I'm getting awfully tired of everyone saying how "gutsy" or "accomplished" or whatever about Sarah Palin just to be either politically correct or to take a left-handed swipe at Barack Obama. Okay she got elected governor of the State of Alaska, but that isn't even as big an accomplishment as being elected MAYOR of San Jose!! There are some high schools in this country nearly as big as Wasilla. Should their student body presidents or principals be considered qualified to be President of the United States?
She is a religious fanatic who uses "God's will" and "His forgiveness" both as a motivator and an excuse. Neither of these have a place in American government - remember the Constitution!? Her city's policy to make rape victims pay for their rape kits is nigh on to the complete total lack of rights rape victims have in many Islamic fundamentalist countries.
She is a woman who would deny the rights of all other women. Yes, everyone, we can criticize her even though she is a woman. Please say so and say so loudly!!!
I was thinking about John McCain's response to The View's hosts regarding a constitutional ban on abortion. He said he was a strict constructionist on the Constitution and Whoopi Goldberg responded should she then still be a slave? And there are many on the right who would aspire to a Consitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman.
I got to thinking about this. Let me say right up front I am no constitutional scholar, so these are mostly my own musings.
It seems to me that the Constitution was written to set forth and preserve the rights of the American people. The Constitution says we have the right to free speech, the right to worship as we please, the right to a free press, and the much beloved right to bear arms (which is the only one that gives me pause but I get the context). The Constitution goes on to outline the limits it places on governmental bodies: setting forth the system of checks and balances, separation of church and state, protection against unlawful search and seizure, no forced quartering of the military, civilian oversight of the military, etc.
Most of the amendments to the Constitution were put in place to expand the rights of certain people: abolishing slavery, women's suffrage, elimination of the poll tax, lowering the voting age to 18. The only amendment put in place to restrict the rights of the American people was prohibition and it had to be repealed.
The use of the Constitution to restrict the rights of any American citizen is antithetical to its purpose and surely must fail. We must elect Barack Obama so that our beloved Constitution is not misused to trample on the rights of any citizen.
I just added my quotes, but after seeing the new video "My American Prayer" I wanted to share a quote that I have carried in my pocket for probably 15 years or more. I was very impressed when I found it because it is from a politician that I think may have been underestimated:
Life's unfairness is not irrevocable; we can help balance the scales for others, if not always for ourselves. - Hubert Humphrey.
This is in great contrast to those who say we should quit whining!
