National Day of Prayer

Tomorrow marks America’s National Day of Prayer.

National Day of Prayer Slight by White House a Sign of Things to Come?

What are your feelings about Obama’s decision to keep the National Day of Prayer quiet, with little White House support?  Is this something to be expected by the President’s Administration?  Will it help him or hurt him and his support/approval ratings?

It’s funny, because I’ve never considered myself a deeply religious or spiritual person until the past year or so.  But now…well, I do.  And I find it hard to believe that in a country where the majority of people believe in a higher power, the President of the United States seems to be getting more and more hands off where religion is concerned.  I don’t need the President to believe exactly what I believe….but I do need him to believe.  And I worry that this is a move meant to further alienate conservaties and Christians and to gain him more support by atheists, agnostics, and liberals.

Separation of church and state means no government sponsored religion.  I get that.  But encouraging prayer doesn’t, in my opinion, fall into that category.

President Obama shows himself as more left every single day…and with Supreme Court appointments looming, I won’t lie and say that it doesn’t make me a little bit nervous about his potential to appoint someone with a liberal agenda instead of a deep routed passion and understanding of the laws of our country.

Thank You, Mr. President.

I know that in the scheme of all things political, I am a bit naive.  I don’t understand the inner-workings of the government, I have no desire to follow politics as closely as some, and I trust that deep down inside, everyone wants the best for our country, even if we all have different ideas of how to get there or what “the best” means.

I know, I know.  I live in a bit of a fantasy world.

But I have been reading so many posts and seen avatars and read status updates and…well, the list goes on and on.  And I couldn’t let today end and tomorrow dawn without posting this.

Thank you, George W. Bush.  You have had a difficult task in front of you, and I respect you for rising to the challenge, and for doing the best that you could when you were confronted with hard choices.  I am sure you have regrets, and that you made mistakes.  I’m sure that if you could go back, you might do some things differently.

But I believe you did the best you could, and I thank you for taking the reins of our country and leading us down an uncertain road.

I know there are many who are saying that your presidency will be recognized as the worst in history.  I don’t think so, and I want you to know that I won’t remember it to my children that way.  Under your presidency, my husband I have secured and kept jobs that we love, purchased two beautiful homes, had two amazing children, and been able to provide them with everything they need and more.  We’ve had the opportunity to live overseas, and haven’t met anyone who hasn’t wanted to be friends with us because we’re Americans.

I think history will remember you as a good man in a difficult situation, with difficult choices.  Mistakes?  Yes.  But someone deserving of a lower approval rating than Nixon’s on the day he was impeached?  No.

I know that I will remember you standing on a pile of rubble in New York City on September 12, 2001, and when the man in the crowd shouted, “We can’t hear you,” you shouted back…”But I can hear you.”  I got tears in my eyes then, and that is the President Bush I will remember.

Thank you for leading us.  I look forward to Mr. Obama’s presidency with hope, because I know our country needs to make some changes.  But I remember you and your presidency, and thank you.

Separation of Church and State

Sometimes, I’m happy that we are spending the girls’ preschool and nursery school years in the UK, where they don’t have the separation that is so doted on in the United States. Now, before anyone rails at me and reminds me of religious persecution and why we have the separation of church and state in America, realize that I’m talking about it because of this:

Kicka is the sheep in the back left, Sam is all the way on the right

I mean, really, there is something to be said for a real Christmas nativity play. The fact that we don’t have to tiptoe around the reason that we have this beautiful (eta: spiritual) season. The fact that my children acted out the birth of Christ, and were able to talk about him in school.

My Angel

Something to be said for recognizing that the majority of people (at least in the UK, and in America) do celebrate Christmas, and yet it’s the most taboo of the holidays to talk about in public school. Yet many schools highlight other holidays, faiths, and religions in the interest of education and diversity, but ignore the majority, which could be taught as educational, too.

Baah!

If you don’t agree, I don’t mind. As long as you agree that this is the cutest angel and the cutest sheep you’ve ever seen, we’re still on the same page.

Things I’ve Learned about Politics

I made the mistake of getting into a political conversation on Ravelry…my safe place.  What the heck was I thinking?

But, in fact, I’ve learned quite a bit and thought I should share!

1)  Whatever statistics you post, someone will have statistics pointing to the opposite.

2)  If people ask for your opinion, they don’t really want it.  They want to pick it apart and criticize it.

3)  Be careful when posting large quantities of information in one thread.  People like to pick and choose what they see you saying and blend it together into something that completely misses the point.

4)  No matter what you say, what you read, or how willing you are to learn and discuss, there are people who will always think that they are right and you are wrong.  Read what they post and still don’t change your mind?  They get downright nasty sometimes.

5)  I’m never talking politics again.  Seriously.

Well, at least I learned that much.

The thing is, I got involved in the conversation not to change anyone’s mind, but to make other people see my point of view.  They didn’t like that.

It’s funny to me, though, that some people who are so in favor of free thinking only want me to make up my own mind if I agree with them.

Ah, the irony of it all.

Back to knitting I go.