Okay. So I’ve wanted this blog to reflect my ramblings, my spiritual journey, that kind of stuff and have ever so carefully avoided getting political. I mean, I don’t want to scare anyone off that may have opposing opinions to mine because this blog isn’t about politics.

I love Lisa Samson’s blog and frequent it and a few weeks ago she was mad at her husband and they were a politically divided household. Her husband’s blog had come out against President Bush (although not really FOR Kerry). Anyway, I visited her husband Will’s blog and joined with the many who had a political opinion in expressing mine. (You can read about it on “Take the Bush Challenge” in Will’s October archives. http://willzhead.typepad.com/willzhead/)

Still, I wasn’t too tempted to join the debate here on my own site. Then, last week I got to see President Bush in person and thought seriously about sharing the experience. I mean I was never a teenager who screamed all over rock stars or anything. It just seemed plain stupid, but I found myself jumping up and down and screeching like a teen when the President came out on stage. I was bursting with excitement, maybe because I’ve never prayed for a president as much as I have for him and I believe he has done a wonderful job in some of the most trying circumstances of recent US history.

But I never blogged the experience.

It took Mrs. Heinz Kerry to bring me to this. She commented to reporters that Mrs. Bush had never had a “real job.” (And later apologized because she’d forgotten that Mrs. Bush had been both a public school teacher and librarian.) Our first lady was very gracious, saying that in the stress of the election and with all the reporters pulling at a wife they all say something they regret.

I wanted to be that kind, but felt my blood starting to boil.

Now let me tell you, I’ve tried hard not to join the mommy wars and criticize those of my sex who work outside the home even though I believe kids need their moms and my family has chosen great financial sacrifice over my taking full time employment away from our children. But I don’t feel it’s my place to know what God may lead a particular family to do and I try to support all moms, because we need it and our job is hard. But, besides the fact that Mrs. Kerry’s statement was demeaning to Laura Bush, whom I happen to think is one class act, I couldn’t help but get a little miffed for myself. I’ve worked in public schools, written for PIO office at a state university, and served as the Director of Children’s Ministries (albeit part-time), but I can tell you I’ve never had a more “real” or difficult job in my life than being at home with my children.

Mrs. Kerry’s comment, that she tried to apologize her way out of, is an example of one reason I’ve started voting more and more Republican. I feel the democrats don’t value the job I do or the family unit in general. I don’t want a village raising my child. I want to do it. And though I welcome the help of the communities I chose to be involved in, the government is not who I believe is primarily responsible for the shaping of my children’s lives. I’m all for programs that insure a healthy body for little ones living in poverty and I’m glad there are helps in place for low income families, (there have been times that help came my way) but I don’t like the democratic stance that the children’s minds belong to the government. I like school choice and parental authority!

Now that I’m started I have to complain about something else. Democrats have attracted strong women who support feminism. Here’s my question: If they are so firm on women’s rights, why don’t we hear them applauding the fact that just a few weeks ago in Afghanistan, for the first time, the free elections were began by a 19 year old WOMAN voting?!! If we truly care about women’s rights, why aren’t the democrats appalled that ten Afghanistan girls sometimes have to share ONE pencil because they haven’t been allowed schooling for so long that the supplies are extremely limited. (Maybe they are appalled, but it certainly is a very loud topic with them.) When President Bush and the US fought back against the terrorists and Afghanistan became a battle zone, the positive effect was a FREE government and WOMEN’S rights. We don’t hear the democrats talking about this because it is a BUSH VICTORY (not that a lot of others didn’t share in that victory) and they don’t want to give credit where it is due. I mean here’s a country where women were sometimes put in an arena with wild beasts when they asked for their rights–and now they are walking in public, receiving education, and voting. Isn’t there something here worthy talking about???

Here’s another beef. Iraq. There are good people like Will Samson who are totally opposed to the war in Iraq because he believes Jesus would be a pacifist and not fight (if I’m following his train of thought correctly–read for yourself because I might misunderstand).

I don’t know anyone in this country that would publicly admit that they wish we hadn’t gotten involved in WWII. In fact, history shows us that our own selfishness in not getting involved sooner led to the holocaust and the needless torture and death of millions of Jews. Most people moan that we didn’t take action sooner. They don’t criticize the US for their involvement in bringing down Hitler and freeing those Jews that had survived the concentration camps. After all the horrible things Saddam Hussein did and all that was exposed about his tortuous regime, how can we have the gall to sit around and complain that our troops are still in Iraq, helping build a democracy??????

I know we can’t solve all the world problems. I know Christians are still persecuted, their homes and villages destroyed just because of their faith, in Indonesia. In China, home churches are stormed and their members jailed and tortured. In Myanmer (formerly Burma), the armies hunt down certain people groups, rape and kill and blow up their makeshift homes. I have a friend who escaped that cruel regime after her brother was shot in cold blood because he hurt his leg and could no longer carry the army supplies as he had been forced to do. Even in the refugee camps on the Thailand border the army would invade and plant mines so that if the people who fled returned they would be blown up. I realize there is cruelty everywhere and we can’t stop all of it, but I can’t help but be glad that we found enough reason to go into the hideous dictatorship of Iraq, where men and women have been raped and pillaged, where money meant for the hungry of the country was used to pay off the families of terrorists, where the unspeakable happened, and BRING IT DOWN. Further more, how can we not support the families of the men and women fighting in Iraq? This is war, people. Those in Iraq risk EVERYTHING because they are sworn to protect our nation.

Kerry was quoted in the Washington Post as having said that Americans should only go to war when the United Nations asked them to. Since when are we a people who just follows the whims of the world? Since when is our morality and sense of justice left to be decided by countries like France who make money from Iraq and turn their head to the horrors there?

Meanwhile, at home, the democrats would shout women’s choice and watch our babies die. I grieve with any of you out there who have suffered an abortion. One of my favorite authors, Francine Rivers, wrote a novel about abortion, called The Atonement Child. She has walked the painful journey of overcoming an abortion and found peace. A lot of her healing came through the ministry of pregnancy crisis centers who not only allowed her to volunteer, but who took the time to notice her pain and give her the support she needed to heal. My stand on abortion is not a judgment on anyone who has made that choice. I have regrets in my life and Jesus has covered them all. My point is simply that someone needs to speak up for the oppressed and weak and silent, in Afghanistan, Iraq, and here at home. I don’t see the democrats doing that–unless it is for their animals (and I’m not opposed to animal rights, just would like the same care given to people!)

Just in case anyone is wondering, I’m voting this year and it will be for George W. Bush. If anything I said makes sense to you, please join me at the polls in a few weeks. It’s going to be a very close election. And even though I’m a woman, a mom with a job some people say isn’t “real,” I get to vote in this country of mine–and we have the courageous who’ve gone before us to thank for this freedom. (As well as a God who has allowed such a country to be born and set the standard for freedom in this era.) So I’m being a little courageous tonight and telling you how I feel. Hope you won’t write me off as a judgmental right winger. I’m just a sinner saved by grace, trying to do the best I can. But I can’t be silent tonight.

Feel free to comment whether you agree or disagree. Just try to do it without expletives, okay? I know this is a fire hot topic. :o)