please be kind-haven't been here in forever

angelica

jeffwmartin wrote:

Not voting is just as valid as voting, as long as you are doing it out of principle. Not voting cause you're lazy just means you're lazy. Sometimes I don't vote at all, sometimes I don't vote in one particular race but do in the others. I no longer vote for the "lesser of two evils" because I can't consent to be governed by them any longer.

I agree with you 100% on all counts.

Bottom line: Not voting is absolutely as valid as voting.

callen

There are a few posters on this board have been very active in saying "vote for who you believe in" and I'm sure that may give one a warm fuzzy feeling but the fact is there are but two candidates that have a chance to win this election, rightly or wrongly and thus if one wants to participate, and I totally understand those that don't, one has to choose one of the two choices.

For me it comes down to the Supreme Court....the ones that ultimately interpret the constitution and the ones that are slowly chipping away at our rights and freedoms versus those of government and big business. There are potentially three judges that may retire in next 4 years and are all centrists/liberal. We get another John Roberts and we're in deep sh#t. McCain has vowed to nominate more conservatives.

As far as Obama, he is a different candidate than we've had in a long time. He's frank about what he discusses (mostly) and I can at least relate to what he's trying to say, so though I don't agree with everything he's doing think he at least has a chance to be a good president. Add to this the good vibes sent to the rest of this world and he's actually good option this time.

angelica

angelica wrote:

I personally can no longer support systems I don't believe in. I know I need to move beyond such systems in order to perceive new ways in my life/world.

A Biography in 5 Short Chapters



Chapter 1

i walk down a street
there is a deep hole in the sidewalk
i fall in
i am lost...i am hopeless
it isn't my fault
it takes forever to find my way out.


Chapter 2

i walk down the same street
there is a deep hole in the sidewalk
i pretend i dont see it
i fall in again
i cant beleive i am in the same place
but...it isnt my fault


Chapter 3

i walk down the same street
there is a deep hole in the sidewalk
i see it is there
i still fall in it, it's a habit
my eyes are open
i know where i am
it is my fault
i get out immediately


Chapter 4

i walk down the same street
there is a deep hole in the sidewalk
i walk around it


Chapter 5

i walk down another street


~Portia Nelson.

Abookamongstthemany

angelica wrote:

I totally agree....Abook is a brilliant Light on this board.

I am honoured to be her friend, and to have been so influenced by her since I first saw her posts.

:):)

It's the reflection I receive from some of the amazing people here, yourself being one of the brightest I have ever encountered.

You have been a big part of changing my life in some pretty incredible ways in these few short years of our friendship.

Abookamongstthemany

angelica wrote:

I agree!! Roland too...which is why I pay attention to what these guys see and think.

Yep, Roland, too...even when I don't agree with them, I never write them off or dismiss what they have to say. I know they always have good reasoning and have put a lot of time into their forming their opinions which is something I respect and encourage.

angelica

Abookamongstthemany wrote:

Yep, Roland, too...even when I don't agree with them, I never write them off or dismiss what they have to say. I know they always have good reasoning and have put a lot of time into their forming their opinions which is something I respect and encourage.

I see differences in my own understandings from them, and yet I definitely keep my eyes and ears open for potential lessons, because I've definitely been put onto stuff I just would not have seen before were it not for them. The differences I see may just as easily be about my own blindspots.

I like that they can both actually discern information far beyond what most are seeing.

angelica

Abookamongstthemany wrote:

:)

It's the reflection I receive from some of the amazing people here, yourself being one of the brightest I have ever encountered.

You have been a big part of changing my life in some pretty incredible ways in these few short years of our friendship.

:):)

(notice I bumped one of your smilies to get all of mine in! : )

It's cool to me how all you fire-sign girls (yourself, baraka, hippiemom) taught me to get in touch with that in my own self. I knew that was happening in me from the beginning, and it was a progression that was so ready (and needed) to happen!

decides2dream

Rhinocerous Surprise wrote:

Your vote's as meaningful as you make it. You can either

1) Sit out the election and let other people decide for you
2) Vote for who the media tells you is the most electable candidate so you can feel you were listened to
3) Or you can vote for who you really feel is the best candidate, whoever that may be, and know that no matter how the results go, you supported your idea of a good president, which is all you can do.

exactly.

personally, i think #3 is the only real option. voting just to get someone out of office, or for the lesser of two evils, or whatever else one can cook up.....just not making a 'choice' in that instance, imo anyway. i did it once and never again. i always vote b/c i think it is my duty to participate as a citizen but i have to believe i am voting for the best choice. it IS important.

Abookamongstthemany

angelica wrote:

:)

(notice I bumped one of your smilies to get all of mine in! : )

It's cool to me how all you fire-sign girls (yourself, baraka, hippiemom) taught me to get in touch with that in my own self. I knew that was happening in me from the beginning, and it was a progression that was so ready (and needed) to happen!

We pulled out some of that fire from your Aries cusp! Awesome! (Oh and I forgot to tell you, it turns out Kabong is an Aquarian/Pisces cusp Feb 22.)



And you've helped ground me and get me to think a little before subjecting others to my sometimes too blunt dishing out of my perceived truth. Just the fact that I now recognize it to be ' my perceived truth' instead of my 'I know the truth and everyone is all wrong!'...I accredit that and tons more to learning so much from you!


**I had to take a smilie from you, too. : )

angelica

Abookamongstthemany wrote:

We pulled out some of that fire from your Aries cusp! Awesome!

That's exactly what happened! For real!

When I learned about that cusp a few days ago....many things became sooo much clearer to me -- that being totally one of them!!

Abookamongstthemany

angelica wrote:

That's exactly what happened! For real!

When I learned about that cusp a few days ago....many things became sooo much clearer to me -- that being totally one of them!!

I just find out about them, too but had had my suspicions due to 4 people in my immediate family falling into these. It does make things much clearer!

Abookamongstthemany

"If you don’t vote your heart, your heart NEVER wins." Dennis Kucinich

"Whatever politicians may do, let them first feel the full force of citizens who speak for what is right, not for what is winnable" ~ Howard Zinn

Abuskedti

I got some black Sambuca

_Crazy_Mary_

DriftingByTheStorm wrote:

I say, vote for who you like.
Who you REALLY like.


vote for whomever speaks to you.
if they aren't on the ballot, WRITE THEM IN.

I will be writing in Michael Savage