Me-lady and I had an unusual guest with us for our weekly date-night last night. None other than Hilary Clinton himself. She was in Fort Wayne pretending to understand what it's like to be a middle-class working stiff, and we thought, "What the heck, how often does a presidential candidate come into your backyard." So we went to see.
For some odd reason she held the meeting at the ever-popular (and small) Sarah's Family Restaurant. We have never been there (and still haven't - you didn't really think we had supper with her, do you?), though we had been there when it was a Captain D's several years ago. At any rate, we parked north of the Tavern at Coventry and walked over to where the crowd of people were gathered. They reported she was to be there at 5:45, but I knew we'd be early if we got there at 6 pm. It was a little chilly. The lady who was standing next to us arrived at 4 pm. That's what I thought. Anyway, the place was crawling with cops and security guards. Someone wanted us to sign some of Hilary's propaganda when we entered the roped off area, but after finding out we didn't *have* to sign it, we smiled and walked on.
I was a little disappointed because I wished I'd have thought of something to protest before we arrived. The only protesters there looked like a church youth group or something that all stood by the road holding signs "Abortion kills children." You know, I can respect there sentiment, but... Really. What's the point in that? One guy did have a sign that said "Free Guam." And after we left we saw a guy that had a sign something to the effect that the Dems need to be fighting the Reps, rather than each other. Jane made a good comment that the Democrats are really just like Christians: spend all their time fighting with one another and forget who the real "enemy" is (and I am not a Dem or a Rep, so I'm only using the word "enemy" as it might be used by someone who gives a rip about party politics - which I do not).
Anyway, so we stood between the little podium with the flag background and the tv reporters... and stood... and stood. We did get a gift certificate for some free fries and ice tea at McDonalds. After 45 minutes I was too cold. And I wasn't about to participate in the "Madame... President..." chant. And the Hilary-worker who got up and talked made me think she was more interested in a 'woman' president than Hilary in particular, and I didn't really care about any of it anyway but just thought it would be something to do.... so we decided to go into the restaurant next door and get some supper. Sure enough, we had no longer sat down and within 5 minutes she had arrived. But we were warm, and had a tv set not 10 feet from us which gave the same exact view we had outside 20 yards away. After she was done talking I even noticed that I could have seen her out the window from my seat if I'da looked. Oh well.
I guess it was a productive night though. I mean, other than being with the most beautiful woman on the face of the earth... I at least actually listened to a politician rather than tuning them out (well, I guess I did tune her out). And, in case you haven't noticed, Hilary is not my pick to be president of the usa. Nothing against women... it's entirely personal. But seeing her, and knowing she was *right there* actually made her seem more like a person (not a middle-class working person, but someone with real blood and skin nonetheless). A mom, a wife, a human being. So even though I would still not vote for her, I do have some respect for what she's trying to do. Now, if Barach Obama had been here, I probably would have stood out in the cold a little longer to hear him speak. And maybe even John McMann (or is it McCain?).
I had the chopped steak with a baked potato and caesar salad. Natasha was our waitress. It was a nice night.
11 comments:
I guess I have a hard time figuring out how someone can like McCain more than Hilary. Or I guess it's hard for me to understand what people have against her exactly. McCain is kind of a fanatic about war, even more than Bush is. Even though people say it's not about her being a woman (the reason they don't want her as a president), I have a hard time believing that it's really about much more than that (i'm not saying this is the case for you). Anyway, I guess maybe I think I give her a little support simply because she is a woman and the fact that everyone gives her a ton of crap. Men have been ruining this country for quite sometime now...maybe it's time we let a woman try to fix some things?
At any rate, I guess all that I'm saying doesn't mean much because I know I'm not going to vote...basically because I don't believe in the U.S. constitution, and because all of the candidates this year, including Barach, support Israel.
Anyway, just felt like commenting.
ummm... wow.
P.S.- ...............WOW!
Isaac,
I appreciate the comment. I'm sure you know much more about the candidates than I do. My thing with Hilary is personal - I have always had trust and character issues with her and Bill both, though I have nothing to back it up with either of them on anything more than a "gut feeling." I do have much more respect for both of them SINCE Bill has been out of the house. At any rate, no one should base their vote on what I think anyhow, 'cause like I said - I'm not an informed voter. I was just telling about our night last night. :)
However, my vote just might offset yours, because all three of the main candidates scare me in some respect. But November is a long ways away. And I'd like to hear Obama speak because everyone talks about how good of a speaker he is. I've never heard him.
Dan,
(Sorry I deleted my earlier post. I had not carefully proof-read it.)
My name is Seth Drayer, and I am the Youth Minister who mobilized the youth last Friday for the prolife demonstration outside of Sara's.
I don't understand your comment that, while you can understand our sentiment, you do not see the point in what we did.
