This post is 24 hours late, but I have a full-time job in addition to Eco*Pretty and can't keep quiet on this one topic. So, it'll have to be better late than never. I know this is a touchy discussion and risk offending some readers. But journalists aren't—and shouldn't be—meek people.
The Republican National Convention on Wednesday night made me want to drink gin out of the cat dish, as my favorite writer, Anne Lamott, would say. The pugnacious Giuliani-Palin combo and their crowds had me slumped on the couch, not knowing whether to pray or fetch a cold compress.
Republicans confound me. And I say this as a political moderate and practicing Christian. I have a hard time understanding a people with jolly, cherubic faces and frequent invocations of God—who can hurl insults with a ferocity that would make the devil blush.
Obviously, both political parties do their share of mug-slinging. But comparing the speeches at the two conventions, negativities from the Democrats seemed more like rational critiques instead of mean-spirited attacks. Palin's put-down of Obama's "community organizing" on Chicago's South Side was particularly low. She clearly knows nothing about the neighborhood—which is more tough, diverse and populous than Wasilla and Juneau combined.
But more than any other moment during the evening, I was appalled at all the signs and chanting of "Drill, baby, drill! Drill, baby, drill!" Maybe I'm reading the wrong articles, but every news report I've come across about drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) has said that 1) it won't lower gas prices and 2) its oil would last us a pathetically short time. Not to mention, of course, that it would destroy wildlife. Remember 1989's Exxon Valdez oil spill? I was only a fifth-grader when it happened but remember the images of lifeless, oil-soaked birds and otters.
Drilling in the ANWR would be like pouring vinegar on a limb that needs to be amputated; a quick fix but not even that. We need to rapidly work to end not only foreign oil dependence but dependence on oil period. More time, energy, and money should be spent researching and developing cleaner, lasting sources of energy. This seems like common sense.
September 4, 2008
The Republican National Convention and "Drill, Baby, Drill!"
Tags: news and politics
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11 comments:
As a Republican, I believe we CAN eventually lower gas prices by drilling more in Alaska, anything that decreases our dependence on foreign oil will translate into lower prices because we won't be importing foreign oil.
I watched the convention and I didn't see any "pit bull" action. I thought it was all well said and done in a humorous manner by Palin. Did you consider Hillary a pit bull, she was much more harsh and critical than anything we've heard Palin say.
As Americans, no matter what political bias, we are going to do whatever is going to best serve us, that is our nature, and if drilling at home best serves us until we can find alternative sources, which both Barack and McCain believe, we need to do so because alternatives are not going to be easy or FAST. We have to do something in the meantime.
Christians are just flawed humans, just like anyone else. The only difference is we are forgiven and we are obligated to work towards being less sinful. Being described as "bullying, mob-like, and able to hurl insults with a ferocity that would make the devil blush" is ridiculous because that could be said by both sides.
This is what truly offends me, "I felt like I was at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C., watching the black and white footage of Nazi rallies before a dumb, cheering crowd that knows not what it supports."
I know what I support. You may not agree with it, but that in no way associates me with Nazis. How dare you!!! Maybe you should ask yourself what you are standing for??? I stand for LIFE, have you read the Bible lately??? No where in it does it advocate ending life at ANY point. Jesus commands us to take care of the widows and the orphans, which is a CHARITY, not government!!! And yes, I'm doing my part!
What else I stand for......being able to lead a traditional Christian life without being judged for it and put down for not "changing my values with the times" Jesus didn't change his values with times (Sodom and Gomorrah) and neither should we. thanks for letting me say my peace.
by the way, I love your site here and visit all the time!!! I find it so informative. :-)
I find myself in the middle... as usual. Both sides have been aggressive. Both sides think they are right. Barack actually did flip flop on drilling at one point and said we should do it alongside other tools. I disagree with him doing this.
I started writing a huge response, but decided that this might not be the appropriate forum for it. Everyone has said catty things, everyone says that they will bring the change the American people seek, and all of them will fall short of their promises.
I know what you meant with the Nazi reference, but it was very inflammatory. People who supported the Nazis knew what they thought they were supporting. They just didn't know what the leaders would do, and didn't understand that they were being fed propaganda. We are being fed propaganda by both sides. Honest, civilized discourse doesn't reach the national stage - it's too difficult and complicated. We are a soundbyte society. We want simple answers and slogans that we can grasp and repeat quickly.
