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| Author: Posted: Sep. 8, 2002 | This Page Viewed: 7,122,473 |
Question of the Week: 12 - 10/23/2000 Pagan Choice for the y2k US Election This week's Pagan Perspective question is a redux of one that we asked about at the beginning of August... And we apologize in advance to our non-United States readers that we have again brought up an issue that is rather exclusive to just one country, but feel free to comment on the shenanigans of the American political system as you see it.) Which political platform or candidate are you leaning towards? Have you made up your mind or changed your mind? Will you vote and who-if you don't mind telling the world-are you planning to vote for? Why have you made this particular choice? |
| Reponses: There are 129 responses posted to this question. | Reverse Sort |
| I've Spent A Lovely Morning Slogging Through Political Pamphlets, Web Sites, And... | Oct 23rd. at 1:46:31 pm EDT |
| Maythen Apple (Redding, California US) | Age: 23 |
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I've spent a lovely morning slogging through political pamphlets, web sites, and any other sources I could lay my hands on. It seems like it always comes down to voting for the lesser of two evils. I can't say I'm particularly pleased with any of the candidates. I'm not really voting For Gore, I'm voting Against Bush. Both have some issues that I'm having trouble with. But after all the anti-pagan stuff Bush has been spouting I simply can't, in good concience, consider him. This president is going to be electing Supreme Court judges. Long after he is gone those judges will continue to influence our government. So it seems i'm in the same boat as most of you. Instead I'm putting a lot more thought and research into the other decisions I'll be facing in the booth. If you don't vote, imho, you don't have the right to complain. There's a pretty good chance I'll be doing a lot of complaining about politics soon. But I still intend to make sure my voice, however small, is heard. |
| I Will Not Be Voting For Bush. I Didn't Vote For Him... | Oct 23rd. at 2:15:59 pm EDT |
| Tasha (Mansfield, Texas US) | Age: 20 - Email |
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I will not be voting for Bush. I didn't vote for him when he ran for govenor of my state, and I certainly will not vote for him to become president. Maybe my vote will be wasted, because of the unnecessary electoral college, and we all know that Bush will take Texas. Not only has be said very derogatory things about pagans and Wiccans, he wants to use my tax money to support faith-based afterschool programs. I don't want my money going to a Catholic, Jewish or any other religion afterschool program. If I wanted to give my money to a faithbased afterschool program, it would be one that I supported. I should have a choice in the matter. Also, I am still really irked with Bush about the ads he ran in his govenor race that were extremely derogatory to single parents, saying that my son and I weren't a family unless I was married. He doesn't deserve my vote. I'll probably vote for Gore. He's smart, and seems to be on top of the political issues that I feel are important. To the best of my knowledge, he has never made rude comments about single parents, my religion, and isn't going to use my tax dollars for faith-based afterschool programs. Anyway, even if Gore did want to use my tax dollars for that, he's not the one that makes the tax laws. Which is something I think we all need to take into consideration when voting. The President doesn't make the laws, Congress does. The canidates are going to make promises, and not one of them are they going to be able to keep, because of this. |
| First Off I Have To Say Forget The Pagan Religious Angle Of... | Oct 23rd. at 2:56:18 pm EDT |
| Tanais (Spokane, Washington US) | Age: 19 |
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First off I have to say forget the pagan religious angle of this election. It's for all purposes a non-issue. Bush, if elected, will have no real power to say which religion deserves to be called one. As far as I'm concerned nobody has that right. The religious intolerance of Bush is only the tip of the iceburg. Look at his soft-money contributions, his special interest contributions, not to mention his apprehensible suggestion to turn the last great frontier into an oil field just so Americans can have cheaper power for the next couple months. I'd like to say why not address the consumption problem in America rather then exploiting some of the most beautiful land on this planet. I honestly think he has driven Texas into the ground. Almost dead last in terms of pollution and education and that's not the qualifications that I want for someone that represents me. Gore brought up the statistics and Bush came up with probably the most confusing and incoherent answer I've ever heard a politician uttur. He never addressed the question or even acknowledged wither or not the statistics were true. Then there is his total disregard for human life. During the debate, a court case was brought up about a hate crime in Texas, and Gov. Bush looked overjoyed at the fact that the death penalty is being used. I want nobody that can take pleasure in anyone's death in the white house. I am adamently against Bush. From his BS tax budget plan to his obviously corrupted policies, I can't ever in my wildest dream concider voting for Bush. I have trouble understanding why anyone but extreme right wingers could. Gore is not much better. I've heard from friends that he speaks his mind, he doesn't. He is the stereotypical politician. He has never