So David and I finally got around to watching An Inconvenient Truth the other day and I must tell you I don't think I am the same person I was before we put that show on. Or, at least my thinking isn't the same.
There's a bit of paradox for me when it comes to voting for politicians that are for the environment versus those who are pro-life. Now, I am first and foremost pro-life. That's just me. But after watching this movie the other night I got to thinking about the whole pro-life issue and how preserving our environment for our grandkids and generations to come is actually pro-life itself too.
The other night at bible study I had a little debate, if you will, with someone whom I consider to be a good friend of mine. Somehow our group got on the issue of George W. Bush and the whole pro-life movement. When I voiced that I did NOT vote for that knucklehead Bush (and I think I may have been the only one in that room full of Catholic women - YIKES! - who didn't), it suddenly fell silent and I got into a small debate with someone about the whole issue.
I couldn't in good conscience vote for a person (I won't call him a man so as not to insult any real men who read this) that I knew was so selfish and self-serving and who was, frankly in my opinion, only trying to use the White House to further his own personal agenda. He's so cocky and arrogant and he actually thinks he's deeply connected to the Hispanic community but he's probably one of those who eats black beans with his Tex-Mex. Plus, he's just a bumbling idiot who makes Texans look bad. It had nothing to do with the abortion issue. Period.
I just don't comprehend in my mind how someone who's pro-life can also be for capital punishment and for sending men and women into a war just to benefit his own pocketbook. How is that preserving and valuing human life? And what about those innocent children in the countries we invade? How is that not different from abortion? They can't very well speak on their own behalf to try and survive in this war so how is that different from a fetus who can't defend its life?
Okay, so back to the movie. I don't want to be a person who votes strictly with certain party lines. That's not me. I am not an all or nothin' kinda girl. I do however want to vote to put people in office who want to make a difference in this society. And, after seeing that movie I have come to the conclusion that voting for candidates who have made awareness of global warming and the environment one of their top priorities IS ultimately a pro-life vote. After all, it won't even be an issue of whether or not abortion is legal in this if we have no world to live in as a civilization. The big question is how can you be pro-life and NOT be concerned about global warming?
A friend of mine that evening of the bible study debate mentioned to me that whenever she's in question she always votes with the church's teaching. Well, I think that preserving this great beautiful, life-giving Earth is most definitely respecting God's creation and is a vote that should be viewed as with church's teaching. How can it not be?
In an ideal world, a candidate that encompasses a pro-life viewpoint as well as environmental awareness would surface in the upcoming presidential election. I'm not sure that's going to happen. But, I'll have my eyes peeled to really scrutinize the beliefs and attitudes of the person who's going to get my vote.