Dang, I guess I went on a rant anyway. Um... Yeah beauty. Yeah for taking care of the only planet designed to support human life. Yeah for the Jesus! :)
Ugh, watching the GOP convention felt like there were Bibles and buckets of oil thrown at me.
I think that I'm reading the same "wrong" articles as you. Gosh, seriously...why can't people understand just how devastating the impact of drilling in the ANWR would be? Lowering the price of oil doesn't concern me as much as finding cleaner alternative fuels and reducing our impact on the environment.
I don't think the word Bible was ever even mentioned! LOL And funny you think oil was being thrown at you! How did what McCain say differ from what Obama said about oil?? You do know Obama supports drilling in Alaska right?? He CHANGED his stance on that LOL.
I totally agree with Lindsey's comments--and very well said!!
Well put Lindsey! As an independent voter I must say that I was still up in the air about what I would do come November, but watching just a little bit of that convention really helped to make up my mind. Drilling in Alaska would be a waste of time. The cost of setting up that infrastructure vs the benefits alone make it an ill advised move. Add on top of that the fact that the proposed area is within a National Wildlife Refuge and you have an obvious deal-breaker. I think that if we are going to drill anywhere new it should be off the coast. This is already being done in many states, but it is still banned in others because they feel it hurts tourism. I've seen the off shore rigs from standing on a beach, and I really don't think that they are that noticeable - they are so far out it shouldn't affect anyone's "beach experience" unless one of them starts spewing oil into the ocean. Considering that we have oil tankers cruising around all the time anyways, I don't think that the risk of a spill would increase at all.
On another note, I think that McCain's choice of Palin will ultimately prove to be a game-loosing move. The more I learn about this woman, the more I think that she is completely out of touch with reality. Two important things come to mind: No. 1: She is a big supporter of abstinence-only sex education our schools. This has already been proven to be far far less effective than a balanced education that includes both abstinence and contraceptives. The most ironic part about this is of course the fact that her own daughter is pregnant. I really don't see how she plans to effectively educate young people and lower teen pregnancy rates on the national level with a plan that she can't even make work in her own home! No. 2: Palin proposed banning books from the town library when she was mayor of Wasilla (although eventually backed down). I find these both pretty alarming, with the second one being a little too close to fascism for my comfort. This election isn't going to be won by the crazy far right or the nutty far left, it's always best to stay closer to the middle.
I could say so much, but since what I'm saying isn't agreeing with you all, it's being deleted LOL.
Ummmm....So, if Sarah Palin had handed out condoms to her daughter, she wouldn't be pregnant, is that what you are saying?? THat is ridiculous!!! I was raised in a home of abstinence and in a home of being taught to THINK of consequences. I was a virgin until I got married, my sister on the other hand got pregnant right after high school, even though she had gotten on birth control before (so, it was THERE for her to use, but being young and not feeling vulnerable, she got pregnant. She's now married with two kids and you can bet your booties she'll teach her daughter abstinence, but will also support her with birth control options. That's not to say history won't repeat itself, it often does, even when we try to beat it at all odds.
Oh and I agree with you all about the offshore drilling.
Am I the only one wondering why a beauty blog has suddenly turned political? I read this blog to learn more about natural beauty products, not to read about peoples political opinions. If it continues on this political road then I will no longer be a reader.
Hi everyone. Thank you for the comments. I always support respectful discussion. In journalism, they believe in the "marketplace of ideas": that, with enough discourse, truth will emerge.
Lisha, thank you very much for the compliment on the site. I'm glad that you visit often and love it! I wish I could pay the bills doing this full-time--and update way more!--but 'tis not the case for now.
I do want to clear up one important thing: I did not LIKEN the Giuliani-Palin debates to Nazi rallies (Goodness, I'm not that extremist!). I simply said that I FELT as sad watching them as I did watching the Nazi rally footage at the Holocaust Museum.
Ann, thank you for your comment. I did state in the first paragraph of this post that I could not keep quiet about this ONE topic. Also, since it was about the environment (eco) and preserving its beauty (pretty), I think it fits the blog. I definitely don't plan on frequently posting political pieces. But I am interested in other topics besides beauty, especially in such an exciting election season.
Lindsay, I couldn't agree with you more. Your writing had depth, passion and perspective. You're one heck of a writer! Passion brings out the "best" in everyone. Keep the fire burning!
Linda D.
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