been strait forward on any question. The thing is he has a reason for doing that. He's not an idiot. He knows how close this election is going to be so he can't afford to have a backbone. If he does, he's going to do everything he can to make sure the entire country agrees. Gore does have good qualities. Big on education, big on environmental policies, and his tax plan actually has a chance of working. Also he's willing to implement a Patients Bill of Rights. I'm tired of HMOs and asking my insurance company if I can have certain medications or if my parents can have surgery because they are in constant back problems. I'm very suprised that Bush is not more environmentally conscious. It was his father Pres. George Bush that was the one that signed the bill for the Clean Air Act. I honestly can't understand Gov. Bush at all. He is probably a good guy. I can't say I've ever met him but everything he stands for in this election just rubs me the wrong way. Vote For Gore |
| Not Bush Pretty Much Somes It Up. I Will Not Mind Al... | Oct 23rd. at 3:18:09 pm EDT |
| Merlin (Cape Cod, Massachusetts US) | Age: 16 |
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Not Bush pretty much somes it up. I will not mind Al that much but lets face it Ralph would do much better than those two. Bush has said more than once "I do not think Witchcraft is a religion and I do not think the militery should endorse it" do we realy want that guy to win. No thanks I would take Al Gore any day over Bush. Blessed BE |
| I Apologize For An Inaccuracy I Spoke Of In Opinion #963. I... | Oct 23rd. at 3:41:00 pm EDT |
| Andrew Giamis (Binghamton, New York US) | Age: 28 |
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I apologize for an inaccuracy I spoke of in Opinion #963. I mentioned Senator Lott as being the guy with the gasoline, ready to torch the first military witch. I realize that it is Senator Barr to whom I am refering. I am not very familiar with Senator Lott or his policies. I simply mixed up the names. Either way, my vote is not so much as for Gore (or Hagelin) as it is against Bush. |
| I'm Voting For Gore, For Several Reasons. One, I'm Extremely Pleased With... | Oct 23rd. at 4:01:00 pm EDT |
| Letha (Woodland Park, Colorado US) | Age: 29 - Email |
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I'm voting for Gore, for several reasons. One, I'm extremely pleased with the state of the economy today, and I want more of the same, with as little disruption as possible. Two, Gore has foreign relations experience. He has a dignity and a grace in difficult situations. Bush certainly does not. Three, I'm pro-Choice. And I have a daughter. Four, Bush has the intellect of a speed-bump. Five, Bush has made it quite apparent that he does not believe that Wicca is a religion and, thus, worthy of protection under the 1st amendment. And, most vitally--the next president will be responsible for appointing several new Supreme Court Justices. Bush is a strict constructionist. I am not. This is a much bigger deal than most people probably think it is. The Supreme Court decides such fun issues as religious freedom, access to abortion, and discrimination suits. Bush has said he favors more justices like Scalia and Thomas. That about does it. I think it's coming. |
| I'm Voting For Ralph Nader. Do I Think Nader Will Win? Are... | Oct 23rd. at 4:22:19 pm EDT |
| NatalieWitch (Corydon, Indiana US) | Age: 21 - Email |
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I'm voting for Ralph Nader. Do I think Nader will win? Are you kidding? Nader doesn't have a chance in Hel! I realise that. So why am I "wasting my vote" on Ralph Nader? Isn't a vote for Nader just a vote for Bush in disguise? Maybe. But it really depends on where you live. I happen to live in Indiana. Those of you who keep up with these sorts of things know that Indiana's electorial votes always go to the Republican candidate. So, in Indiana, (and other traditonally Republican states) voting for a Democratic candidate is a wasted vote! So why bother to vote for Nader anyway? Well, primarily because I would much rather give my precious vote to a party and an individual that supports the issues I care about, such as Women's rights, (which, although the Democrats don't seem to realise it lately, are more than just the abortion issue!) and the enviroment, (I personally would rather cast my vote for a party founded on enviromentalist beliefs than vote for Gore, whose best interests seem not to be those from his feel-good earthy book, but in his protecting OPEC stock!). I also have great respect for the two Green party candidates. For those of you who don't know who Ralph Nader is, he is most well known as the consumer advocate who in 1965 literally saved thousands of lives by fighting General Motors' unsafe standerds for automoblies. His actions launched the modern consumer movement. Nader's running mate is Winona Laduke who serves as the board co-chair for the Indigenous Women's Network and works as the Director of the Honor the Earth Fund. (Take that, Tipper.) And if all of that wasn't enough to make me want to vote Green in next month's election, then this is. Should the Green party recieve only 5% of the nation's vote, they will recieve equal government funds and debate privileges in 2004. With only 5% of the public's vote, we can destroy the bipartisan "Republicrat" circus that has been destroying the public's voice for years. A vote for Ralph Nader could be a vote for a better future. Interested? Check out http://www.nostatusquo.com/Nader/ for more good reasons to vote Green. |
| Bush Is So Bad In So Many Ways I'm Stunned That So... | Oct 23rd. at 4:56:30 pm EDT |
