and it's finally election day...

It's election day. Minds have been made up, votes are being cast all over right now, lines are forming outside polling places (and polling places are already reporting problems with equipment--including a power outage here in LA that caused a time out while volunteers re-set up the voting equipment outside in the parking lot...). I ran across two articles last night that I think are worth the read--not because I am some flaming Obama supporter, but because I think they raise excellent points, and are well written. I totally understand these aren't going to sway anyone reading this today, but they made me think, and I like thinking, so I thought I'd share.

The first article is a letter written by Jim Wallis in response to a letter written by James Dobson, head of Focus on the Family. Dobson wrote a letter to America pretending like it is the year 2012, and he is mourning the great tragedies that have befallen our nation because Obama was elected. Pornography readily available for children, churches not being allowed to meet in public schools on Sundays, homosexuality running rampant etc. I was furious when I read it. I think it is one of the most inappropriate things I've ever read, full of speculation, his own personal opinion, and made me want to separate myself from the so-called "religious right" as far as I possibly can. The rhetoric of fear and an over-active imagination is all this letter is based on, and I think was a horrific set of speculations used to scare people into voting for Dobson's candidate. What is even more ironic is that he begins by encouraging people to still maintain a respectful friendship with people who may not hold "our" beliefs. Riiiight. Because his fictitous letter just screams to those of us who disagree with him "please be my friend!" You can read his "letter" here. All I can say is praise God for Jim Wallis' response. Someone had to say it, Dobson, you were out of line.

The other article I found I just thought was entertaining & well written by the author of Blue Like Jazz. Donald Miller wrote an article called My Journey from Being a Reagan Republican to an Obama Democrat. It made me laugh at multiple places, and I thought I'd share.

Honestly, I really wish we had a 3rd choice for President--I'm not a gigantic fan of either candidate. But, we don't. I do think that we need to work on breaking away from the rhetoric of fear that has been used to make us dislike one or the other candidate because like it or not, one of these men will be our leader and we need to work on putting aside those feelings and do what we can to communicate respect and support for whomever we elect. I'll never forget being about 12 and visiting Washington DC on a family vacation. Clinton was in office, and my parents, both strong republicans, weren't huge fans. I remember one day standing outside the White House and asking my dad if he would be sad if Clinton was somehow hurt or assassinated in office (I have NO idea why I was thinking about this at 12!) He said that he absolutely would be. I remember asking why--"I thought we didn't like him Dad?" I'll never forget his response, a response I hope he still remembers he gave me! He said "Sarah, whether or not we agree with all of his policies and decisions, he is our president. Our country has spoken, democracy has allowed us to elect him, and after we cast our votes, even if our candidate doesn't win, we still respect the one leading us because he is our president." I don't know what's going to happen today, time will tell. But, I pray that at the end of the day, or at least by January, we're able to walk away from the mudslinging, rhetoric, fear, attacks and polarization the media has helped create and will be able to recognize that whoever is elected was chosen by the people to lead us and we owe them our respect because of that. And in closing, thank you Brian.