The VP Candidate from Alaska

[Joesitz]

It's quite obvious that Religion is used to win the hearts of the down trodden. they can look to a better after life. Not eveyone, even the downtrodden agree.

Aetheism gets a bad rap because god was always used as a symbol in forming this country. If something went well, god was responsible. If it went badly, then we look to see who to blame it on. Killing 'savages' was deemed god's will as an exception to one of the commandments. (Manifest Destiny, remember that was the way of skirting the horrors of war.) People do interpret in their favor, especially if they were brought up in a strict religious background.

Some people believe the bible to be an accurate history book in that the world only began once god became known. Others see the history of the world as something much older than than the religious beliefs. They actually include other parts of the world besides the middle east not to mention the whole solar system.

Ethical Culture is the way to go and we will probably never have a President of VP that can see that belief. It just doesn't get votes.

[dorispulaski]

Are these authors read at high school in the US? I had to read most of them in Religious Education (mandatory here till you turn 18 - how is that for decadence? Actually you can substitute it with Philosophy when you turn 14, but I sticked with RE, I loved it, we had such a great teacher) and some in French class

Even 45 years ago, when I was in high school, neither philosophy nor the authors you list were studied in high school. As with Ptichka, Camus in French class. I took 2 yrs German, 4 years Latin. We read Remarque's Drei Kameraden in 2nd year German. Latin was Caesar's Gallic Wars, Cicero's Orations, Vergil, and an assortment of poets. It's hard to remember all the stuff we read in English, because of course there was a lot of it--and it was a long time ago. The ones that stood out: Dickens, Great Expectations, Hugo, Les Miserables (in translation), George Eliot, Silas Marner (Lord I hated that book), moby Dick, lots of Shakespeare.

[Mathman]

Back in 2000 presidential campaign, I was shocked when then VP candidate Lieberman said, "Constitution offers freedom of religion, not freedom from religion". :(

Well, Lieberman was right in a way... though I think he was trying to make more points (and probably did) with Constitutionalists than he did with the religious right...

Well...OK, with the emphasis on "in a way"

1. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or

2. prohibiting the free exercise thereof;

# 2 is freedom of religion. So far so good.

Over the years, #1 has become interpreted more and more strongly as speaking to "Freedom from religion." Since 1791 the United States has become a lot more "United" and a lot less "States." Constitutional scholars are ever the more eager to interpret constitutional limits on the powers of "Congress" to extend to all levels of government, including state and local. (So, yeah, that's basically what you were saying, right? )

[Ptichka]

Have you seen the church Palin attends?

If the choice were between Obama and Palin for president, I'd vote the former. However, while Palin could end up as president, we would be electing her as the vice-president, a position with very limited powers.

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BTW, here is a great site - FactCheck.org.
What it says on Palin:
* Palin did not cut funding for special needs education. [...] She tripled per-pupil funding over just three years.
* She did not demand that books be banned from the Wasilla library. [...]
* She was never a member of the Alaskan Independence Party [...]
* Palin never endorsed or supported Pat Buchanan for president. [...]
* Palin has not pushed for teaching creationism in Alaska's schools. [...]

If you look at the site, it also slams McCain for errors in his acceptance speech, and lists a whole bunch of other inconsistencies on both sides as well

[Tonichelle]

It's true - Palin has never governed with her religion. She's been critisized in her own party for that, but she's not about to push her views on all... but she's not going to clam up and not have an opinion either. It's the Alaskan way.

[jennylovskt]

It's true, Americans are killers. They were killing the minute they landed on countries that were not theirs. They considered the Natives as uncivilized and should be killed if they do not allow the colonization to take place. The thing about the Americans, it is always tied in with God. God, wanted the Americans to go West and kill any native that got in the way. Correct? Americans like to kill in the name of god.

How many Iraqis did Hussein kill? How many Iraqi's did Bush kill? two wrongs do not make a right. But oil makes sense. doesn't it?

Americans are killers, just ask the vietnamese.

It is cruel to think of this way. I don't think American people like this but I definately think that the Americans should ask themselves this question: Why do we have so many enemies in the world? Should we change the fundamental principles of our foreign policies?

[Joesitz]

Any invasion in defiance of a peaceful nation is cruel.

Americans are driven by their economic systems as are all capitalistic countries. it has nothing to do with changing the foreign policy. Whatever gives them the glory of profit will be the way to their perception of 'freedom'.

There are many tyrants in the World, the Americans just choose the ones with oil.

[jennylovskt]

Has anybody watched ABC NightLine last night? Charles Gibson's interview to Sarah Palin. Here is the article about it. The areas covered in the interviews were rather interesting. People may know the first time about Palin's views on war, US foreign policy, and global warming.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080912/...adeAk0XuayFz4D

[Tonichelle]

Sarah saw her son off to his second tour of Iraq, she'll be in Anchorage tomorrow... and I won't be around to welcome her home. *pouts*

[Ladskater]

I find Sarah Palin embarrassing. Is she for real or just a "grand stander" looking for attention? She seems to thrive on media attention. Whew, I am glad I am Canadian. Our politicians are boring and predictable but they do try to keep out of the limelight- at least until after they are voted out of office!!

[Tonichelle]

I find Sarah Palin embarrassing. Is she for real or just a "grand stander" looking for attention? She seems to thrive on media attention. Whew, I am glad I am Canadian. Our politicians are boring and predictable but they do try to keep out of the limelight- at least until after they are voted out of office!!

want to use examples as to how? she hasn't been doing interviews until just now...

either the Canadian media is portraying her even worse than the US media (wouldn't surprise me as we know who most of the international community is cheering for) or you just don't know her well enough. or... both.

[jennylovskt]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/13/op...13sat1.html?hp

Have you ever thought about what would happen if Islamic extremists meet Christian extremists? The world would never have peace.

[Medusa]

either the Canadian media is portraying her even worse than the US media (wouldn't surprise me as we know who most of the international community is cheering for)

The media doesn't need to portray McCain/Palin in a bad way, they are quite capable of doing that themselves.

And have you ever asked yourself why the international community is cheering for Obama? Reading lots of comments by US-Americans it's because we don't know anything about you lot and want to watch your country turn into a socialistic unimportant footnote in history.

Do people really believe that? Don't you think that despite the fact that we are not from the US we might have some not completely egocentric reasons for wanting to have someone at the top of your country who isn't going to start preemptive strikes and devastating wars without the backing of NATO or UN? Someone who might actually be interested in diplomacy and peace?

[Mathman]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/13/op...13sat1.html?hp

Have you ever thought about what would happen if Islamic extremists meet Christian extremists?

You mean what we have now?

But about the vice presidential candidates, I really think that interest has peaked and in a week or so we will get back to Obama and McCain.

[Tonichelle]

personally I think the president should be more concerned about THIS country than other countries. Kissing up to the global community and ignoring your own, like Obama has done for a lot of his early campaign, and showing them more respect than the voters you are trying to get doesn't show me that you have the right set of priorities for the job.

But I'm just one of those "American killers", raised by one of those "Vietnam American Killers", so what do I know.