September 20, 2000

Column
By Rochelle Beckstine
The Jackson Herald
September 20, 2000

Vote on the issues
I thank God every day that of all of the countries in His world, I was born into the best of them all­the United States of America.
Sometimes I think that the U.S. is truly the new Eden it was reported to be in the 15th and 16th centuries. One of the reasons I believe this at times is because I see people from every background imaginable all living together in one great place trying to make a go at life. I know it's not perfect; I'm a realist. There are problems. But I truly believe that most people are working toward a better, more God-like way of life where love and brotherhood and patriotism bind us.
So, I can tell you that it hurts when someone makes of themselves a bigot. When they say to me don't vote for Mr. Lieberman because he doesn't pray to Jesus. To this, I would reply that every person is entitled to their opinion and, because of the laws and rights we are granted as Americans, we can voice our opinions in any manner we choose­no matter how hurtful or bigoted such opinions may be. Everyone has the right to base their vote for president on the way a person parts their hair or what state they hail from or even what religion they profess. But I would ask something of each and every one of you. I would ask that you consider each man as a whole­his history and his intentions for the future­before making such an important decision. And I would ask you to give the candidates the same consideration the federal government gives us in regard to employment practices; all persons seeking a job with the federal government are free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin (executive order 11246). Granted the law requires that the president be a United States native, as it rightly should, but shouldn't our presidential and vice-presidential candidates otherwise get the same consideration we do when applying for a federal job?
Furthermore, with the separation of church and state, religion is not an issue that arises in the course of the day-to-day life of a politician. I cannot think of a single instance in all of my studies of United States history where religion determined a president's or vice president's actions (and I have studied a great deal of history).
To not vote for Gore because of Lieberman is prejudice, pure and simple. It's an ugly prejudice that I can't see God advocating. Never in all my life have I heard repeated to me nor have I read that Jesus said love your fellow neighbor as you love yourself as long as he is not a Jew. I think Jesus would be the first person to advise us to vote on the whole person­what that person stands for and what they intend on doing.
I'm a Christian and a Republican, but only one of those will enter into my decision on election day. I'll watch the debates and read the news. But I can tell you now it won't matter to me if Bush knows a few choice words or if Lieberman attends a synagogue on the holy day, I'll make my decision intelligently without prejudice. Because to allow prejudice to cloud my mind would ruin the high ideals our country was founded upon and negate the lives of the millions who have died for our country. When people say things to me that bring home how much work we still have to do to make the words of freedom and justice ring true, I get angry and I start to think of becoming a Gore Democrat for Mr. Lieberman's sake.
Rochelle Beckstine is a reporter for MainStreet Newspapers.

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