I Am a Paradox--I Think--A Blog Digression

I really have a major entry to make--my latest experience with the Italian Consulate and the big-time headache it has gifted me. But---I will do that later as right now I really don't want to deal with it--you know, the old bury your head in the sand syndrome.

This isn't really all that effective!

In the meantime, I share with my dear and faithful readers (and new ones) a little bit of me--because I want to prove that stereotypes born out of assumptions are dangerous and typically wrong. And because I get tired of the religious right thinking they speak for me or know who I am. And--on the flip side--I get tired of many of my fellow democrats making wrong assumptions about people who believe as I do. I do know and admit that, generally, it is those who erroneously believe they speak for "their people" that promote these perceptions--not the rank and file members of either group as, the truth is, there are many like me.

I wrote this for my profile this afternoon--which I thought people would only see if they clicked on the "view my complete profile" link--so I was surprised to find it at the top of the blog. I didn't like that. So, now I'll add it this way.....

I am a rare breed--or at least it seems that way. I am a born-again, evangelical Christian, believing that Jesus is the Son of God and that through his death on the cross, we can choose to be delivered from our inescapable, inherited sinful nature and spend eternity in a place called heaven. I believe that this is the single truth.

I am also an avid democrat, contrary to the common perception in today's political climate that all evangelicals are right-wingers who blindly support the current administration. I believe that the country is in deep trouble due to the current leadership. I believe that the lies and manipulated truths from the administration that took us into war-resulting in hundreds of our young people dying, the effort to destroy social security, the continuing dilution of our personal freedoms that have made our country unique in history, the attempt to destroy our constitution and the judicial system, the anti-environmental mentality and the spiritual posturing are far more immoral than the rather gross and pathetic sexual behaviors and lies of President Clinton.

I am afraid for this country and the place we will be at the end of the next 3 years. The lessons of history have been that when there is a single dominate power such power abuses just as unchecked individual power does. Mr. Bush signaled our entry into that philosophy when he challenged the world with "You're either with us or against us." This same hubris is now seen in the way he, the neo-cons, and the marching soldiers in congress are conducting national business. Anyone who does not agree with them is the enemy and fair game for destruction and political annihilation. Can you tell that I feel rather strongly about this? You're right! And--in the morning when I reread this, chances are I will delete the entire post.

But, my message is and what I would like people to understand is "be careful of stereotyping because it is often misleading! Not all things are what they appear to be." So, I close as I began--I am a born again believer of the redemptive power and gift of Jesus Christ and I am a card carrying democrat. The two are not incompatible.