be a disciple of Christ, especially if we lose friends in the process. But the greatest gifts are eternal, not temporal, and only when we endure through this life with an eye single to His glory will we finally realize the infinite goodness of that which we did not obtain cheap, and we will never esteem lightly that which we will gain in the expanses of eternity.
So, if anyone seeks to sully your name or reputation because the framework of your being is built upon a foundation of Christian principles, I’d say you’re structurally sound. I would glory in this tribulation, for evil never has to worry about meeting great opposition in the world, only those that stand for truth and right will encounter the destructive attempts of this world. The more friends you lose through the righteous defense and cause of Christ, you will surely find comfort in these words:
“So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; and to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.” (2 Thessalonians 1: 4-10)
You’ve always been a good and true friend, Mandy. Politics can never change that.
Scott
Mandy, we are suprisingly similar in our political tastes, which, to put it mildy, shocks me! As for the rest... PALIN HATERS WILL PROBABLY WANT TO STOP READING NOW.... I am in LOVE with Sarah Palin! Like you, I think she is amazing and talented and just WOW. I also had a momentary struggle with MOM vs. VP. But then I had these thoughts: Are we not told to serve others with the talents we have been blessed with? (When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God). We are encouraged to get involved in our schools, communities, and even governments to ensure we protect and support those rights and actions we believe in. Sarah is anti-abortion, and to me that is huge. I want to support someone who upholds the same standards I do. I think Todd and Sarah probably had an in-depth discussion before taking the nomination, and they felt this was the best thing for them to do at this time...she has a loving supportive family that want to help her succeed in what she believes in, and that is admirable. Her children will see first hand the workings of congress, how the government works, and will grow to be well-informed citizens. Remember she is not a suburban housewife suddenly snatched from her home and placed on the GOP ticket. This is her career... this is the life she has chosen for herself and her family and they are familiar with how they make it work. I wouldn't like to do what she does and sacrifice family time to be on the American stage but I admire her for doing it. You don't have to agree...those are just my thoughs. :) Good post.
Hahahahaha. Okay... totally unrelated comment, but there shall only be one blog... but two names that can post and leave partner-specific comments. Heaven forbid something Adam says get credited to me or the vague mysery person... "THE BENCHES!"
Your post was like a good drama. Simple and smooth introduction, shock and disdain in the middle and a great redeeming quality at the end. haha! Thanks for sharing. I love the differences God has creating in each of us and how we can see the same things and yet perceive them so differently. That's not to say that I actually differ from you all that much. Truthfully I hate politics because of the dividers it creates between people and for the never clean cut decisions it forces us to make. My prayer is that no matter who I vote for or who ends up winning that God will truly work through Him to accomplish his purposes. The Lord is definately capable of doing that through both his true followers and those who know Him not. Just look at the Old Testament for proof.
I'm sorry you feel you have to watch your own opinions on your own blog - but... I'm going to keep this short because Jackson is on my lap and it's hard to type with one hand. I also thought about Palin's motherly duities, but this is what she has chosen for a career. Being a full-timy Mommy is very challenging/difficult/rewarding. Not everyone is cut out for it. I believe if a mother is going to stay home with her babies she whole-heartly needs to want to. It is not fair for you or your kids if that is not what you want to do. I think if this is something she really wants and I believe she can do it, then she should go for it. I love you and don't worry about me judging you on your opinions.
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