I visited your church's website, and, according to what I read on the "What We Believe" page, you should have been there right alongside us.
On that page of your church's site, it is written, "We believe everyone matters to God and therefore matters to us." If EVERYONE truly matters to God, that includes unborn children. And, if they therefore must also matter to us, that means that we must be willing to take action---even in the face of hostility---to protect them.
On this page I also read, "We believe in reaching out to those around us and also those outside of our area." What better way to reach out to help those who "matter to God and therefore matter to us" than by making a visible witness when a presidential candidate rolls into town who fully supports an industry which would have those children be murdered?
Perhaps you can help me to understand.
Seth,
I'm glad you reposted your comment. I was going to respond to it anyway, but it will make more sense with your comment there. :) And thanks for speaking up.
First off, I should point out that this blog is not my church's blog - it is my personal blog. Which doesn't mean I don't agree with the things my church believes - I just want to be clear that this isn't a "ministry" blog. Much of what I write is heavily laced with sarcasm and satire and other forms of humor. It also makes my ignorance pretty evident sometimes too.
However, to address your questions, I certainly didn't mean any disrespect to what you and your youth group were doing. I made the comment having no idea who was behind all the signs. To be honest though, it had "church youth group" written all over it.
Yes, I agree that all people matter to God, and they matter to me too. That does include unborn children. I, personally, don't see that standing on a street corner holding a sign (or making kids do it) is the same thing as "reaching out to" people. It seems to make a statement by implying negatives rather than the grace and mercy of God. And there's no relational aspect to it.
For instance, does God care more about unborn children than he does about someone who has an abortion? I think he cares for them both the same. I think it's much harder to love someone to the point that they might not want to get an abortion, than to just tell people that abortion is wrong.
So, I don't know if that helps you understand what I was saying any better. Like I said to my son in an earlier comment, I was really just making observations about our night. I didn't mean to minimize what you were doing with your youth group. I'm sorry if I offended or sounded critical. I seem to have a habit of doing that lately. Please feel free to comment more if you like.
Peace & blessings,
Dan
Dan,
I certainly have no problem with satire, sarcasm, and the like. A motto of ours here at my church is, "Take what you do seriously; just don't take yourself seriously."
I agree that we need to take a holistic approach to abortion. I used to sit on the Board of Directors of AFH Ministries in Bluffton, an organization which sought to aid women currently in unhealthy relationships and lifestyles to give them a better future and prevent situations which lead to crisis pregnancies.
And, I think post-abortion care is just as crucial. Once a woman acknowledges that she allowed her baby to be killed, she needs oftentimes psychological and sometimes medical care.
However, we are not discussing welfare here. We are not debating afffirmative action. In these issues, we often need to be content with lengthy discussion and debate and leave the picket signs in the closet.
The difference with abortion is that there will be no tomorrow for the children killed today. For the babies who die in this hour, there will be no hope of future discussion. We must take action now.
Had I lived during the era of the Civil War, I'd like to think I would have been an active abolitionist, fighting for the equality of mankind.
If one day our nation does see the end of abortion, I hope the future generations will be able to count me among the ones who stood up to defend life rather than allow it slip on by in the name of love.
Had we lived during the era of African-American slavery, would you or I have been willing to go to a political gathering bearing slogans such as "Slavery is a Sin (or Unfair or Wrong)? Or would we discourage this activity because it implies something negative and is non-relational? I mean no disrespect. I'm simply trying to understand.
Abortion and brutal slavery are by their very nature negative institutions. Thus, to say "Abortion Kills Children" is not an implication of a negative. Rather, it is a declaration of truth.
Those signs prompted discussion. Because of what we did, you and I are here discussing it. We were able to get the message into the newspaper and television media---if only for a few moments. And, I was able to engage people in the crowd who wished to speak with me. If our demonstration has forced people to discuss once again that old, dusty issue of abortion that they thought was old hat and over, then the first part of the goal has been met.
We're trying to wake up this generation, remind people of the brutality we are allowing every day.
If we truly believe that the baby inside the mother is a human being with just as much right to life as you or I, we cannot sit back and let this continue. If women were walking into the local hospital with their one year-old babies and having them euthanized, would our culture simply sit back and say, "It's okay. We'll vote for someone who doesn't like it the next term"?
If the unborn is truly human, there is no difference between this hypothetical situation and the abortions taking place every Thursday in Fort Wayne.
Thanks for the discussion!
Seth
Preach it, brother. Blessings to you.
May God bless you, as well, and thanks for the opportunity to discuss!
Dan, I guess it's OK if you like Hillary, but aren't you going just a little too far when you call her "the most beautiful woman on the face of the earth..."?
Milton,
Ha! Well, you know, true feelings are hard to hide. :)
lol!
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