Why Would You Vote for Sarah Palin?

#1 No, I Would Not Vote For Sarah Palin

To put it simply, I would not vote for Sarah Palin.

It is true that my political ideology and hers are often very far apart. But I do have respect for some folks on the other side of the aisle, and political ideology is not always a barrier to receiving my vote, since I believe that what is most important is that a public servant be a servant.

There are two main reasons I will not vote for Sarah Palin. Number one is her affiliation with Christian Dominionist groups. Freedom of (and from) religion is an important foundation of our country. Revisionists are always attempting to undermine this freedom, to replace it with the freedom to be any flavor of Christian, and in general, to create a soft theocracy. Palin has shown a willingness to pander to these people. I absolutely refuse to allow that. She seeks her power by walking a path that appeals to fringe extremists.

Number two is that she is a quitter. Public service is a hard thing. If it is too demanding, she should not seek public office. I have little sympathy for the litany of excuses offered on her behalf.

No, I would not vote for Sarah Palin.

Submitted by Matthew Rohr.

#2 It's Like Pizza...

Why would I vote for Sarah Palin? Well, right off the bat, the reasons why I wouldn't vote for her spring to mind.  She does, however, have one thing in her favor.  She's a Republican. That would get her my vote no matter who was on the ticket for the Democrats.  I feel the way about Republicans that I feel about pizza. Bad pizza, though it may be awful, may make you sick, may make you never want to eat pizza again, is still pizza. It's still better than brussel sprouts. A bad Republican is better than any Democrat.

Is it a good reason? Maybe not... but it's what I've got.  Now let's hope I never have to use it.

Submitted by Lauri Lenox.

#3 Passion

I can't imagine a situation in which I would vote for Sarah Palin. Voting for her would pretty much go against all of my political views. However, there is one characteristic I find in Palin (and most other conservatives) that could possibly attract my vote if the situation is desperate, passion. While I mostly don't agree with conservatives or their methods of persuasion, I sometimes can't deny their passion. Conservatives have levels of passion I wish I could regularly find in liberals. I thinks it's basically because conservatives stick to so many ideas and principles that they are able to develop passion for their familiarities. Liberals contemplate change and progression, continuous growth as a civilization. New ideas are exciting, but of course they bring uncertainty. I'm not saying it's impossible to find passion in a liberal. Look back at Obama's campaign, you can't get more passionate than that.

Submitted by Damian Trudell

#4 If Someone Held A Gun...

I'd would vote for Sarah Palin if someone held a gun to not just my head, but my entire family's. Yeah, that's pretty much the only circumstance. She's appalling in too many ways to describe, but I'll sum up my main qualm with a quote I recently heard:

"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in an American flag and carrying a cross."

Submitted by Amanda Rogers, Esq. Visit her blog - Seven Eighty One.

#5 People Gasping In Disgust And Horror

These are my thoughts on the question and they are not eloquent; maybe some would consider them naive, but here they are nonetheless.  I might as well come out of the closet now, I voted for Palin and McCain.  While at this very moment there are people gasping in disgust and horror at the very thought, I was one those who felt it was the best decision of the two candidates.  Isn't that an amazing statement in and of itself, "I" thought it was the best..."  We as Americans have the wonderful ability to vote as our conscience so chooses.  We are not bulled or harassed, taken at gunpoint to the voters booth, or manipulated (ok, maybe a little, but that is a whole other topic all together!) into voting for someone other than OUR CHOICE.  We have the ability to research every candidate and then vote based upon the knowledge we have accumulated according to the information given.

I believe that every person who runs for President has good intentions, that they want to make our country something to be proud of, admired; a country that its constituents can stand by and most importantly believe in.  Sadly they are human, and with that humanness they make promises that are never kept; more men are sent to a war instead of coming home, our elderly are rejected medical care that is desperately needed, and jobs continue to be scarce.  Most people believe we need a President that has experience in the political arena (aka circus, yes once again another topic to be debated) or a military background, or charisma, but basically I vote according to not only research but also who I feel God is leading me to vote for.  If it is a Democrat then so be it, if a Republican then that is great as well, but essentially I would vote for Palin based upon what I stated above....information gathered and prayer.  In the end, I believe God appoints all leaders in the positions they hold and it is my duty to pray for my President to make decisions that will make this country not only great, but be a place of safety for my children and others, despite whether I voted for them or not.

