I was kind of pissed off about that, because I did want to hear her. I wanted to hear her explain why I should support a "religioso" going to Congress. Even one whose philosophy I can easily sympathize with and get behind. Ours is a SECULAR government. It's not an offshoot of any church. It's not supposed to be! And religiosos of any stripe, even the ones I like, even the new-age ones, DO NOT BELONG IN GOVERNMENT!!!!! I HUGELY and STEADFASTLY support the separation of church and state. That's pretty sacred to me, pardon the pun. All those wrong-wingers who talk about the "sanctity of marriage" and the "sanctity of life" and the "sanctity of this" and the "sanctity of that" - well I believe in the sanctity of the separation of church and state. She has no place running for office to begin with. Neither does my parish priest. Neither does the rabbi down the street. Neither does the minister of either the cool, new-age Christian institute a mile down the road OR the Southern Baptist Bible-thumper who thinks the only scripture of record is the Book of Leviticus. NONE OF THEM.
I wouldn't even want Jim Wallis of Sojourners (whom I like A LOT) OR my absolute favorite - Sister Simone Campbell - to run for office either! And I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE Sister Simone Campbell. I've said it before here, that if I were President, I'd ask HER to deliver the Invocation at my Inauguration. The religiosos DO NOT BELONG IN GOVERNMENT. Frankly that government-sanctioned Prayer Breakfast stuff needs to stop, too, IMO.
And I also figured that, with her resources and connections, SURELY she had someone available on her undoubtedly-enlarging staff, to show up at that panel discussion and at least meet people and "fly her flag" - or at least hand out literature or campaign flyers or buttons or stickers - or SOMETHING. There were two other candidates who didn't show up either, but at least they left their campaign literature behind so you could read about them and could study their bullet-points and maybe follow up with some research later because you'd thus have their contact info and websites and stuff at the ready. I appreciated that because I know these folks are busy and that there are probably lots of forums and panels and receptions and things they need to squeeze into their schedules. But shit! A couple of the people who did show up brought an assistant or two along with them - so their assistants could work the room as well. THAT tells me they really want the job. THAT tells me they're deliberately putting themselves out A LOT and going to extra trouble, and that this or that gathering is important to them. It frankly tells me that I THE VOTER am important enough for them to do that, and all the other voters in that room are, too. It's a show of respect. And it definitely gets my respect, too. THAT ALONE gets them extra brownie points. But Marianne Williamson didn't bother with any of that. And she's NOT going to get my vote. PERIOD. (And since I'm an activist myself, I won't hesitate to share that opinion with others who ask me about it - which I've already done elsewhere than just here.)
They say WE VOTERS have to show up. Well, agreed. That is an absolute. But dammit, the candidates better show up, too!!!!
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