Social conservatives cannot complain that their issues have not been heard in the 2008 campaign, in exactly the fashion they wanted.
We must decide whether our democracy will be stronger moving forward articulating values where government remains neutral, ensuring rights, safety and providing reliably accurate information based on facts; or by putting the full force of the federal government behind one narrow interpretation of one religious ideology.
We all view life as sacred. We all view love and sexuality as sacred. We all know and respect the importance of transitions at birth and death. We rejoice in each, as we rejoice in each other. We celebrate life. We want it to be better for everyone. So if we agree on so many goals, maybe the only choice in this election are the tactics and strategies we think will best help us reach them.
Perhaps the most fascinating part of this mind-bendingly historic election cycle is that so many conservative Republicans are standing up to say they have had enough. They “aren’t leaving their party,” to paraphrase Ronald Reagan when he supported Barry Goldwater’s conservative movement, “their party is leaving them.”
Americans can see anti-choice extremism on full display in McCain-Palin rallies. Given Palin’s “abuse of power” and McCain distancing himself from the Culture of Lies rabid anti-choicers have created, perhaps McCain has a little maverick left in him.
Is Culture Peace breaking out? Did Pat Buchanan just call Obama’s speech “centrist”? Can we take up the call for respect, and individual as well as mutual responsibility?
