brief political rant

[rm]

Telling me that you know a gay person who likes Palin and that I should therefore calm down about your voting decision that you seem to be waving in my face as some bizarre display of supposed intellectual superiority does not, in any way, make you less obnoxious or less of a bigot. Similarly, bandying about your wild and crazy past does not, in any way, make your casual desire to restrict my freedoms less sinister. And finally, while it may not be personal to you, it's personal to me.

The Republicans keep framing this election in militaristic terms, so let me spell it out for you in words you can understand. You may be in this fight because you like to fight; more power to you. Believe it or not, I really get it. I wish I could be in this fight just for the frivolities of my nature too; might be fun. But I can't.

Elections like this are a fight for my life. And if you think that's hyperbole? Congrats on the luxury.

Comments

[holyschist.livejournal.com]

YES YES YES.

And this is also why I'm not interested in being friends with "love the sinner, hate the sin" types, no matter how courteous they are. Because it's damn well personal for me.

[tommx.livejournal.com]

Well, my problem with love the sinner hate the sin is that I don't see the sin. I only see the person and those who threaten him or her. Hence I seek to protect the person from those who only see sin.

[idunn.livejournal.com]

"Love the sinner, hate the sin" has struck me as snobby and elitist, like a back-handed compliment. Hey, you're great! Just, you know, I'm better than you!

I hate that saying, and that some people actually find it a good motto to live by. So judgmental, and of people who are supposedly your friends. Sure.

[upstart-crow.livejournal.com]

As a Catholic who believes in original sin (and in the idea that no person is more or less sinful than another), love the sinner, hate the sin has always seemed kind of ridiculous to me. And as phrases like this are typically trotted out to disprove of one 'sin' that people think is somehow greater than greed, pride, extravagance and conceit (typically any kind of sex that isn't vanilla and hetero), they're not only redundant, but sinister and rather prideful.

[kathrynrose.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I saw the news today that McCain is up in the polls over Obama. I can't figure it out, except this is the same nation that reads the Enquirer, supports professional "wrestling" and watches people fall into pits of mud for entertainment.

Stupid, stupid people.

I honestly don't know what I will do if he wins. I don't think I can bear it. I really don't.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I never thought I could feel worse after 2000 and then 2004. But here we are.

[moominmuppet.livejournal.com]

Amen to all of that.

[winterknight.livejournal.com]

I was thinking EXACTLY this about the Canadian elections today. My neighbors have a Conservative sign up and, you know what, that changes the total relationship I have with these people. They don't want me to have the same rights as other people. End file. It's not histrionics, it's reality, and it fucking SUCKS. If the people on the other end don't like it, they can change, because I'm not going anywhere.

[askeladden.livejournal.com]

I know a gay person who likes Palin. On Saturday I had to try to convince him to vote for Obama in ASL. Not easy given my rudimentary knowledge of the language, but I did my damnedest, and I'll keep trying.

[rm.livejournal.com]

You, thankfully are not telling me this in the context of "And that's why I'm not a bad person for voting for McCain."

[placate-me.livejournal.com]

I'm sure there are lots of self hating minorities that will vote the McCain/Palin ticket. I find it to be terrifying and offensive. Unfortunately, I take it personally enough to sever ties with those that can get behind a political party that believes in stripping people of rights.

2000 was bad. 2004 was horrible. If Obama is not elected, I don't even know...

[bethbethbeth.livejournal.com]

I have been trying to be so freaking understanding to people with other political views, but...it's almost impossible. And reading this, I remember that it probably should be impossible.

[used_songs]

Your icon is wonderful.

[coriander.livejournal.com]

Yep! I understand.

[kessie.livejournal.com]

Telling me that you know a gay person who likes Palin and that I should therefore calm down about your voting decision that you seem to be waving in my face as some bizarre display of supposed intellectual superiority does not, in any way, make you less obnoxious or less of a bigot.

...seriously? Dear humanity, please don't make me hate you anymore than I already do. Ugh.

[sethg]

Interesting comment here on the state of the race:

The McCain campaign wanted to frame this election on experience, but had to abandon that when the polls didn't move. The surge issue has likewise attracted no great interest. Although McCain continues to discuss it, as a theme, he has ditched it in favor of this murky "change/reform" theme. (By selecting Sarah Palin, the campaign has officially ceded the point.) This all works to Obama's advantage because if the discussion becomes one of change, it must necessarily shift to policy--the last place McCain wants to go. But he's backed himself into a corner.

