Heath's Random Thoughts

Rumors, Propoganda, and Fear

This is really the first time that I have really dove into the Presidential Elections to this depth. In past elections, I took more of a high-level approach, relying mainly on media coverage to help me make my decision. I really didn't watch the debates, nor did I do much digging on my own to see what the candidates stood for or their plan. Instead, I got caught up in all the emotional stuff that goes along with the election and voted more based on that very emotion rather than on a sound, well thought out decision. Over the next 8 years, and as the emotion of the election wore off, I began to see more and more the information that was in front of me all along, that I either ignored or was just to lazy to dig for. I became very disappointed in myself and vowed to educate myself the next time the elections rolled around. While watching this election cycle unfold, through the primaries and now through the actual election, I have become more and more disturbed with how many people use ignorance, fear and propaganda to push one candidate over another. For example, there has been a lot of propaganda floating around that Obama is a Muslim, hates America, refuses to put his hand over his heart for the pledge of allegiance, and was swore into office over a Koran. I write this after receiving one of many emails urging me to read Barack Obama's books before voting for him. The email goes on to pull specific excerpts from each book that indicate his supposed hate of white Americans and his support of Muslims (as if supporting Muslims is a bad thing).

I put very little stock in "political" propaganda that is passed around the email circuit. It is too hard to prove that the information is legit and typically only picks and chooses the information that supports one persons point of view without telling the whole story. On a personal note I doubt very much that Obama has a black/Muslim agenda and only wants to be president to put whites/Christians down. Its disappointing to me that this is the sort of thing that people latch on to during an election when there are real and more important issues to be concerned with such as the economy, health care, national security, etc.

Let's face it, each of the excerpts from the book were carefully selected and taken out of context and anyone who reads these books with an open mind would understand that. Even John McCain has refuted the lies and mistruths that have been going around about Obama. It is disturbing to me that so many people would believe an email sent to them rather than doing their own homework and get to know each candidate. It says a lot that America has come so far that we can have an African American candidate for president, but its obvious to me that we still have a long way to go when so many people would rather believe random rumors than finding the facts themselves. Its been proven time and again that Obama is American, is a Christian and does own his own bible and goes to church, but all it takes is one yahoo with an email account to spread rumors that too many people want to believe.

I always felt that I was raised to think for myself and not judge someone because they are different than me. I have heard people from small town America (the joe 6-packs) I felt I learned these great morals from refer to Obama as Osama, as if the poor guy is no different than a mass murdering terrorist! Now I know some comments are said in jest, but even as a joke, it just perpetuates ignorance and hate.

Another point I would like to make is what if Obama was Muslim, which he isn't. Have we become so hateful as a country and as Christians that we condemn all people of another faith as terrorists? Personally, I plan to vote for the candidate that I think has the best shot to work with the rest of our elected officials to clean up the mess that this country finds itself in, not based on what religion they choose to follow or what color their skin is. I hope to have a better idea after tonight's debate and the fact checking that I try to do after the debate to make sure the candidates were being completely honest.

Its one thing to not want to vote for someone because you don't like their plan for fixing health care or the economy, but when it resorts to fear mongering and elderly women standing up at a McCain rally saying she doesn't trust Obama because he is an Arab, it makes me sad that our citizens still operate on this same sort of hate rationale, rather than just finding the facts for themselves and making a well thought out and educated decision.

Just my thoughts

Labels: elections, politics, racism

posted by Heath @ 11:00 AM