Friday, April 11, 2008

Battling The Sick Far Right

Last Saturdy, Lil Joe and I went down to the Obama Office to meet others and canvas. When we got there we found one of the Sick Far Right holding a huge sign. He was yelling "This is what Obama stands For"! His sign? It was a picture of an abortion. This guy was big and many who were going in and out of the office were intimidated. About half of the volunteers showing up were women. Well I'm kinda big too :)
So instead of canvasing I was called upon to counter his sign. I was given a huge Obama sign collage. I stood in front of him holding that and shielding his sign from passerby and driverby's. For a bit over an hour. I waved and smiled the hour away. Many a friendly honk was heard and quite a few thumbs up and Peace signs too. The staff kept Lil Joe entertained and he even got a matchbox car out of the deal. Not wanted I really wanted to do that day. In other news of that day, the volunteers knocked on over 300 doors. Over a thousand this week!
So anyways, I have very limited time to be online, what with moving and all. For some reason I feel compelled to repost this letter I wrote -
A LETTER THAT CONSERVATIVE NEWSPAPERS REFUSED TO PRINT
The following is a letter I sent to a whole bunch of newspapers across America in mid 2003. I targeted Red States and "close" States. Many in the Midwest. Some were Newspapers online and others print. As far as I know it was never printed. I guess they were afraid others may read it. It's time to correct that oversight.

Hello, our names are xxxx and xxxxx.
My wife and I recently had to make a very personal decision on whether to end a pregnancy. This personal crisis did not possess any of the watchwords of the debate on abortion, such as unwed, teen, partial birth or rape. The deep spiritual and personal concerns facing my wife and I were just too complicated to be struck with any knee jerk label.

My wife and I, along with a Medical Doctor and Staff, who provided us with professional advice and support made the right decision.

There are those who strive to take away our decision. There are those who would kill the Doctor and Staff who provided us with Medical Care.

There are those who say we can't be trusted with this decision and want to make it for us, because they think they have a just right to do so.

Are these the same trusting people who see every issue in such a stark black and white prism that their political leaders can loudly proclaim "You're either with us or against us"?

Are these the same trusting people who's religious leaders loudly proclaim "This is a War against Islam", and have Sabbath Day War Briefings complete with Battle maps?

Are these the same trusting people whose Economic Leaders loudly proclaim, "It's a fair market, put your money here?

Are these the same trusting people who scream "Support the Troops" to the Mothers of the Born and Unborn children to be sacrificed on the Altar of Patriotism?

You know they are the same people. You see their catatonic inducing images everyday.

Give up our Right to make informed personal decisions to these people?

Give up our Right to squeak a dissent?

Give up our Right to Sneak and Peak through the blood stained glass adorning the Temple of Democracy?

It's our decision.

The answer is no.

PS - When I asked the mmmm errr gentleman protesting in front of the Obama office what he thought of anti choicers killing Doctors who perform abortions he answered that it was "Justifiable Homicide". He said the same thing about the Million Iraqi Dead.

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