What will you do if Bush wins?
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What will you do if Bush wins?
| Fri, 08-20-2004 - 12:02pm |
I would like to know what you all will do if Bush wins? I don't know if I can handle another 4 years. Any ideas of how to reclaim our country and restore democracy and freedom? I'm worried that another 4 years will increase the authoritariansm and absolute power that Bush has come to claim and further trample on our constitution and individual liberties. I'm truly frightened.

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First, a very well written and informative post...it would be my hope that some of those on the Republican side of the arguements here would actually read it and take it to heart but I fear they are too caught up in their blind allegiance to Bush to hear you or any other voice of reason.
I have made the very troop strength arguement you are making, though coming at it from a slightly different slant. I encouraged them to visit the stars and stripes site, as well as the official Pentagon site, and if you study the site, the signs of an impending reinstitution of the draft is looming every larger because the military is predicting VERY serious problems in both troop retention as well as enlistment quotas of new soldiers. It has gotten so bad in fact, that the individual services to meet their own quotas are trying to steal away re-enlistments from the other branches in an almost classic example of preying on your own.
Renee ~~~
Renee ~~~
While in theory I agree, there are situations which do not allow for this. For instance, my little sister was raped at the age of 14. Fortunately neither pregnancy nor physical illness resulted from this horrific experience, but what would you have had her do if she had become pregnant?
I am heartened by the responses. People do boil elections down to very personal issues, but I hope the larger picture is also visible. A for instance, in a What Is Democracy kind of discussion: I was thinking last night, as a friend confided something very personal, that I would not want to ever have an abortion. I would not choose to, ever, for personal, not theological, reasons. But as a woman, I can understand how circumstances in people's lives could make it so they had no other choice. I don't want to get into a discussion about this. Everyone has a right to their opinions on it. But here's what makes a democracy: I don't want this for myself, but I want it available for those who need it and want it. The same is true for Public Assistance. I don't need it myself right now, but I want it in place for those who are struggling more than I am, and I am willing to pay taxes to include that kind of compassion in my country. I don't want anyone to abuse any of our privileges, but I want them available. If I belong to an organized church, do I balk at offerings that go to serve others? I do not want to marry a woman, I have a husband who is plenty for me, but I want my best friend from college, who is a lesbian, to be able to legally and financially and medically protect herself and her family, including the woman she loves very much. How does it hurt me to want for her what I take for granted? How does it hurt anyone? Does it make my marriage less sacred? Sacredness is seen with the soul and heart, not with the pocketbook or the political agenda. It is far more important to me THAT we love, not WHO we love.
I'm not saying I gleefully pay my taxes, I try to pay only what I feel I owe, but I pay them knowing that it's the only way to reapportion income, pay for services, etc. I am rather tired of Republicans using taxes as "bribes". You may have received a $1000 tax return, but I can assure you it is like credit: you will pay much more of that back over the years. It's is a sleight of hand, something to make you like them, in effect. Isn't anyone else tired of the pose? Democrats raise taxes? Come on. Everyone has to balance a budget. The money has to come from somewhere.
The point I'm trying to make here is, Democracy is not only about what you need, but about what the "ecosystem" of a larger population may need. We need to incorporate, in the sense of, "bring into the body", the body being us, all of us, as a unit. Nature works on a balance of forces, and as part of that, we do, too. What we sorely need is to bring our community back into balance. What I mean is, first and foremost, the balance of masculine and feminine realms. Don't hang up, stay with me.
Masculine and feminine energies govern different things; the female in nature is equipped to defend by her sharp senses and instincts; the male defends by muscular strength; if anyone read the cover article in Parade this week, it was all there: a coach in Baltimore was teaching his boys to become men by asking what they could do for others, to love one another, while playing football (and winning): he believes that most of our social problems are tied to the myths we give boys about what makes them men. I have noticed this for years. Socially, they think they must climb to the top by collecting money, things, attractive women, etc. Where are they spiritually? What feeds their souls? He introduces what is in effect, the feminine, to them. The emotive aspect of our lives. Both energies are absolutely necessary to surviving WELL. We can survive without love and compassion and hope and mercy, but not terribly well.
So our culture has been in the grips of this social/spiritual funk for some time, in the pursuit of preeminence, even hegemony, over those who have what we want, both within our borders and without. It has perhaps not been a single-minded pursuit, but all in all, not very balanced. The feminine made her appearance in the 60s, and maybe 70s, (think of the emphasis placed on BEING, talking, feeling) but the balance slipped away again when we were threatened by the hostage crisis in Iran. We then entered formally into the next phase of our tangle with the Muslim nations, of which we know more now, though still not enough. Theirs is a VERY male-centered religion, from what I've observed. I want to say here that I am not AGAINST male energy: it is absolutely necesssary. It is the force that says DO versus the force that says BE. We need both. I like to think I pay attention to both within myself.
I believe the pendulum keeps swinging. With the stress of our present lives, the feminine is swinging back into play, people are talking about meditating, yoga, taking time for their families, etc. For me, the way my politics dovetail with my other belief systems is that I want the most prosperity and goodness for the most people. I'm sorry, I don't see that coming out of conservative policies. I see and feel fear and hatred and exclusion, an almost paternal disapproval of difference and many God Bless thises and God Bless thats, which all sounds a bit hollow in the wake of the utter selfishness and cutthroat campaigning...don't get me started on the separation of church and state. Let me say one final thing about this. In my observation of the life of Jesus, I concluded that if he were here today, he would be with the weak, the downtrodden, the castaways. He would be striding in Pride parades, he would be in polling stations where black voters are turned away, he would be on the side of everyone our great and prosperous nation chooses to turn a blind eye to. He would be saying, Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone A LOT. If Jesus is indeed George Bush's savior, he's gonna have a lot of explaining to do.
It is, really, about love, and the many things it inspires the best in us to bring forth into the world. Do unto others, you know?
Hi itsjuslove! Welcome to the board.
Renee ~~~
Renee ~~~
Renee ~~~
Renee ~~~
Kara
Off Point: That's interesting that you used to go to a Unitarian Society. I'm an Atheist, and a Co-Chair of a group on campus (I'm a grad student) and we will very likely be visiting a Unitarian Society this year as a field trip.
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