Why I chose to be a Democrat

[Horse with no Name]

I chose to be a Democrat because I felt they were the party of the people. The party that showed tolerance to alternative lifestyles, believed in civil rights, believed in personal choice and believed in human rights.
I felt we were the antithesis of what the Republicans were, but we truly aren't.
I find though, that many make this the party of convenience--a platform that you can come in and receive support your own pet views yet condemn others for believing in their own views, even when they pass the party litmus test for being progressive.
There is no consistency in what we put out as a platform.
There is very little true loyalty to the party or to each other.
I don't condone violence or torture under any circumstance. I always thought that was a party platform for us.
I'm consistent with my views and I don't pick and choose which times to be against torture and which times to condone it.
If we want to win as a party, we have to be NO Tolerance on these types of wedge issues. We cannot condemn torture at Abu Ghraib then condone torture on a 5-yr old child simply because we are a teacher and "know how it is out there".
We cannot deny racial profiling exists because it has never happened to those of us of the "caucasion persuasion".
We cannot condemn the actions of Tom Delay and seek conviction of this man without investigating our own party members just as diligently for the same allegations if they occur.
It shows us as being inconsistent and only sends a message of confusion thus creating misnomers such as "flip flops".
If we do not stick up for the downtrodden--then we truly cannot be a party of the people.
In the coming months as the events unfold and wake up a sleeping country, we need to be willing to take in the people who previously held other views without prejudice and not alienate them to cut off our nose to spite our faces.
Our message has to be consistent, concise, and cohesive. We need to adopt a NO TOLERANCE policy for issues that bring harm to innocent people--whether it's physical harm or mental harm.
Anything else makes us lesser human beings.

[Telly Savalas]

1. Good post.

Much more deserving of a spot on the front page than some idiotic flame war.

:kick:

[pstans]

2. Great post

Thank you for posting it.