The Observation Deck

Colleen Wing wrote:As I have stated before, I find it ironic that the people who claim to be the tolerant, open-minded people seem to spew as much venum as those they claim to hate. Most of the discussion is based in stereotypes and prejudices-on the extreme of both sides.

I just refuse to accept that treating people horribly is somehow acceptible when they are running for office or when they generally disagree with you.

We are "politics". We set the standard. And as Dr. Phil would say-How's that working for ya?

I hope for a heck of a lot better than what we have no matter who wins.

Open minded:
Not narrow or conservative in thought, expression, or conduct: broad, broad-minded, liberal, progressive, tolerant. See attitude/good attitude/bad attitude/neutral attitude, wide/narrow.

This is the definition of open-minded that I subscribe to Open minded does not mean to sit back and not voice opinons of who is going to run your country. It does not mean being pushed to believe in a war that you never believed in. It does not mean not fighting for what you believe in, like sexual education for our children to prevent more abortions and diseases. It does not mean not decrying the appointing to top posts in this country FRIENDS instead of educated and experienced people so that the Katrina catastrophe never happens again. It does not mean the absence of fighting and screaming against a government that seems destined to make sure the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. What "open-minded" means to me, is that I have a rich life of very solid and good friends of ALL races, ALL sexualities, ALL relgions, and yes, some even of different poltical parties. Can you say the same Colleen? When you preach about open=mindedness and try to discredit people for not being tolerant of views that are destroying this country, you have the wrong defintion. How tolerant are you of friends with different beliefs? Actions speak louder than words.

I agree with you Justine about McCain. I admire his service to this country and I respect him for all he gave up being a POW. As for Palin's academic career it seems she went 5 different schools in 6 years and I'll leave it at that.

Justine Cooper wrote:So David,
What do the moms in Iowa think?

From the Des Moines Register:

Sarah Palin should be very happy she is not a Democrat because the conservatives would be telling her to stay home and teach her children some family values. Oops, that train has already left. - Des Moines woman

It seems as if Iowa is becoming more blue with every passing day. McCain has turned off a lot of Iowans because he opposes Ethanol subsidies.

This article, from last week's Newsweek, perfectly sums up everything I have been feeling about Palin and her background, as well as this 'fight' between regular folks and the intellectual elite.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/160080/output/print

The point to be lamented is not that Sarah Palin comes from outside Washington, or that she has glimpsed so little of the earth's surface (she didn't have a passport until last year), or that she's never met a foreign head of state. The point is that she comes to us, seeking the second most important job in the world, without any intellectual training relevant to the challenges and responsibilities that await her. There is nothing to suggest that she even sees a role for careful analysis or a deep understanding of world events when it comes to deciding the fate of a nation. In her interview with Gibson, Palin managed to turn a joke about seeing Russia from her window into a straight-faced claim that Alaska's geographical proximity to Russia gave her some essential foreign-policy experience. Palin may be a perfectly wonderful person, a loving mother and a great American success story—but she is a beauty queen/sports reporter who stumbled into small-town politics, and who is now on the verge of stumbling into, or upon, world history.

The problem, as far as our political process is concerned, is that half the electorate revels in Palin's lack of intellectual qualifications. When it comes to politics, there is a mad love of mediocrity in this country. "They think they're better than you!" is the refrain that (highly competent and cynical) Republican strategists have set loose among the crowd, and the crowd has grown drunk on it once again. "Sarah Palin is an ordinary person!" Yes, all too ordinary.

I was just watching MSNBC and they were discussing a possible conflict of interest because Gwen Ifill has a book coming out in January about politics and Obama. People are saying that she can't be a neutral moderator. It was brought up that perhaps this information is being released now so when Palin falls flat on her face there will be another excuse. That makes sense to me. I am getting tired of all the excuses.

David I was listening to NPR this morning and they were talking to people in Des Moines about how they felt about the candidates. It was nice to here some good comments about Obama. I always get the impression that Iowa is pretty conservative leaning, but I guess things change.

Valerie nice article. Speaking for myself the thought of someone like me or my friends being second in command frightens me. I don't understand why people don't want smart successful people in the White House. The people we elect as president and vice president represent us to the rest of the world and do we really want a women who stumbles over even the simplest questions meeting with heads of states? I know I don't. Sure I might vote for her for PTA president or even as a mayor but no way in heck is she qualified enough to tackle the important job of vp.

Danielle Masters wrote:David I was listening to NPR this morning and they were talking to people in Des Moines about how they felt about the candidates. It was nice to here some good comments about Obama. I always get the impression that Iowa is pretty conservative leaning, but I guess things change.

I go by the Obama office whenever I go to the Library, and there's always a lot of activity.

Great post Valerie. I mean, it really pretty much sums it up. Small town politics and running this country with issues it has never seen before aren't even apples and oranges....

McCain got a little testy yesterday when asked by the Register's editorial board about Palin's experience:

For example, asked about the sort of people he would put in his administration, McCain cited examples of "the best and brightest" people in business and government, Republican or Democrat. How does that square with choosing someone with so little experience, first-term Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, as his running mate?

