Jonathan and I have been the recipients of a slew of emails requesting that we either oppose President Obama's proposed health care plan or that we watch Fox News propaganda that serves no purpose whatsoever. I recently received an email that I could not just let slide, so I responded to the author. Since rising blood pressure is not good for the baby, I am sending this out to anyone who reads this blog - please do not send me hateful email about the government. When I opposed the Bush administration's policies, I did not send you hateful email. Okay, so here is my response:
Dear ______,
I understand that you and many of my friends are very upset about what is going on in Congress and the Senate. This can be a confusing time for many reasons, and I think we all need to be in prayer at all times for God to guide the future of our country. I am concerned about stating that Godly Americans must oppose what the government is doing. I think that it is the role of Christians to respect and pray for our leaders whether we agree with their policies or not, and to not assume that one political party is Godly while another is not. I think that it is very possible for two Christians, who are both saved by the blood of Jesus and striving to live for him, to have two different views about what is happening in Washington right now. I do not want to sound disrespectful in any way, and I thought for a long time on whether to even reply or not.
I appreciate you thinking about me when sending this email, but you can take me off of your distribution lists for future emails like these.
Sincerely,
Megan
3 comments:
Megan, that was amazingly diplomatic. I'm very impressed that you were able to write that when you were angry (and I know exactly how that feels because few things get me more worked up than politics). Coming from a non-religious background, I would not have been able to respond as graciously as you did and keep within the themes of what I know is a major part of conservatism (namely that it's somehow connected to Christianity...which makes no sense on even the most basic level if anyone would stop to think about it).
I'm horrified at what's happening with the health care debate and have no explanation except that perhaps people are just always going to resist change. Unfortunately, the opposition is getting more and more panicked (presumably because Obama has already gotten further than any other president when it comes to passing reform) and the arguments less and less coherent. (Seriously, the Trig Palin thing makes me want to HIT MY HEAD ON MY DESK REPEATEDLY.)
I don't want to get into some big, long discussion because we've talked about this a lot already and we're both in complete agreement on these issues. I just hope that this helps curb the e-mails because it's extremely offensive to be on the receiving end of unwanted propaganda. I've not had this problem this time around, but I did receive many pro-Bush e-mails from a friend of ours (who will remain unnamed) and that didn't stop until I said something to the sender. I hope this has the same effect for you.
Like you said in your blog, you didn't do this to any of your conservative friends when Bush was in office. But I fear that it's been so long since many of these people have been part of the minority that they've forgotten what it's like. Opposition is healthy but, to paraphrase Jon Stewart, "WE'RE in the majority now. It's SUPPOSED TO SUCK FOR THE REST OF YOU." :)
I'm sorry if this comment offends any of your other readers, but just know you have my complete support! And so does President Obama!! Approval ratings be damned, he's doing exactly what we elected him to do. And I know that it's really bigger than health care because people would be fighting him no matter what the issue was. And if we were talking about specifics, I would have phrased much of this differently. It's not going as well as I'd hoped, either, but I think the point here is that it's going, and that is what the people sending these e-mails are opposing.
So...no more spiked blood pressure! (Like I'm one to talk...) If anyone else tries to politicize your inbox, just send them to this entry!! I don't think you could have summed up your feelings any better...and just remember that you don't have cable, so it's like Fox News DOESN'T EXIST FOR YOU! (Hallelujah!) ;)
I think my brother (an Iraq War veteran, God bless him) summed up my desires very well in a previous comment:
You need to find two people. Could make a start with two people. You have to have somebody from each opposing side who is both willing and able to address quantifiable facts and implications free from rhetoric and politics. Then they've got to convince the rest of us.
When we know that we're right, we have a tendency to hide behind rhetoric and call it fact. We have a tendency to claim to be engaging the opposition while in actuality just trading catch phrases and making no progress. When we refuse to acknowledge the possibility of finding a middle ground that does not involve compromise (this is actually possible), or that, barring that, compromise does not need to mean capitulation; when we refuse to recognize the basic human dignity and legitimate concerns hidden behind the other side's rhetoric, we end up with the current state of the abortion and gun control 'debates' in this country, with a sixth decade of Israel-Palestine conflict, environment vs. economy.
When we side-step politics to look at what is possible, and what is required, then we put a man on the moon by the end of this decade. Then we stick around to help turn countries we've decimated in war into economic powerhouses, rivals and allies.
Hey Megan, this is Lisa Wellman. It has been a while since we have seen you guys, but I found your blog the other day. Congratulations on your upcoming pregnancy!!! And, the reason my comment is on this post is because it is an issue that is very close to Gerard's (and thus my) heart. I would guess his views are similar your yours--still figuring out what exactly my views are. Your e-mail was direct but respectful! I hope your pregnancy continues to go well.
Many blessings,
Lisa
lzimmerman82@aol.com
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