Submitted by Hope Cloud.

#6 Because She Is Smoking Hot!

Really, I'm very impressed that she is not ashamed to be pretty. Though I realize this is a sweeping generality, I believe that women in politics - and power in general - often forget the importance of their femininity. The pursuit of power and prestige is not a sum-loss game with retaining one's physically attractive attributes - and Sarah Palin seems to understand that her "women-ness" is important to her success. It is almost as important as her faith and her ultra-conservative platform. How many women do you know that would vote for her - just because she is a woman? In the same way, if I were ever to have to vote for her - it would probably be, however shallow this may sound, because she is good looking.

Submitted by Jason L. Buchanan. Visit his Facebook Profile.

How Much Time Do You Waste?

#1 I Spend Way Too Much Time on Facebook

I’m not going to say that I don’t waste time. In the past two or three years I have given myself a schedule of cleaning so I can keep myself accountable to the rest of my family. As long as I do what I have scheduled  for that day of the week, then I don’t feel like the other time during the day has been wasted. Granted, I spend WAY too much time on Facebook. I am not addicted, but I do get on there quite frequently during the day. I do watch a good lot of TV. I don’t have dvr (thank goodness) or I might watch much more. Both TV and the internet are most likely a waste of my time, and maybe I will change sooner than later. I guess the real answer is: How much time do I actually use wisely?

Submitted by Amanda Bell.

#2 Walk The Middle Path

I grew up driven by a father who settled for nothing less than the best. In his mind, there was no call for "wasting" time. There were always chores, there were always jobs that needed doing. I learned from my time spent under rules like those. There are always going to be chores and jobs. Always. They aren't going anywhere. 

It took me a long time to deprogram myself. I used to get horrific headaches when I was doing anything that my father might label "wasting" time. It made it difficult for me to do anything for fun or relaxation. But I continued to push myself until I was able to take time for me, to do things specifically just for my entertainment - for no reason other than that I wanted to.

Now, I guard my free time jealously. It is important to "waste" time. One of the deep purposes of life is to enjoy living, to enjoy the process of life, to breathe in and out and smile. Your chores and jobs will always be there waiting for you.

Moderation in all things. Walk the middle path. Balance.

Submitted by Matthew Rohr.

#3 Let The Rationalizing Begin

Let the rationalizing begin. Define “waste”. I do agree that waiting in a line that isn’t moving, or spending three hours on a movie that I kept thinking had to get better, but didn’t, is a waste of time. Activities such as these that are not productive, not enjoyable or maybe even detrimental, I consider a waste of time. I don’t think I have much of this kind of wasted time. Eight hours of sleep when I could actually function on about five could account for three wasted hours daily, but I believe I function better and might possibly live longer because of it. The three to four hours I spend each week checking on a relative in a nursing home could be considered a waste of time, but maybe it’s more important than I think it is. Some would say the time I spend in church, praying and reading my Bible is a waste, but I think my life is richer because of the time I spend developing a relationship with my Creator. In general, I get more enjoyment when I “stop to smell the roses”. If I spend an occasional weekend in my PJ’s “vegetating”, I don’t consider it wasted time. We all need some “down time” in order to rejuvenate and repair. So ultimately, what is wasted time? Maybe like beauty it is in the eye of the beholder.

Submitted by Donna Buchanan.

#4 What Are You Supposed To Be Doing?

Everyone wastes a little time.  I think it's important to know that not everyone's definition of "waste" is the same. It also depends on what you are supposed to be doing with your time. If you're getting paid to write computer programs and you're playing around on Facebook, you're wasting someone else's time by not doing what your time has been intended for. In order to determine how much time we waste, we need to first ask ourselves, "What are you supposed to be doing?"

I am a housewife and a mother.  I don't have a set schedule.  I have a list of things I know I need to get done on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, and I know that I have to allow myself the time to do those things.  If I know cleaning the bathrooms and doing the laundry is my job for Monday, I make sure I have the time to get that done.  If it takes me an hour, and that's all I needed to do for the day, then the rest of my time is mine. I can do what I want with it. If I choose to watch a 6 hour Hoarders marathon, that is my choice. It's not time wasted, it's time well spent.

Could I change the world in those 6 hours? Maybe. But I'd rather watch Hoarders.

Submitted by Lauri Lenox.

