An email to my conservative (and undecided) Father.

[Dark]

He sent me this email:

Just in case your still undecided maybe this will help!
Danielle
Subject: 2004 Voter's Guide
Depending on the way you lean, the following information
could have bearing on decisions you make November 2004.
Issues of Importance?
Gay Marriage
President Bush is opposed
John Kerry favors

Partial-Birth Abortion
President Bush is opposed
John Kerry favors

Restoring voluntary prayer in the public schools
President Bush Favors
John Kerry is Opposed

Assault on Mel Gibson for making film about Christ
President Bush supports Gibson
John Kerry participated in Left's assault on Gibson, suggesting
possible anti-Semitism even though Kerry had not seen the film.

Assault on boy Scouts for belief in God and not allowing
Homosexual Scout Leaders
President Bush supports Boy Scouts' stand
John Kerry opposes boy Scouts' stand

Asking for God's blessing on America
President Bush often asks God to bless America in his speeches
John Kerry attacks Bush for mentioning God so often

Judges
President bush says "We need common-sense judges who believe
our rights are derived from God."
John Kerry insists on judges who support the ACLU's radical
anti-Christian, anti-God, anti-family agenda. John Kerry is
insistent on blocking President Bush's federal judge appointments.

Overall Record
President Bush does not vote on issues before Congress but, based on
his publicly stated positions, would receive an 85% conservative rating
from the American Conservative Union if he did.
John Kerry, according to the highly respected, politically-neutral
National Journal rates Kerry the most liberal U. S. Senator in 2003 --
more liberal than Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton.

With help from you and many others, we aim to distribute 25,000,000 of
these
Voter Guides in churches and mailboxes to Christian voters across
America.
If you agree, please pass this on
If you disagree, please delete this

*********************************************************************

Here is how I responded:

Where shall I begin? Hmm, why not at the beginning?

Gay Marriage
President Bush is opposed
John Kerry favors

Why no proof? Because it's

NOT TRUE.
"Kerry says he believes in protecting what he calls the "fundamental rights of gay and lesbian couples" to such things as inheritance and health benefits. But he says he opposes same-sex marriages." ( http://www.abc6.com/article.php?ID=4472 )

-------------------------------

Partial-Birth Abortion
President Bush is opposed
John Kerry favors

TRUE
Wow, the reactionary who wrote this managed to find one thing that's true. Good for them, in fact, let's talk about their record on women's rights.

Kerry was a co-sponsor of the Women's Health equity act ( http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/women/ ) He supports Title XI.

Bush didn't even sign a WORLDWIDE TREATY, ENDORSED BY OVER 250 WORLD LEADERS reaffirming their commitment to women's rights. 250 LEADERS of 85 COUNTRIES.

Of course, Bush has a long history of ignoring these human rights things:

-U.S. Refuses To Sign Land-Mine Treaty ( http://www.unwire.org/UNWire/20040227/449_13544.asp )
-PUSHES FOR MILITARY AID TO COLOMBIA ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF IGNORED HUMAN RIGHTS TREATY http://www.nisgua.org/articles/bush_values_weapons_over_people.htm

- U.S. President George W. Bush to abandon the 1997 Kyoto Treaty ( http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/europe/italy/03/29/environment.kyoto/index.html )

- U.S. quits ABM treaty ( http://archives.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/12/13/rec.bush.abm/index.html )

-U.S. Rejects Biological Arms Ban Protocol ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A50299-2001Jul25¬Found=true)

Had enough yet, Dad? Not me.

-Bush Seeks Power to Lift Arms Curbs Waiver Would Allow Military Assistance to Once-Shunned Nations ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A14035-2001Sep23¬Found=true)

- Abortion Foes Press Bush to Deny Money for U.N. Population Fund ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A34163-2002Jan11¬Found=true ) (and they help PREVENT abortions)

-Geneva Conventions ignored (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4989422/)

There's more, but you can read on at: http://www.wage-slave.org/scorecard_print.html. LOTS of wonderful acts of the Bush Administration. But let's move on, shall we? Oh, and of course, no proof.
-----------------------------------------------------
Restoring voluntary prayer in the public schools
President Bush Favors
John Kerry is Opposed

Do you even care about this? Well, I'll keep it simple. Let's say we have a muslim child named Hakmed. He decides to pray in his school in Opp, AL. Two god-fearin', gun-totin' christians see this and begin to harass him as a 'terrarist'. This is, very simply, like the idea of school uniforms. It's to prevent insults and degredation based on someone's appearance. (and note, schools ARE beginning to adopt uniforms too) Just as kids will humiliate other kids who dress differently, they'll humiliate kids who pray differently.

And, of course, no proof.

--------------------------------------------------
Assault on Mel Gibson for making film about Christ
President Bush supports Gibson
John Kerry participated in Left's assault on Gibson, suggesting
possible anti-Semitism even though Kerry had not seen the film.

Did you even see the film? 'Sadistic' is a better description than 'anti-semetic'...it was terrible. And, of course, no proof.

You know, I would really like some of that, what's it called, oh, yeah, PROOF.

----------------------------------------------------

Assault on boy Scouts for belief in God and not allowing
Homosexual Scout Leaders
President Bush supports Boy Scouts' stand
John Kerry opposes boy Scouts' stand

Of course, no proof. You know why, cause Kerry has never said anything about this. Ever.

Don't believe me? Search CNN, MSNBC, AND FOX. There is nothing on any of them about Kerry.