[sethg]

Telling me that you know a gay person who likes Palin and that I should therefore calm down

"Some of my best friends...."

[these-3-remain.livejournal.com]

I know, right?

rm, did tell him/her that you know lots of straight, white, Christian males who are voting for Obama, and they told you he was okay? Because that would have been kind of awesome.

[mobobocita.livejournal.com]

There are a lot more than just the gays fighting for their rights to even just exist if McCain wins.

I really just can't imagine living in the US much longer if he does. Talk about watching V become a reality over night.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I wasn't terrified of McCain, who I thought would just be four more years of waiting for the nightmare of the last eight to end, until he nominated Palin. Then I freaked. She scares me.

[shipchan.livejournal.com]

The hardest part of this is when the person saying that IS gay. I don't get people...

[rm.livejournal.com]

Please tell me that wasn't part of the drama on the list, which is what, in fact, set me off.

*twitch*

[systris.livejournal.com]

oh wow, they know a gay person who likes Palin? do they know a black person who loves Mc Cain...?

how fucking rediculous.

if Fudge/Umbridge McSame/Plain Jane wins...let's run off and claim an island as our own sovereign nation! we can call it...ThisLand...!

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

Telling me that you know a gay person who likes Palin and that I should therefore calm down about your voting decision that you seem to be waving in my face as some bizarre display of supposed intellectual superiority does not, in any way, make you less obnoxious or less of a bigot.

No kidding. To a far, far, lesser extent, that's like saying you aren't being obnoxious because you know a woman who likes Palin, and hey, notice the Dems aren't running a woman in this race? (Conveniently omitting the fact that, hey, this woman doesn't particularly seem interested in the self-determination of women. Except when they're her beloved offspring.)

Ooooooffff. American politics makes me *facepalm* a lot. All I can hold on to is a sense that "this too will pass".

[bodlon.livejournal.com]

Yes. Yes.

*raises fist in solidarity*

[roadnotes.livejournal.com]

Yes, oh, yes.

[feyandstrange.livejournal.com]

People have gotten angry at me for saying that the right wing is a threat to my life, either because I'm queer or because I'm a poor cripple who needs health care to survive.

It's not hyperbole, not to me. And I'm glad someone else sees it that way.

They're fighting for morals and beliefs. We're fighting for our lives. I lack the luxury of morals in this case.

[stakebait.livejournal.com]

*sigh* Yeah, I had a conversation with a coworker today who said "no matter who gets elected, your life will be pretty much the same."

Um, no. Not so much. I brought up gay marriage, abortion and global warming. I don't know that I convinced her, though.

[blackbird-song.livejournal.com]

Excellent points. I find it disturbing that fewer and fewer people recognize that every time they try to restrict another person's freedom, they are also fighting to restrict their own and that of people they do or will love, often in ways that will bite them where and when they least expect it.

This election is personal for me, as well, in so many ways that it's hard for me to enumerate them in a comment. However, even if my own life (a) could be lived in isolation and (b) wouldn't be directly affected by the results of this thing, I'd still have friends and family members whose lives are directly affected in potentially lethal ways by the hateful and restrictive decisions of those in power. I hope that the Democrats regain the plot sooner rather than later, and reach the people in the middle. Right now, they've failed to recognize Palin's frame-change of this election, and that is a disastrous oversight.

Catherine

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Heh. I just posted this on another journal. It seems apt here.



I don't think they're [McCain/Palin] stupid. But in most cases, most politicians are evil.

I consider them evil in the sense that they are addicted to power and will do a great deal to achieve it. Some will even murder. Most of the time however, they will submit to the powers of vested, usually corporate, interests and will lie - or spin-doctor - their way from making decisions which are factually and morally sound. Others will seek to impose their own narrow worldview upon the lives of others without their consent.

Because they are addicted to power.

I sincerely believe that McCain and Palin belong to type I and type II of the aforementioned addicts. McCain's mongering dishonesty (insightful if you can stomach watching it through to the end) just strikes me as utterly abhorrent for a person of public office. Palin is... well, just too strange.

And yes, I am more than prepared to say this sort of thing for my side of politics.

As for Obama... well, I want him to be the change that he says he is. Doubtless he will be far from perfect, but I trust him more than I trust his opponents.

[ladypeculiar.livejournal.com]

I'm seriously considering just living in Southeast Asia forever if McCain wins . . .