By Angie Brenner

To continue my dialogue about political opinions and ideologues, I couldn’t resist sending out the following e-mail to a few friends which included Tony, who often forwards me anti-liberal missives. Okay, I like to stir the hornet’s nest, but in this serious election – it was a bit of fun.

ME:On Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show, the other night in a skit on Palin running for VP, Rob Riggel, portraying a backwoods idiot in a plaid shirt said: “I want to vote for someone just like me, only worse.”

Is this what Americans are really asking for? The day after the Republican Convention, the New Times headline stated that “McCain Vows to End Partisan Rancor.”

Hummm…wasn’t Palin’s well crafted speech all about creating partisan rancor? I fear this Republican lite-and-dangerous paring is talking out of both sides of their mouths. All I can say is that if you liked Bush and Cheney and what they have done to America….you are going to love the McCain – Palin America.

TONY:This is so much fun. First, the entire woman’s movement/media establishment was sooooooooooooooooooo upset that Obama’s campaign was sexist and now that the Republicans finally propel a woman into their senior ranks, there is a complete meltdown because she is not the CORRECT woman. The left has good ideas, but the one which is the absolute worst is their notion that their ideas are good only if they are carried out by those who share their very liberal philosophy. If you are truly for women cracking mirrors instead of men’s balls, you should applaud Sarah’s nomination. That she is a normal Republican shouldn’t matter. Your punishment is to a dinner of moose burgers.

And Angie…John McCain is no George Bush. That the Democrats are so desperate to paint him that way shows weakness. WHY do we have Obama running against John rather that Hillary running against Guiliani? Because there are so many of us out here and there and everywhere who are exhausted by the rabid political hatred from either side of the political fence.

I would like to line up the characteristics of all four of the candidates and then be able to make two acceptable ones. Sarah’s ability to make me laugh would be included as would Obama’s blackness and star power. Joe’s experience and John’s proven independence would be thrown in.

peace

ME:This is good dialogue…I like the idea of lining up all four and listing the qualities.

PS You can use John’s military career, but the POW part isn’t a qualification for the presidency…he came home and pretended that it didn’t matter (like so many before him), and started having affairs.  Hummm…maybe this is a qualification after all, the waters are so murky.

TONY:There are many different types of experience and seeing the absolute worst a society has to offer is one few people are unfortunate enough to have to experience. If you do not think that suffering the POW awfulness is something which is the ultimate test, then perhaps you should somehow turn off your political masters propaganda machine and start thinking independently again. As for having affairs, that is a strange comment from a Democrat.

ME:Well, I give your some leeway on the affairs, but you may have misunderstood about the POW experience. Of course that’s an ultimate test. But, at what price? It’s about as damaged as you can get. And is that a good thing?

TONY:I assume you mean ‘he’s’ rather than ‘it’s.’ I don’t get the damage part unless you are referring to the pounding his body took.

ME:”Being tortured is about as damaged as a person can get,” is what I’m suggesting. Damage to his psyche, spirit. Post traumatic stress is real and comes out in various ways, over years. I will go out on a limb and say that no one could experience being tortured and not be emotionally effected.

Also, why wouldn’t McCain vote against US torture techniques? This seems very odd.

TONY:Interesting; so anyone who has served in the military is not fit to be President. The greatest man ever produced in Africa, Nelson Mandela, he was imprisoned and tortured for a long period of time.

I am mixed on the torture argument. The definition says, “excruciating pain.” Does that include extreme discomfort? John McCain knows torture Angie. Maybe he thinks that extreme discomfort is within an acceptable margin if the results produce information. I do know that I would use torture if I thought it would gain information to save anyone in my family.

ME:Uncle! Uncle!

True enough with Nelson Mandela, someone I admire. So, when I look at this issue, I must admit that it isn’t about McCain being tortured, but the whole package doesn’t add up. I’d like to say that it must have been this thing or that thing that was the cause and effect, but human beings are more complex, and that is why these decisions on ability and character are difficult.

As for torture Tony, I can not condone any of it. I think it does more damage to perhaps the perpetrator then even to the one being tortured. That’s my personal opinion as a human being. Evil is as evil does. There are really bad people out there, but turning into one of them doesn’t change consciousness or provide better intelligence, and I can’t think about what I might be capable of doing to protect my family and friends. The Golden Rule still holds up for me on this issue. Don’t do it.

To be continued…

Angie Brenner is West Coast Editor for Wild River Review.

She contributes frequently to WRR@Large.

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