So, once again, no proof. And you complain about me taking left-wing nut jobs at their word.

---------------------------------

Asking for God's blessing on America
President Bush often asks God to bless America in his speeches
John Kerry attacks Bush for mentioning God so often

YOU WANT A THEOCRACY? Do you think that Bush should be invoking God's name so often, that he should be using his religion to guide his politics. Cause it worked so well when it came to Iraq. . .
And of course, no proof.
-------------------------------------
President bush says "We need common-sense judges who believe
our rights are derived from God."
John Kerry insists on judges who support the ACLU's radical
anti-Christian, anti-God, anti-family agenda. John Kerry is
insistent on blocking President Bush's federal judge appointments.

Once again, no proof. Please, tell me how judges are 'activist judges' if they give the right to marry to homosexuals, but 'common-sense' if they give the presidency to a neo-con? I'd just like to know. . .
-------------------------------------
President Bush does not vote on issues before Congress but, based on
his publicly stated positions, would receive an 85% conservative rating
from the American Conservative Union if he did.

That's because he isn't conservative:
- Bush ENCOURAGES outsourcing (NOT conservative), has reached A RECORD DEBT (NOT conservative), UNbalanced the budget (NOT conservative), and hindered economic growth (NOT conservative). The only thing he remotely did which was conservative was the tax cuts, WHICH HAVE CAUSED THE RECORD DEFECITS, not to mention that he has handed out gobbs of money (much more than the middle class' refund several times over) in corporate welfare (WELFARE IS DEFINATELY NOT CONSERVATIVE), money given to companies, SOME OF WHICH ARE ACTUALLY OUTSOURCING.

Encouraging Outsourcing: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04041/271362.stm

Record Debt: http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/

Hindered Economic Growth: http://www.economist.com/world/na/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3262965
John Kerry, according to the highly respected, politically-neutral
National Journal rates Kerry the most liberal U. S. Senator in 2003 --
more liberal than Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton.

Well, many economists think he's the best man for the job, especially compared to Dubya: http://www.economist.com/world/na/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3262965

Approval of Bush's Economic Plan: 20% Good or very Good
60% Bad or Very Bad
Approval of Kerry's Economic Plan: 44% Good or very Good
22%Bad or Very Bad

And finally, Dad,


ONCE AGAIN, NO PROOF. THAT IS EIGHT STATMENTS MADE WITH ABSOLUTELY NO PROOF. AT LEAST MOORE DOCUMENTS HIS SOURCES.

Please, dad, don't bother me about believing Moore when you a) haven't seen his movies and b) believe this crap that doesn't even bother with sources. Tell these conservative cronies to either put up or shut up.

[BillZBubb]

1. If your father thinks ANY of the crap in that propaganda is

important in this election, he's beyond hope anyway. How in the world is Mel Gibson more important than the mess in Iraq. How could anyone worry about what gay people do, when this country is borrowing and spending its way to bankruptcy? What about health care, social security, the environment?

Un-friggin-believable.

[Catch22Dem]

2. I got that e-mail too

My reply was something like:

These are the very reasons I support Kerry. Thanks for reaffirming my decision.

[Gelliebeans]

3. Bravo

how very brave you are!
My Dad, who is a Libertarian, told me today that he sent in his absentee ballot for JK.
I sent him information all the time just like you did. He voted for Bush in 2000.
Sometimes hard facts can clear up the misconception that repukes spew.
My thoughts are with you.

[DuaneBidoux]

4. Brave, but I'm sorry to say naive...

Your intellectual capabilities (and please don't take this the wrong way) are so far out of your father's league that there is no hope. I seriously doubt if he is undecided about ANYTHING.

[glarius]

5. Thought processes of people who would compile this list are completely

unfathomable to me. Here in Canada, our governing party is called The Liberal Party of Canada...Yes, right out in the open, that shameful word "liberal"....We also have the Conservative Party, who have been in power at times, but we have voted in the Liberals more often.....To those who sent your father the email, it might come as a surprise that our country works very well....We all have health coverage, (without government interference as I've heard Bush trying to scare you with)....We choose our own doctors, have access to all specialists and treatments and the doctors and hospitals send in the bills which the government pays....This is the ONLY government involvement...paying the bills...Incidentally, we have flu vaccine for everyone too....I wish my neighbours south of the border had the same as we and all other democracies have...You deserve it and are being cheated by your government....:)

[Czolgosz]

6. Bush v Kerry on reproductive rights

I have friend who was participating on a Bush v Kerry debate at her Catholic middle school. The Bush argument was Bush is pro-life, Kerry is pro-abortion -- end of question. Her response was clever:

1. Show me where Bush has ever said he would overrule Roe v. Wade. He hasn't ever said it.

2. Show me where Kerry has ever said he favors abortion. He hasn't ever said it.

3. So what's the biggest difference between the two when you really look at their positions? They both agree that first and second trimester abortions should be rare but should remain legal. Yet Bush wants to outlaw third trimester abortions with no exception for the mother's health or safety. Whereas Kerry wants to outlaw third trimester abortions except he wants an exception for the mother's health or safety.

4. Show me where the Bible or the Church says Bush's position is right but Kerry's position is wrong? They don't. Neither candidate follows a strict Catholic position on abortion, but only Kerry shows concern for both the mother and her unborn child.

I don't agree with all of this, but I thought this was a pretty fine way for a young girl addressing a Catholic school class to address the issue. It might be an approach to use with pro-life advocates who are having trouble voting for Bush.