An email I recently received:
I randomly found your blog several weeks back and enjoyed it…well that’s until I recently read that quote about voting for Romney. I am a 30-something mom voting for him and was quite insulted not only by the person who wrote it but by you posting it.
I am not going to go on about it – just know I think it is sad that you lost a reader by putting your politics on what I thought was a lifestyle blog. If I wanted to read a racist liberal blog I would’ve looked for one.
Bethany
Well, first: I don’t think anyone who reads RG is laboring under the illusion that I’m not someone who posts opinions. I’ve “lost readers” talking about everything from pregnancy to fashion to eating meat. That’s OK.
This is a big moment coming up, and this is a time to not only be open about where you stand, but to think very hard about what your vote will do for your children, and your children’s children. We have a responsibility to ourselves, of course, and to our ability to provide for our families, but we also have a responsibility to care for future generations and to protect their most fundamental human rights.
I’m casting my vote for Obama, and this list of reasons (inspired by Um Can You Not‘s post, because it was the sanest thing I’ve read in awhile) is a pretty good rundown of why:
1. If my son is gay, I want him to know that who he chooses to love does not impact his rights as a person or as a citizen of the United States. My son’s right to love the person of his choice is not up for discussion, and his right to marry this person, whomever he or she may be, is not for the government to decide.
2. If I have a daughter, I never want to have to explain to her why I supported a party that thought it acceptable to govern her body. I want her to grow up knowing that no one may tell her what she can and cannot do with her very person. Ever.
3. I want my children, and yours, to be able to pursue their educations without fear of crippling debt. Education should not be a privilege of the rich – it is an investment in the world and the future of the community, and it should be treated as such.
4. If, god forbid, I have a child who is born with a serious health condition, I never want to struggle to find a way to keep him or her healthy. I believe that all people – all people – should have access to affordable healthcare.
5. If nothing else, Hurricane Sandy should have made us all seriously consider what price we’re willing to pay for a tax break.
I understand that there are pros and cons to any politician’s agenda, and that people have very different – and often very well thought-out – reasons for voting on either side of the party line. All I’m offering here are my opinions, for whatever they’re worth…but regardless of who you vote for in this election, I do believe this: you must be aware that you’re voting for all of their policies; you can’t say that you support your candidate “except for” one issue or another. You get it all, for better or for worse.
