My cousin ("J") and I had the following email conversation. It started with a joke and led to the first conversation we have had in years. We used to be very close. I still love him and consider him my close cousin, but our lives have sent us in VERY different directions. That happens sometimes. Here is the conversation:
J:
It could happen!!!
Much is made of McCain's age. Has anyone brought up the fact that Obama smokes and both of his parents died at an early age. Plus Biden has had two brain aneurysms which could have killed him. If they both died while in office; that would leave Nancy Pelosi as president. I can't think of a better reason to vote for McCain & Palin.
AM:
So you are voting for the old guy and the clueless wonder so that Pelosi doesn't become president? That's a weak excuse to vote for anyone.
J:
I will vote for who I feel will be the best President of our country. I agree if the comment below were the only reason to vote for anyone it would be an extremely weak vote. However, I will not vote for anyone as inexperienced and unamerican as Obama. I don't care what you promise to the country in any debate, if you turn your back on the emblem of our country, the emblem that represents the blood lost by countless men and women over the history of our country and refuse to show honor to the emblem for which you will be called to serve as President then you have no business even running for office anywhere i.e. city, state or nation.
You can believe what you want, that is the blessing of living in this country and that blessing was won through the blood and tears of American Heroes. Obama doesn't care one bit about that no matter what he says.
AM:
I applaud your enthusiasm and passion. And of course, everyone should vote for the person they believe will do the best job -- I hope you understand that my comment was in the same jesting vein as your original posting.
But may I make one point against what seems to be sweeping this nation? I had not heard about this "Obama refuses to salute the flag" issue until a friend in church (he is the 2nd counselor in the Bishopric -- we count the tithing together on Sundays) brought this up. So, curious about this heated issue I had not heard about, I went to the Internet to find the news segment about it. I found it. I found the controversy. And I found the explanations, the excuses, the heated words, and the fear mongers spouting lies and truths simultaneously. I also found Senator Obama leading Congress in the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of several Congressional sessions and joining with school children in the same activity. The picture for which much has been said about him refusing to salute the flag and "turn his back on it" is true but also misleading. The flag is behind everyone on the stand (i.e. nearly no one is saluting it, although the other candidates do have their hands on their hearts, and two do turn around to face that flag, unlike the other 6 people on the stand). I also found an amateur video of the same event. The national anthem is being sung (rather poorly in my opinion, but that's not the point) and Senator Obama is singing along while the other candidates are just standing (either enjoying or cringing). I agree he should have put his hand on his heart. No question. But was his inaction to do so out of spite for the flag or refusal or because he doesn't care about the country or the men and women who have died for it? Or was it because he just didn't do it or forgot? I honestly don't know the real reason, but here is the point -- NEITHER DOES ANYBODY ELSE. But that doesn't stop people from ASSUMING and then spreading that he is a flag-hating, scum-sucking, anti-American lying son-of-a-gun.
There is a wave of hatred being spewed during this presidential election. There has been mud slung at the presidential candidates, some justified, some not, ever since George Washington decided to not run for a third term. But it would appear that the hate mongers have taken over the airwaves and are spreading fear and lies against both candidates and parties with such passion that people either buy into it or they don't know what to think anymore.
I had not heard about this "controversy" because I don't listen to any of them -- neither the right or the left. All of them twist the truth into what they want you to believe or what supports their twisted agenda. I can't name anyone of the media or the pundits that I would say is unbiased and so I have said "goodbye" to all of them. My voting decision will be based on what the candidates themselves say. And yes, just like every election I can remember (and that goes back to Ford/Carter -- I was a little young for Nixon, although I do remember him leaving office), the candidates are going to give a lot of promises that they can never keep and have a lot of hope they can never accomplish. The political system is more complex than any of them care to acknowledge and the office of the President has less power than some would like and more responsibility than anyone should want. But I watched both conventions with an open mind. I've listened to the debates and will tune in to the ones coming up. And then I will turn off the TV or radio before the pundits and spinners can spout anything about I just heard. I don't need their "help". And neither does anyone else.
I gather you will vote for McCain given his ties to the military and your affiliation therein. And there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, you have as good a reason to support him as anyone. Personally, I'm not sure who is best for the job of Commander in Chief, and while I will vote my conscience, I'm pretty sure that my state will vote Democrat as it has since Reagan left office. Not that my vote won't count -- it's just a little discouraging to know that if I vote Republican, I will be in the minority. But I will vote. And I will encourage others to do so. And I encourage everyone to make up their own minds and stop being swayed by hate mongers and those with alternative agendas. If you think that Senator Obama will be a bad president or that Senator McCain will be a good president, please vote accordingly. But please don't vote against someone because of what you have heard some pundit spew. If they are to be believed, then no one is fit for the job and anarchy should be established (yes, I know that was oxymoronic).
