[dar-list] politics and music

[Ellen Rawson]

--- Jim Murphy <jmphlbat at comcast.net> wrote:

> Not a MH fan for the most part but if this statement
> offends you then you
> need to read the constitution and read things about
> how it was put together
> etc. The constitution is all based on things God and
> the need of the people
> to believe in God for their strength and guidance.


Well, yes and no, considering Jefferson was a Deist
for the most part. :)
> 
> Ellen and Sharon,
> 
> I have been on way too many of these forums to say
> my statement was
> truthful, it may start out OK but very quickly,
> political discussions on
> email forums go into the toilet

Only if we let it. There's that whole 'agree to
disagree' thing -- and sharing different opinions and
even debating them doesn't have to mean ad hominen
arguments. When I taught speech and debate in the US,
I used to point out to students how the presidential
debates weren't debates at all; they really were
mostly mudslinging competitions. We don't have to
sling mud.

For me, well, I'm still unsure how I will vote in the
primary. I'm an ex-pat in the UK, but I'm still a
registered Democrat, so I get to vote in the
International Primary. Yes, we have one. We even have
delegates to the conventions. (John Kerry's sister,
who lives in France -- or least did four years ago,
was one of his delegates back in 2004.) I may vote by
snail mail, on-line, or I may go into London on the
night of the 5th to vote in person. London is almost
two hours away, so I'll see how I'm feeling that day,
what with having to teach all day on Wednesday. (I'm
on a free period right now, taking a short break.) And
I'm still going back and forth between the Democratic
candidates; it's a close one for me, and it's going to
be a very personal choice.

My big thing: I don't care so much for whom you vote
as long as you do vote. Part of me has some respect
for countries such as Belgium where voting is
mandatory. I remember moving here and reading how
disappointing a general election turnout was and
realising how high a percentage that turnout would
have been in the US. I find it sad how many people
don't vote. I understand they feel as if they don't
have a choice really, but... 

And the paraphrasing I wrote about what Dar said in
Denver in 1996? It's not a quote, but it's pretty much
what she said. :)

Ellen