Voters must make critical choice
The election of 2008 is the most important national decision of this generation. The unprecedented collapse of major national and global financial institutions this week is the exclamation point on the critical choice before us. We either go backwards by our fears and fallen nature, or forward by our faith and of our spiritual vision. The critical fact of this election is not really what set of policies are best for our country and the world. We know what has failed us. We know what course is best. We know that Republican unregulated capitalism and greed has brought us to the brink of global collapse. The Bush Doctrine of preemptive war has cost us more than 4,000 American lives. It has cost us a loss of international prestige, has diminished our military, and has squandered billions of dollars and counting. We know that eight years of reckless, inattentive Bush stewardship has left the free world vulnerable to the enemies of freedom across the globe. With clear-eyed realism, we also know that the Republican ticket offers more of the same. John McCain and Sarah Palin are throwback politicians. Their base appeal is to offer- particularly to blue-collar, white America-a blast from the past. The Republican trick is an emotional appeal to ply blue-collar whites to vote for them and against their own economic interest. The dilemma Barack Obama presents for these Americans is whether they can see beyond their prejudices into the human package their interest comes wrapped in. Given America’s original sin of racism, who but God would package the best national choice in African-American skin? It’s poetic justice at its best. The Obama-Biden ticket represents American’s best and brightest-our hope for the future. To receive the gifts of grace, Americans altogether, or at least a majority in the Electoral College, must overcome some of the major psychological and spiritual defects of the nation’s original sin. White American must judge content of character and not the color of skin. That’s our national dilemma in 2008. The text in Deuteronomy teaches that the choices made in one generation directly affect the quality of life available for the next. “Therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” That’s good advice.
Rev. Marshall E. Hatch
Submitted at www.AustinWeeklyNews.com
Dishonorable tactics against Obama
Great piece [Sarah Palin speaks, but words don’t convince, Robert Felton, Sept. 18]. The deception and dishonorable campaign being run by Palin and McCain is disgusting and unprecedented. I hope the gullibles in the red states will be smart enough not to buy this nonsense this time.
Ed Banks
Submitted at www.AustinWeeklyNews.com
GOP nominee stealing Obama’s ideas
In light of the fact that Barack was given so much guff about a speech he gave early on-his critics citing plagiarism-why isn’t John McCain’s campaign being cited on similar charges [Something’s rotten in the state of Alaska with Palin, Terry Dean, Sept. 18]. He has adopted, or is trying to take, Barack’s campaign slogan of “Change.” He and Palin are using lines from his convention speech, and are using Barack’s own ideas of change against him. They clearly have no message, so they are stealing his.
Karen Talton
Submitted at www.AustinWeeklyNews.com