#5 Like People That Don't Use Keyboard Shortcuts

This is a dangerous question. Am I willing to be critical of myself and reveal all of the ways in which I fail? Because honestly, I always feel like I’m wasting time. I guess I assume that if something – which I may have completely intended to do – didn’t get accomplished…I must’ve wasted time.

Wasted time is like people that don’t use keyboard shortcuts. How much time have you wasted clicking on the “File” menu and selecting “Save”, instead of simply pressing ⌘+S? Or, for that matter, how much time have we all wasted by continuing to use QWERTY keyboards?

I am reminded of an often-quoted verse from the Bible, in the book of Ecclesiastes 1:9, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” In the same way, I believe there is always a better way to accomplish a task – ways of which I am not yet wise… I could spend my life pursuing better ways. But then, my pursuit of better ways would become an infinite futility…inevitably the worst way to waste time.

Submitted by Jason L. Buchanan. Visit his Facebook Profile.

#6 The Amount Is Incalculable

I have ADHD.  To some those four letters are seen as an excuse, a cop out.  To them I don't have anything physically wrong with me.  I'm just disorganized...or better yet...lazy.  In the past there have been days at work where the only thing I can concentrate on is not working.  Throw in the daily commute for the icing on the cake.  How much time do I waste exactly?  The amount is incalculable, but it's more than I know I should.  Heck I've even wasted some time writing this paragraph.  Hopefully Jason's not waiting up for this.

Submitted by Neal Harkner

Why Do You Celebrate Christmas?

#1 Someone Died Last Year Because Of It

Every year on Christmas day, I make sure to take the time to remember the purpose of the holiday and take note of the many blessings in my life. That is my way of celebrating Christmas. And that is the only part of the holiday season I enjoy. It is a time to make sure we take care of those who are truly in NEED. It is not a time to become stressed over what our loved ones WANT. It is so sad how much focus we have put on the commercialization of Christmas; even to the point that someone died last year because of it.

Submitted by Damian Trudell, Visit his blog - "My Thoughts"

#2 Christmas Is Not A Story

I am a broken, depraved person. Left to my own devices I will stumble along through life succumbing to a multitude of self-serving, self-centered, self-pleasing, actions. It is only thru the grace of God that I can be saved from myself.

Christmas is not a story. It’s history. Christmas is not a materialistic holiday (at least not to me.) It is a celebration of a birth that occurred some 2000 years ago. Christmas is a celebration of the day that God sent down his son, fully God and fully human, to save us from our sins. Born to an unwed, virgin mother; Jesus Christ entered this world not in all the splendid grandeur expected but into a humble beginning.

So yes; I celebrate Christmas. And I celebrate Christmas to honor a birth. But how do I celebrate? I celebrate by spending less and giving more. I celebrate by giving gifts to my family and close friends. I celebrate by spending time with my family, my friends, and people I don’t even know. I celebrate by spending less and giving more. I celebrate by sacrificially giving to Living Water International (this year), by serving others, and by remembering the birth of Jesus Christ.

Submitted by Brian Hummel.


#3 An Incredibly Strong Cultural Tradition

I celebrate Christmas because it's an incredibly strong cultural tradition in the United States and I happen to have been born here.  I think this is the case with most people in this country even if they are of the "Jesus is the reason for the season" persuasion.  Given how much more I hear "I've finished my Christmas shopping!" or "Just put up the Christmas tree" or "Taking the kids to get pictures with Santa tomorrow" rather than "Hey, isn't it neat that Jesus was born around this time a couple thousand years ago?" I'd go so far as to say Jesus is no longer the sole reason for the season even if one does happen to be Christian.  The reason for the season instead seems to stem from multiple sources all boiling down to a very strong cultural priority to wrap up the year in a way that celebrates family, friends, good will, and reflection (and you know, stuffing our faces with cookies, spending hundreds of dollars on stuff we don't need, and driving ourselves insane with planning).  And that's fine with me; whatever floats your boat...  What I do get annoyed with is the hypocritical nature of a lot of those who say "Jesus is the reason for the season" on one hand yet openly incorporate greed and glutony into the holiday and pass this notion on to their children (for instance, in the form of a Black Friday "win" or the latest and greatest toy being unwrapped on Christmas morning to be flaunted in front of neighbors and friends).  I also get annoyed at those people (usually the same lot) who claim the term "Happy Holidays" is an afront to Christmas or Christianity as a whole (ahem, Bill O'Reilly and your ilk) like any celebration of other holidays at this time automatically amounts to a dimunition of the importance of their religious expression.  I'd like to explain to these individuals that December 25th is not actually Jesus' birthday; the date was switched from January 7th when we switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian one we now follow.  And, I'd like to explain to these individuals that historians have long agreed that even the January 7th date was likely picked out of a hat to align with already existing pagan holidays or Winter Solstice in order to more easily convert people.  I'd also like to explain that Hanukkah and Winter Solstice celebrations have been around a heck of a lot longer than Christmas celebrations, so if anyone has a right to be pissed, it's probably not the relative latecomers.  And, most of all, I'd like to explain to these people that unless you're a Muslim jihadist, there shouldn't be a battle over whose religion is more revered or important so they should leave other people be.  But, I digress... Everyone celebrates Christmas or "the Holidays" for their own reasons.  And, everyone should be free to do so...  I happen to celebrate "Christmas" (I suppose not the literal "Christ's Mass" of the word's origin, but the modern incarnation of the day) because it is a wonderful way to set aside time for recuperation, time for family, time for friends, and time for appreciating and loving one another (family, friends, and strangers alike).  Ain't nothin' wrong with that.