Thanks for letting me get that off my chest. Feel free to trash this if you wish -- that is part of the freedom you help defend and that I help fund. Differing opinions and the ability to express them is part of what makes America great and why so many wish to join us. It is also why others fear us and wish us harm. But as long as we continue to debate and let others keep their opinions, right or wrong, we will survive until the One whose right it is to rule returns.
I hope you and your family are well.
J:
I apologize for getting on my soap box. I appreciate your frank reply and learned (again) to take the time to research what I hear and what the media says on TV. I will take the time in the future to try to learn more about an issue, like this one, before I share my opinion. However, I find it increasingly difficult to find credible sources for such information. It is hard to know what to believe. Candidates make promises they can't keep, the media only reports what sells newspapers and airtime and people continue to forward unsubstantiated e-mails around the globe.
Please accept my apology for being too passionate. Thank you for your patience and candor. It is my prayer that our Savior comes soon, so that the world will praise His name and He will rule in righteousness and the secret combinations of the wicked will cease.
May God bless you and yours always.
AM:
No problems. If the people of this world were guilty of only being a "too passionate patriot" like yourself, it would be a much better place than it is today. I hope you know that I am very proud to be able to say that my closest cousin serves in the Air Force and has been to places (most of which the rest of us have very little desire to visit) to help secure our national freedoms. While I was in the MTC and you were in Basic, you wrote to me that you wanted to be like Captain Moroni (I believe you even called him your hero at the time). He had a problem with misinformation once and acted very passionately about it. That is one of my favorite stories from the BofM, and you remind me of him.
Ironically, the freedoms you help protect are taken advantage of to the point that most Americans are confused by the shear volume of information (and misinformation). I too have had a hard time finding credible sources this past couple of years (longest presidential run EVER). I have to keep asking myself "Really?". In the beginning I listened to everyone. That didn't work -- they are all angry, opinionated, self-centered media whores (if you will forgive the term). So I then listened to just the candidates. That didn't work either -- all of them change what they say and promise depending on their audience and whether they need money from that audience, which is most of the time. So then I decided, "I'm a smart guy with a college degree -- let's find the official platforms and compare and contrast." That actually was very enlightening. And the biggest thing I realized was that no one in politics has a clue about the real world, how to fix the problems, or what the ramifications of their ideas could be. This was particularly true when it came to tax "reform" -- a subject I do understand. And I can tell you that nobody running today, and few who were running before, have any clue about tax law. They want to use it as it has always been used -- to reward or discourage certain behaviors. And they don't realize that half of what they want to do is not allowed by the tax code as it now reads -- thus they would need to change the code (literally by an act of Congress) in order to do what they propose. Good luck. This past two weeks we saw how "easy" that is to do. And the mess that they passed for this financial bailout is not even known by the general public. I have read what they passed and it is a major amount of tax provisions that does a whole lot for very few and punishes both the guilty and the innocent. Just wait -- you heard it here first -- this latest tax bill will bite someone you know.
So how do you make an intelligent decision? Well, prayer would be the best answer. If it is truth that we seek, then we must go to the source of truth. But if I am to take the D&C at its word, I should come to some conclusion first, right? So now I just pray to be guided in my search and for inspiration when the time comes to actually vote. I have listened to the candidates, including their various speeches and debates, and maybe in the end what I should look for is the candidate who will help the Savior come faster. Unfortunately, that may mean picking the guy who will bring about a lot of pain and suffering. :) Yes, I do have a warped sense of humor, but you already knew that about me.
Thus, in the end, I've decided to sit back, relax, listen to the various comedians poke fun at the candidates (especially those who do not take sides, but mock everyone equally) and not take anyone too seriously. It has become very apparent that this country is full of a lot of stressed out, fearful, panicky people. We all need to breathe and realize that neither candidate is a terrorist or a savior. We should remember that financial crises have come before. Presidents, Congressmen, and every other type of politician come and go. The end of the world will come, sooner or later. And for some of us, it will come sooner than it will for others (i.e. don't worry about the Second Coming -- focus on when your meeting the Savior might come -- our grandfathers didn't have to wait for the end of the world).
I better get back to work. Thanks for the chance to chat -- I do miss our days of being in closer physical proximity. I guess we finally grew up and had lives. I just wonder sometimes when it was that I grew up. :)
God bless you and yours
