Civic Duties

As I've posted, I've got jury duty for the month of October. I was on a two day civil trial last week, and since we were let out somewhat early on the second day, a fellow juror and myself committed two civic duties in one day by placing our absentee votes. (I think I've also posted that I'll be enjoying the shores of South Carolina on election day.)

In Fayette County, it is done in pencil on a paper ballot which you place into a kind of large deposit machine. I hear in Montgomery County, where our vacation group of my boyfriend, parents, and their friends are placing their absentee ballots, it is done by the usual machine used on election day. I actually find that odd, that we're using paper and pencil in grand Lexington, but my little hometown is doing it the electronic way.

I've been voting since I was 18, and I can honestly say that I feel that this vote actually matters. In the past, it always seems like picking the lesser of two evils, but this time it is different. I do like John Kerry. I do like John Edwards. My opinion of Kerry grew with each debate, and I feel that he is the right choice for this country. We do need a change; we can't handle four more years of BushCo. I hate to think what it will be like if he does win. What other civil liberties will be erased? Will we alienate the few allies we have left? Will we keep pouring money into fabricated wars while we have many domestic issues that are in crisis?

I was in Hilton Head, SC on election day last year, and from the bar we were calling folks at home wondering what the outcome of the elections were since CNN was reporting that the incumbent Governor Ernie Fletcher (R) was beating challenger Ben Chandler (D). I didn't believe anything CNN said the rest of the night if they got information that Fletcher was the incumbent. Paul Patton was the governor at the time, so it was a lie, or mis-information from some source at AP I suppose. As I sat at the bar and listened to the results, I was disheartened. It was practically a Republican sweep, as I sat looking at my beaming father, the conservative of the family. Kentuckians thought it was time for a regime change as we had "suffered" under 30+ years of Democratic rule. Well, guess what. Ernie is now hated across the state, and people are finding out that the Republicans didn't change anything, in fact they made it worse in one year, and we still have 3 more to go with this administration.

This past Saturday I had the pleasure to attend the Montgomery County Democratic breakfast with Josh, and listen to many honorable Democrats speak. Wendell Ford got the crowd riled up, Daniel Mongiardo really impressed me, and Ben Chandler gave a passionate speech in which he spoke more about voting for the other candidates than he did for himself. I was lucky enough to shake his hand and talk with him a bit later in the morning. One thing he did speak of was religion, which is something you don't hear much from the Democratic side. I am a proud Presbyterian, but grew up Methodist. I came to find out he is a proud Presbyterian but grew up Episcopal. He talked of Democrats having a strong, deep faith but the Republicans seem to have this lock on religion, like they're the only ones with the faith. Why is it that way? Why don't Democrats talk about their faith more? Are we not allowed?

Anyone who knows me knows that I will forgo the rule of 3 my mom taught me: Don't talk about politics, sex, or religion with people you don't know very well. I will talk about religion with anyone who wants to. I will respect your opinion so long as you respect mine. Friends of mine have called me a heathen I lean so far left when it comes to religion, but in the end I hope that they still respected my opinion. I'm less vocal on politics, especially now since our country is so divided. I don't find as many people with open minds on this issue. It is basically black and white now as we are in the final days. There are a couple people at work who are raging conservatives and some who I haven't quite figured out yet. I know I should be campaigning wherever I can, but it has come down to arguments at the lunch table lately, so I just let them call me a liberal, give them a look, and go on. We've agreed to disagree. I've never liked pushing my beliefs on anyone. If you want to have a civil discussion where we both might learn something, then great. If we're going to come to blows, then I'll pass.

I guess I should warn you now, that my thought process is very stream of conscious, and that flows directly into my writing. I can get wordy, and rambling, but I hope you'll forgive me for it, or even enjoy it. I've heard from friends lately that they do enjoy reading this little blog, and I do enjoy writing it. Thanks for reading.