I don't like to be told I'm wrong. I don't think many people like to feel belittled or stupid or ignorant or made to feel like their opinions, because they are not "popular" or whatever, are wrong.
As we're approaching the Big Day where this country will collectively participate in a political spring cleaning, there's more "discussion" than ever, and I'm all for discussion-- as long as it's remains a discussion.
DISCUSSION: consideration of a question in open and usually informal debate.
(thank you merriam-webster.com)
I'll be honest, while I do not consider myself a staunch Republican, I do consider myself Conservative, which means my views tend to swing toward the right. I do my best to consider platforms, social issues, figure out my place within this crazy mess, then vote accordingly. Want me to be straight up about a few things?
1. I think Sarah Palin is kind of hardcore. I do not envy the amount of stabs that have been made at her expensive, unfairly, since she entered this race.
2. If I were a California state resident, I would vote Yes on 8. There is an enormous amount of awful, sad soul-searching behind this decision so don't anyone dare to call me close-minded or inhumane, but that is ultimately the course of action I would take.
3. Obama is not my homeboy. I do not find him persuasive, I do not think he will be able to follow-through with the radical change he intends to inspire in this country, I do not think he is an attractive man. I will not vote for him.
These are opinions that, in my experience, have not been open for DISCUSSION since political debate on a personal level has typically been reduced to a sarcastic battle of wits, name-calling and finger-pointing. There is no amount of openness involved.
Recently, a note was posted on facebook by someone I know, supposedly with the intent to "open the discussion" about Prop 8, not to sway votes or opinions. First of all, what else could her intention have been other than to sway opinions? I should hope that an open DISCUSSION should absolutely aim to encourage participants to re-evaluate their stances, the outcome being a better understanding of the opposing view at very least. But secondly, I have found that the following conversation has been anything but open, since opposing views have given their arguments only to be told that they are, in so many words, WRONG. So in other words, this conversation is not being opened, but absolutely closed. Apparently, Prop 8 is a closed issue and therefore not a DISCUSSION at all, and those who might choose to vote Yes are misinformed, ignorant, and unconstitutional, letting their unpopular religious beliefs get in the way between the separation of church and state.
The implication that I am misinformed, ignorant and unconstitutional really entices me to participate in any public forum of this nature. I mean, who wouldn't want to be willingly attacked for their beliefs!
I hardly need to touch the media's transparent support of the Democratic vote with silly tactics like showing Obama's (heroic, progressive, all-American) picture first and McCain's picture (usually showing him mid-sentence or in some otherwise monkey-like position) second in commercials encouraging American's to vote. I'm hardly inspired to "Rock the Vote" since the slogan has cleverly been plastered on t-shirts with a crucial change: "Ba-Rack the Vote." And while I absolutely feel for Jennifer Hudson's recent and most tragic loss, I don't care that Obama offers his support to her family since I think you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who didn't, the awful McCain/Palin camp included!
Some tips for liberals who might hope to "discuss" with us crazy backwards conservatives:
1. We tend to be as firmly planted in our beliefs as you are in yours.
2. Just because we are conservative does not mean we are ignorant. We earnestly believe in our conservative views as you do in your liberal. It is not a lack of information or "forward thinking" that landed us here.
3. Do not site or twist the words of spiritual leaders or literature in order to support your claims that will make spiritually-influenced political opinions hypocritical. It only leads to a more convoluted circle.
4. Sarcasm is unattractive. I'm really grappling to find any humor in this most serious situation, and sarcastically making fun of our beliefs- and therefore, of us, to our faces- will not spark a very open DISCUSSION.
5. The old adage may just hold true: don't discuss politics or religion among friends. There will never be black-and-white answers, exchanges of well-informed (from either perspective) opinion will never result in an absolute change-of-heart.
I hope we're all as well-informed as we can be this year. I hope that we have each studied platforms thoroughly and have formed decisions for ourselves so that our votes will reflect what we believe will prove the best course for this country. I know this is what I have aimed to do, and I sincerely hope that those with differing views (especially those who know me well, regardless of their own political stances) will give some credit to my informed opinions.
10 comments:
cool post.
Having recently been forced to stop all communication with a family member over politics I totally understand what you are saying. I mean really, why do people think that fighting is going to sway me to their opinion? Did you know you can vote early and then tell people that you made your choice and they can go to hell?!?!
And I already voted for Obama but I know you love me anyway :-)
*golf claps*
This is why I married you.
Brava.
You are on the money Emily. Yes indeed, you are awesome.
My ears are not deaf, and I can't even comment on how I feel about most of this. I've quit reading many blogs, and lost a few friends over all of these issues. Long live personal opinion and the right to it, I say.
Nuff Said. You are brilliant. I agree with everything you just said and more. Thank you for that.
Remember that one time I impersonated Sarah Palin at a concert and made jokes and no. one. got. them.
Heck, I don't consider myself very informed at all - and IIII thought it was sad.
So very sad..
well said.
Hey you. I people stalk, too. :) I'm here sincerely because I think you're a good writer and I was interested in your views and wondered if you might have written about this. I'm sure you know that the Prop 8 thing was a very personal battle for me as it was for members of both sides of the debate, but I did, more than many on the No on 8 side, try to always approach my arguments with respect toward the beliefs of others, having been raised LDS myself. There was definitely a lack of respect on both sides being flung around, and it was truly my interest, because of the personal stakes in the battle, to open discussion about the topic. I did want people to see things from the side I was coming from, of course, because I understood the consequences on the Yes on 8 side to be legally unfounded. However, I wouldn't have brought it up if I didn't know I was welcoming other views as well. I really do hope you understand that about me, that I'm not a machine trying to eat the conservatives. I know that conservatives are firmly planted in their beliefs, believe me I do. I respect your post about your own beliefs and reasons for them here, so I hope you understand that my posts had that intention as well. I enjoy the debate over issues that matter to me, but I never intend to belittle other's opinions. I do care to correct factual legal errors, just as I've been corrected myself, but because so much of this battle was based on sensitive, personal opinions, as well as civil issues, I walked on eggshells to respect the religious point of view while firmly standing up for my own beliefs. I am writing this to you because I want you to know that about me, not for any sort of satisfaction in letting you know I read this and know it's about that thing I posted back in October. I really care that you know that.
Since then, I've continued to discuss this issue with several members of the LDS Church, and I am doing it because I feel like common ground can be reached if we all try to understand each other. I would be devastated if the Church were to lose tax exemption or if the law forced the Church to participate in practices that aren't doctrinally supported. What I'm currently trying to do is let members of the LDS church know that although there may be some radicals out there, most of the gay community doesn't want to threaten any religious institution's practices. The gay community only wants to be treated as equal citizens under the law. I know the two sides can never be fully reconciled because of the importance of this matter to both groups, but I keep trying because both groups of people mean the world to me.
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