Something to think about...

I came across this entry last night from an amazing woman, and asked if I could share it. I have it here in its entirety for your reading enjoyment (the bold statements are what I find especially important and/or thought provoking). Thanks Donna!

"I vote in caucus, primaries, and general elections etc. I do not vote in election media polls, on the phone, in the mail, through email, or on the street. My ballot is a private one and I feel media pols are a mockery of the election process. They encourage people to rely on the consensus of others rather than think for themselves. They also lead people to be less responsible citizens. Some people who are polled lie about who they’ll vote for. Others look at the polls and see that their candidate is doing well, then they fail to vote, thinking the other majority of those polled will do their work.

All Americans have access to mandatory 13 years of eight hours a day, 180+ days a year of school at the expense of the government, which is taken out of our taxes and taxed on businesses who pass this on in higher prices. You would think that in that gross amount of seat-time children could be taught our American process of selecting representatives. Somehow the important things like how to read, write, calculate, know world geography, understand the history of world governments, and the duties of citizenship, get bypassed for the more racy stuff like how to put a condom on a banana, someone has two mommies, some prince was married in a royal wedding to some other prince, and pseudo-science. We pay dearly for this as citizens. So we have paid a high price for this Emperor and His New clothes.

The NEA want carte blanche. They do not want parents/clients tampering with their pedagogical agenda. They are in desperate need of oversight and accountability to those they serve. I am not talking of standardized multiple guess tests. I am talking about rethinking the purposes of public offered education. In the financial times we are entering, we need to make sure that education is not being hijacked and watered down by every social agenda. We are cheating the children if we do not prepare them with basic knowledge that will prepare them for the responsibilities of adult life. We have to stop every special interest group from using school as a Trojan Horse to get their agenda planted in children’s minds. We have to stop using our educational dollars on educational fads. There is no excuse for low literacy and numeracy, and no excuse for not understanding our form of government. When children are properly prepared for adult life, are reared to have a good work ethic,
and understand the freedoms they enjoy, they will better prepared to keep them.

Some insane voting conversations:

Case 1.
I had a family member who prided herself on having voted for the winner in every election since she had reached her majority. We discussed what our voting responsibilities are,” Doctrine and Covenants 98:8 I, the Lord God, make you free, therefore ye are free indeed; and the law also maketh you free.
9 Nevertheless, when the wicked rule the people mourn.
10 Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil.”
Our responsibility is not to just seek out the winner or the person we feel has the best chance to win. Nor is it to vote for the lesser of to evils. I am always intrigued by those who call voting for the unpopular by better candidate as throwing your vote away. When we do what God commands us to, His hands are bound. When we do not, we have no promise. We simply do not live up to our privileges.

Well, after our talk, she did not vote for the guy she thought would win. Funny, the one she voted for did win after all.

Case 2.
I was in the check out at Walmart. There was an unshaven guy with huge tattoos and wearing a tank top, in line behind me. All of the sudden he mentioned that if “they” would let him vote he would vote for Obama. OK, from what he said and by his appearance I surmised that he must be one of those men who had broken the law, and by the fact he was right there, he had done his time, but was disenfranchised as a voter the rest of his life. So, I asked him, “why?” Then he told me because it would be historic and he would be part of history! Of all the lame reasoning for voting for someone.
Every president is historical and deals with new challenges. In times like these our choice needs to based on sound principles, not on ridiculous reasons like being part of history.

Case 3.
When JFK became president I was in Kindergarten. I have heard that some people voted on him because he was young, others because he was good looking, others because he was a war hero, and others because of a beautiful wife. Again, how do any of those things qualify you to run a country?

I believe that we have this wonderful gift called freedom. We need to pray to understand just what that means. Then we need to do the work to keep it. Voting in a General election is only a fraction of what it takes. I believe that the gift of freedom is God given. I also believe that we will be held accountable for how we use this gift of voting and other freedoms."