| Andraste (New York, New York US) | Age: 35 |
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Bush is so bad in so many ways I'm stunned that so many people out there say they will vote for him. There is nothing, absolutely nothing about him that I like. On top of being an anti-choice, hypocritical, narrow mined, religious bigot with the IQ of a hamster he makes my skin crawl. Asking Gore or Bush is like a highwayman asking "your money or your life?". Duh! I'd rather keep both but only a nutter would say "ok, take my life"! |
| Torn Between Nadar And Gore; I Would Love To Vote My Conscience... | Oct 23rd. at 6:58:15 pm EDT |
| Lynne-Renee Reed (St. Louis area, Missouri US) | Age: 28 - Email |
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Torn between Nadar and Gore; I would love to vote my conscience but I'm literally knotted with fear at the thought of Buxh taking office. Let's be honest, HE isn't going to do any harm if elected. He's a figurehead and can likely as not do a good job of delivering personal appearances. It's his party platform that makes my hair stand on end. Let's not mention his cronies. Mr. Gore is certainly an academic (which I respect) and has in the past been my main reason (twice) for voting for Clinton with high hopes. If elected, I hope he actually delivers some of the things he's held me with over the past 8 years. Want details? Think democratic-socialist. I've lived in Europe, thank you. Nadar seems the best bet for all-around guy wanting to REALLY do something. I will vote for him if it looks hopeless for Mr. Gore. This is so we can have a greater choice of freedom in the future (think multi-party system). Know what's really, really important? GET OFF YOUR TUSHIES AND VOTE! |
| Hi, All!; I Gave Up On The American Political System In 64... | Oct 23rd. at 7:32:43 pm EDT |
| Tarostar (Toronto, Ontario CA) | Age: 58 - Email |
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Hi, All!; I gave up on the American political system in 64, when I filed an absentee ballot from service in the Military to the home state in Nevada. I registered Republican and voted Democrat. The Nevada Registrar of Voters contacted me and said my vote had been disallowed, as the community wards go by registration to candidates. I did not trust Goldwater, but was not allowed to vote for Johnson. When an opportunity came up to move to Canada, I did. BB Tarostar |
| My Following Letter, Sent To The George W. Bush Campaign, Should At... | Oct 23rd. at 8:34:47 pm EDT |
| Brandon Watkins (Lansing, Michigan US) | Age: 28 - Email |
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My following letter, sent to the George W. Bush campaign, should at least tell you who I am NOT voting for: ------------------------------------- I quote Mr. Bush from the webwhiteblue.org website: "Religious Freedom And Tolerance Is A Protected Right I am committed to the First Amendment principles of religious freedom, tolerance, and diversity. Whether Mormon, Methodist, Jewish, or Muslim, Americans should be able to participate in their constitutional free exercise of religion. I do not think witchcraft is a religion, and I do not think it is in any way appropriate for the U.S. military to promote it. " It is obvious that you do NOT support the First Amendment rights of free religion and by immediate extension are a completely inappropriate choice for the position of guarding and executing national laws, per the Constitution of the United States. I also wish to add that you are clearly uneducated about Wicca, the Pagan religions, as well as your own religion, Christianity. Witchcraft" in the sense that it is used by those of the Wiccan faith is analogous to "prayer" in your religion. You have apparently been watching too many B-rate horror movies. Wicca is a strongly positive faith and in NO WAY associates with negative or destructive attitudes or activities. At the core of the religion holds the statement "Harm None." That includes physical harm, emotional harm, and even the violation of another's free will. I have never known a Wiccan who did not fully and thoroughly support this core concept. Can Christians make such claim? Please educate yourself about the religion from an objective viewpoint (rather than being a puppet of the right-wing of your party) before making preposterous and insulting claims and statements. There are more practicing Wiccans in this nation than Buddhists, Taoists, and many other legally recognized religions. I point you to the following location for an objective view on Wicca. The site also contains much objective information on Christianity, Islam, and many other religions. EDUCATE YOURSELF MR. BUSH!!! http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm Thank you, Brandon S. Watkins Michigan ------------------------------------- CONTINUING WITH COMMENT.... While I don't feel Gore is a perfect choice, there is no "perfect" choice. However, his support for environmental safeguards and low-pollution energy alternatives, as well as his stated support for freedom of religion, leads me to support him heavily over George W. Bush. Even if Gore didn't support environmental causes so strongly, I would vote for him simply to try to keep the party-puppet Fascist, Bush, out of office. |
| I Would Want Ralph Nader, He's A Green Back. But Also, I... | Oct 23rd. at 8:35:54 pm EDT |
| LunarBard (Wausau, Wisconsin US) | Age: 16 |
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I would want Ralph Nader, he's a green back. But also, I don't want Bush, so if there isn't any great lead then its Gore. The lesser of two evils you know. Thats IF i could vote :-( |
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