Saturday, September 06, 2008

Save the World - One Vote at a Time

Yes, it is that important.

As we watch Ike heading straight for the southern parts of Florida, I can’t help but think so what is the solution? Fay, Gustav, Hanna and now Ike, hurricane after hurricane; devastation after devastation. The world is hurting and people are dying. Droughts on one hand; floods on the other. Earthquakes and tornadoes with an occasional tsunami get whatever is left. So what is the solution?

Meanwhile, a new pathway has opened up in the Arctic for ships to go through. The ice is melting. The ice melts and the ocean rises in Takuu Islands near Papua, New Guinea. This is not a small thing although it is a small area and affects a small number of people. The big thing about it is that the people who live on this atoll have lived here continuously for the past 3000 years.
Not that big of a thing, I suppose, to some people. Who cares about a little bitty island that isn’t even big enough to be called an island? But do we care about Florida? Or anywhere within the Gulf Coast? Not just on these low lying areas but what about the entire Pacific and Atlantic coastlines? How far must we push it until we begin to understand that global warming is a real problem?

Well, we can go and try to help recover whenever something happens. We can go on mission trips to rebuild houses, give money or donate goods. We can pray…and pray…and pray some more and thank God “there but for the grace of God go I” as if “I” is more special than “thee” and far more than deserving of dry, uncracked land with temperate climes.

Or we can do all these things plus actually begin to work towards solving the actual problem. And pray to God that it is not too late.

But we don’t have another four years to screw around. Electing John McCain and especially now with his new running mate, Sarah Palin, is not the way to solve any problems. In fact, it is the way to exacerbate the problems we already have. Not everyone is as enthralled with her as is McCain. It may come as no shock to anyone that I am not one of her fans. Numerous problems I see keep me from thinking she is anything but a disaster waiting to fall on us. One problem in particular is her belief that humans are not the main cause of global warming. Calculated benightedness…that always amazes me. Just because she is female does not make her a good candidate. How stupid do the McCain people think that women are to be lulled into voting for him simply because he grabs up a woman – a young woman at that – for his running mate?

Are there more women in the Republican Party that might make better candidates? Sure, but not young ones like Palin. Kay Bailey Hutchinson is far more qualified – senior Senator from Texas, first woman to represent Texas in the Senate, named one of the “30 most powerful women in America” by Ladies Home Journal…but she turn 65 in July. Not much help there. I am sure there are more. But he needs youth. Vim, vigor and vitality and Sarah Palin has all that.
At the risk of ruffling feathers yet one more time, I see Palin as being detrimental to the well being of the American people. Surely to heaven, the people of the US will rise up and vote loudly, strongly against this team.

Check out Susan Russell’s blog. Lots of good stuff – or rather, bad stuff.

Save the world…vote against McCain/Palin.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Barbi - it is interesting. You wrote this on Saturday and yet David Letterman said everything you did (not in jest) last night on the tele.


Usually, as a priest, I stray from being too vocal politically so as not to comingle church and politics or to give a one sided viewpoint - BUT - this election is way to important. You are right - we can not hand this country over to another who will head us even further into the hands of deceit. We need voices of change who will echo the needs of the people and the land. Everything is out of control - our government, our people, our expenses, our fuel, our economy. I've never voted anything BUT Democrat. And this is probably the first time that I really mean to do so.

Barbi Click said...

Hah! Thomas! That is the conservative in you that allows you to think that politics and religion don't mix! :-)

Lindy said...

Sure Kay Bailey is more qualified... But, can she field dress a moose?

Another well reasoned post Barbi!

Barbi Click said...

You know, it is one scary person that can make KBH look like the better candidate...

I wonder if Palin can even begin to imagine what it means when the Rep. Party people believe that she is the perfect candidate because she is bright and has a mind like a "clean slate"?????

The essence of Tucker

I found this essay while looking for something else. It brought a smile to my heart to remember how inquisitive Tucker was, how SO Alive he ...