I googled my name out of curiosity, and found my other blogs. I was pleased to see the connection between this site, and another site dear to my heart. I recently joined Navy for Moms, an online community for Navy Moms. I feel like it's a good way for me to support the troops.
I believe in the power of the pen, or in this day and age, the age of technology, the power of the internet. The internet, though often abused and used for evil purposes, can be a wonderful tool for worthy causes. It is a wonderful way to communicate with others, even others clear across the world. It can be a way to increase understanding among people.
When people get involved in online communities, and start sharing things dear to one's heart, such as family photos, pictures of sacred places, interests and beliefs, we soon learn that, no matter what country or background we are from, we are more alike than we thought. It becomes evident, to the honest heart, that we are all brothers and sisters, of one humanity, children of a loving and benevolent God. With that mind set, we begin to really care about this planet Earth, and the people on it. We find ourselves wanting to make life better for all of us, in whatever way we can, using the talents we have been blessed with.
I'd like to think that those of us who are passionate about blogging, using our love for the written word, and our talent for putting our thoughts on paper, or on Internet sites, are also serving worthy causes, as much as those who are actually on the front lines, serving as volunteers in hospitals, homeless shelters, or relief organizations. I believe we are, by sharing words of encouragement, telling others about worthy causes, and bringing the light of truth and hope into the hearts and minds of those living in the darkness of despair.
I've been trying to figure out what it is about this campaign, and this candidate, that has me so fascinated. It's been years since I've felt so fired-up about an election campaign. But, this time is different. I downloaded YES WE CAN, and it's worth every penny of my donation for more reasons than one. The music is terrific, that's for sure, but it's Barack Obama's voice, the passion and sincerity I hear in his voice that gets me, his words, and the way he says them. He inspires me! He wakes up the slumbering Idealism in me. He makes this old girl feel young again!
The feeling of Hope for a better America, for more unity and brotherhood, for a better world for all of us is what this is all about. It's a good feeling! It's worth working for. Together, we can do it.
YES WE CAN!! OBAMA/BIDEN '08
With all the videos I've been watching lately, I should have known it would happen. I've caught it, just like everybody else here. I have Obama/Biden fever! The symptoms are an almost uncontrollable need to talk, e-mail, blog, and tell everyone I meet about Obama. Mainly, I've caught HOPE! Hope for this country to turn around, hope for real change, hope for all of us. Hope for America!
I bet McCain wishes we were all Quarantined!
OBAMA/BIDEN '08 YES WE CAN!!!
Maybe it's because I'm a Mormon, and I have a bit of experience with prejudice, and maybe it's because I know how upset I was when Mit Romney, in my opinion, didn't have a fair chance to share his message with the people of this nation, because of anti-Mormon sentiment, but my prejudice antenna is twitching again. When I see all the ignorant remarks against Barack Obama, stupid allegations that he's a terrorist because he was once on an educational committee with a FORMER member of the radical 60's anti-war group, the Weathermen Underground, and even more foolish remarks that he must be a Muslim with a name like his, so he must be a terrorist, I can't help but wonder about the intelligence of some people.
Note the word in caps, FORMER. Are there any allegations that Bill Ayers or his wife are still involved in radical underground groups? The 60's was a turbulent time, with many idealistic college students involved in the anti-war movement. Unfortunately, some of them did turn to violence when they felt that they weren't being heard. Some of them also, in my opinion, had some radically wrong ideas. But, now, 40-something years later, can't they be forgiven, especially when they have changed their lives and worked to make things better? But, even that is not really the point I'm trying to make. Why should Barack Obama be smeared the way he is being smeared just because he used to work in a community project with some people who used to be radicals in the anti-war movement way back in the 60's?
He shouldn't be, anymore than a person of the Islamic faith should be accused of being a 9/11 type terrorist, or a Mormon should be accused of being a polygamist because of a radical polygamy group in Texas. It's prejudice, plain and simple.
I hope someday there can be an Election Campaign that is based strictly on the issues, and not on personal attacks due to religious differences, life experiences, or race. Talking about The Issues is what's important, what really brings out the voters, and the underlying purpose of the campaign.
Prejudice just takes people's minds off the issues that count. Prejudice keeps people from listening to other people's ideas. Prejudice keeps people from learning to work together to make America better. Prejudice, along with its uglier twin, Bigotry, hurts people and hurts our country.
I'm really not a party line loyalist, to either party. I never have been. I've always been an independent thinker, more prone to be concerned about the issues, than about the personalities of the candidates. That has made for an interesting time in the voting booth for me, and I've been known to vote for Republicans, Democrats, and others, at the same time. As an independent thinker, I have crossed party lines. As a Moderate Conservative, I feel that Barack Obama fits my way of thinking, and comes closest to my ideals.
I took a little quiz a few days ago, and found that I agree with just about everything he hopes to do for this country. I believe in his sincerity, his compassion, and his intellectual understanding of the issues that are important to me. He has a commonsense approach that, I feel, will make him a good President.
Even on the tough issues that are plaguing this country right now, like the war on terror, I think he has a good approach. We all want the troops home, but we do need to do all we can, diplomatically, to get the people of Iraq back on firm ground as a democracy. Then, we need to go help Afghanistan, and the Georgia Republic, working through diplomacy as much as possible. We can't do that if we are stuck in Iraq forever. That is why I agree with Barack Obama that there needs to be some kind of a time table set up to gradually take our troops out. I trust him to do the right thing, and not just abandon the people, or leave our troops without the help they need. As a Navy mom, the safety and wellbeing of our military forces is of supreme importance to me.
I've been a blogger for years, even before the word was invented and became popular. I started out as a charter member of an online Journal Keeping group, soon after getting the internet for the first time, in the late 1990's. Since then, in addition to participating in various forums on the web, I've expanded to My Space and Facebook, and to having my own blog on Blogspot. Now, here I go with a brand new one, with a special purpose. Who would ever have thought that a quiet, unassuming, 61-year old grandmother would get involved this way?
I hope I can add something positive to the efforts of others, in this important campaign. I just wish I'd awakened a little sooner. There's not much time left to make an impact.
Well, I hardly know where to begin. This is my first attempt at actually writing a blog to support a political campaign. The only campaign I really got involved in before was way back in 1992, when one of my sons and I were VA Delegates for Jerry Brown. I was rather disappointed at the outcome, to say the least, but I ended up voting for Bill Clinton. Then, over the years,things changed, I changed, and I voted for George Bush, Jr., both times.
This time around, I was still in the Republican camp, hoping for Romney to have a chance. Well, we all know how that turned out. As a Latter-day Saint, I was hoping he'd have a chance, but I guess the nation isn't ready for a Mormon in the White House, no matter how good his ideas might be. So, still the loyal Republican, or so I thought, I started listening to John McCain. Then a funny thing happened, just recently, and I began really paying attention to this relative newcomer, Barack Obama, and I liked what I heard!
What's funny is that my two daughters had been telling me for quite a while about him and why they like him. Needless to say, they are both thrilled that I have come over to this side of the fence. I am, too!