"Well, thank you, but I don't agree with your fundamental assumption that she doesn't have experience," he said, citing her experience as a governor and noting that one popular American president recently came from the governor's office in California and another from Arkansas. "The idea that she is not qualified, I fundamentally reject."

McCain also bristled at a question based on the premise that he has departed from his reputation for straight talk to misleading, if not outright incorrect statements. "It would be helpful if you cited some examples for such an assertion." When examples were given, he flatly defended every one, including Palin's opposition to federal funding for the "bridge to nowhere," her fight against Alaska's earmarks and Barack Obama's support of "sex ed for kindergartners" - partial truths at best. He said he stands by his record of honesty, "and the assertion that I did otherwise I would take strong exception to."

Justine,

I am not sure what you are looking for. Are you under the impression that because I am white and a Republican that I don't have a diverse variety of friends. I guess the first part of my definition of open-minded, no offense to Webster, is not basing my assumptions about people on stereotypes.

I feel like somehow I should list out all my friends, I don't know, like my very best friend of 25 years, who is a female commercial electrician, union member, pro-choice, Democrat. or my husband's best friend a happlily committed gay man, also a Democrat (I guess you assumed that, you know because there are no gay Republicans). My other best friend lives in New York City and her husband is so far to the left he would fall off a chart and thinks all Catholic priest are pedifiles (I will never drink that much wine with him again), the fact that I have lived in several parts of Ohio and six years in Detroit where the majority of my neighbors and friends were either Arab or Black. I lived in the 14th Congressional district and 50% of our Republican Committee was Black (also not possible). I can go on and on if you would like references. I do know some borderline homophobes, racists, and consperisary thereorists (if that's a word) and by the way they are from BOTH parties.

Another part of being open-minded is knowing that no one party has cornered the market on extremism. There are just as many people who picket abortion clinics as throw blood on people wearing fur. Noone is all good or all bad.

I am excited about Sarah Palin. I like the idea of having people in Washington who haven't been there long enough to get bitter. I disagree with Danielle though, I think she (Danielle) would be a great VP. She is smart, logical, passionate, and until recently (just kidding) has shown good judgement. Contrary to popular opinion, no one politician is in control of everything. This isn't a monarchy.

Another part of being open minded is that I do not believe that just because you belong to a political party, church, club, or organization, that you must check your brain at the door and get in line or get out. Labels annoy me. I subscribe to the core beliefs that the Republican Party holds not the ones that have been asserted or assumed by members and non-members alike. If you want to know how hard I fight within my own party to keep those grassroots core values, ask pretty much any Republican who is involved in the Party. By the way Values doesn't not = social issues. For the record none of those things are in our core beliefs except for respect for life.

There is a lot of diversity in both parties and there are interests groups within Party's that don't even agree with each other. So to try to stick a big label on anyone is selling all of us short.

The long of the short of it...So I guess I would disagree that liberal=openminded. And yes, I CAN say the same.

Well said Colleen!!

Danielle,

If the moderator had a book coming out singing GWB's praises or McCain's would you be alright with that? Just asking.

There was a town in Texas which was notorious for its pigeon problems. The birds were carrying several diseases, and also made a mess out of everything. Desperate, the town hired a pigeon exterminator. He arrived and explained that it would cost $100 to kill the pigeons, plus $10 for any questions asked. The town agreed.

The exterminator releases a pink pigeon, which flew into the air. Slowly, one by one, the town's pigeons began to fly after it, mimicking its every move. Finally, when all the pigeons were following its lead, the exterminator snapped his fingers and the pink pigeon flew into the side of a building, killing itself. The other pigeons followed. In seconds, all the pigeons were dead.

The town was impressed and gave him a check for $110. The exterminator looked at the check and said, "I suppose you have one question."
"Yes," the mayor replied. "Do you have any pink Republicans?"

Har-Har-Har-Har-Har.

Sorry Colleen but I don't believe a word you say. You get on a post about moms and Palin and start calling the females "gal" and start making the post about you and some fight you had with Sharon and charges you had on you and talking about "Karma is a bitch". I wonder how your gay friends feel ifyou don't believe they have the right to marry. Isn't that part of Palin's beliefs and the beliefs on the right? I listened to your views when you were running for council and for you to get on a board and question someone's "open-mindedness" and then get on to write things that "prove" how open minded you are is funny. You can like or love Palin but when I asked you what ten things you believed in that she believed in you wouldn't list one.

Like I said "believing" in something means more than a thought or a vote. It means marching in gay rights parades and helping teen moms who did not choose abortion. It means championing for the rights of everyone. I have never, in any of your posts, other than your claim to have friends that are gay, heard you champion equal rights. I have heard you attack and then accuse others of it. I don't buy it and neither did your ward.


Are you sure you never stopped talking to a friend because he isn't voting Republican? Sorry don't buy it.

Hey isn't that the same card Sarah Palin tried to play?

the "I have gay friends" card?

Well it's probably turned into the "I had a gay friend" card by now.