Submitted by Amanda Rogers, Esq. Visit her blog - Seven Eighty One.

#4 Its Kind Of Like Being Republican

I celebrate Christmas for many reasons.  Celebrating any holiday, Christmas included, is kind of like being a Republican.  You're a Republican growing up because your parents are Republicans, but as you grow up and your views on the world change, your opinions about politics (or holidays, as the case may be) change and develop as well. 

I celebrate Christmas because I believe in what it represents. I believe that Jesus is the Savior of the world and that He came to us as a baby in a manger to save us from our sins.  Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ, so why wouldn't I celebrate it?

I celebrate Christmas because I believe in the spirit of it, the spirit of love and giving.  I know many people think that the holiday is all about greed and the gimmes, but I believe that if you allow yourself to truly feel the spirit of the holiday, you will realize that it really is about giving and love. And who wouldn't want to celebrate that?


Submitted by Lauri Lenox.

#5 Let "Christmas" Go And Call it "Shopping Holiday #12"

Is it OK to say I celebrate Christmas because everyone else does? I mean, honestly, how weird would I be if I didn’t celebrate Christmas? So, maybe I don’t think we really get the point of Christmas being a celebration of Christ’s birth…but shouldn’t we be celebrating that all year anyways?

I get frustrated when people feel robbed of their Holiday when someone says "Happy Holidays", instead of "Merry Christmas". Or when I see a sign that signs Merry X-Mas... I get it, the world doesn’t want to celebrate Jesus’ birthday – and yeah, December 25th isn’t the day Christ was born…sorry, kids.

In reality, I don’t want my kids to struggle with confusion of Santa Claus and Jesus Christ. I’d almost be happier if we just let Christmas go and called it “Shopping Holiday #12”.  I'd almost prefer to tell my kids about Jesus without the confusion our modern Christmas creates.

Submitted by Jason L. Buchanan. Visit his Facebook Profile.

#6 Christmas Karaoke And Lots of Champagne

Personally, I celebrate Christmas for two main reasons which are: to recognize and celebrate my religious views and to carry on the WONDERFUL traditions my family has built based on this one special day.

Let’s address the first reason. The whole idea that a child was born into such unfortunate circumstances, just so he could save my life, is simply unfathomable. I am proud to make merry this one day every year that I get to buy or make my family and friends wonderful presents, which ultimately represents, but will never measure up to, the gift that God blessed me with.

Now with that said, my family also likes to enjoy many unconventional traditions that we’ve made first-hand and will continue to enjoy with our children and grandchildren. Our ritual starts on Christmas Eve by going to Kobe’s Steakhouse for dinner and then going to see The Nutcracker Ballet at Fair Park. We finish up the evening by opening only 1 present from a family member and we also do a White Elephant Gift Exchange. The morning of Christmas, we always have my mom’s wonderful pumpkin roll (simply amazing) and we all open presents together. THEN, the real fun starts. We have our annual “touch” football game with our family and close friends. Then, we sing Christmas Karaoke and have lots of champagne. Christmas is a wonderful day for my family!

Submitted by Lindsey Averkamp