Wednesday July 28, 2004

Political Considerations

I've been dreading this week, as the Democratic National Convention has taken over the city of Boston. Partly because, for security reasons, they've shut down most every major roadway into or out of the city. So far, though, the long anticipated traffic jams have not materialized. But mostly, because of the threat of another big-ticket terrorist attack, as so many have warned us about. I am on pins and needles, hoping and praying that that does not materialize either.

But for as eager as I am for this all to be over, and for everyone to go home, and for life in Boston to return to normal, I have to admit I've been fascinated to watch the convention itself unfold. I've only heard bit and pieces of the speeches, but what I have heard has really affected me and impressed me in ways I did not expect.

These are some initial observations, and I have to warn you, I'm about to express some political opinions here. If that sort of thing bothers you, please don't read on. I'm grateful that we all have the right to express our opinions in this country -- though that right seems more in jeopardy under the current administration than it has in my lifetime, and that, to me, is a very scary thought.

I thought Bill Clinton was amazing. He had intelligence (another difference from the current administration, in both the espionage and cranial senses), a sense of humor, self-knowledge, and good heavens, what a powerful speaker. I do not disavow my earlier, entirely lousy opinion of a guy who would have been fired from every workplace I've ever worked at for what he did with his intern, and for lying repeatedly, publicly, and under oath. But it's been so long since I've heard such compelling oration and felt such leadership presence from a President (excepting the replays of some of Ronald Reagan's speechs when he passed away), it was completely refreshing. He can pronounce "nuclear". He didn't smirk. I can hardly believe those things would mean so much to me.

The juxtaposition of his Presidential competence with his un-Christian behavior, contrasted with the current President's lack of competence (remember, I'm just stating an opinion) and staunch Christianity, made for an interesting discussion with my now-eligible-to-vote daughter about the extent to which any one factor, whether religious belief, support for or opposition to legalized abortion, stem cell research, etc., should govern the choice of candidate. Factor in the statements made by certain Roman Catholic bishops, and even some Orthodox, on the propriety of Christian politicians supporting certain positions, and the propriety of Christian voters voting for them, and it becomes a really interesting and complex discussion.

I thought Ron Reagan was very effective last night, in his speech on stem cell research. Personally, this is a topic I find very troubling. No doubt the medical advances such research will bring will save many lives, and in every likelihood, the lives of people close to me. At the same time, to my mind, the embryos from which these stem cells are harvested are human beings, not just in theory, but in fact. Left to their own devices, they'd turn into people just like the ones who'd benefit from their curative powers. And anything that trades off one human life for another, again in my opinion, puts us on a pretty slippery slope. Reagan said that these embryos (and I'm paraphrasing here) "have no brain, no spinal cord -- they feel no pain." I can think of many other situations where we would never callously terminate a life because it was lacking these capacities. At what point is someone or something a human being? At what point do we recognize, value, and protect their life? I'm not claiming to have the answers to all these questions, though I do support my church's teaching that life begins at conception. I'm simply saying that it is a troubling issue for me, and I appreciate and respect the competence with which Reagan presented his position.*

I thought Teresa Heinz Kerry was fantastic last night, not so much because of what she said, but because of who she is and what she believes in. In fact -- and now, look out, this is going to get really political -- it seems to me that in general, the speakers at this convention, as I described it to my wife last night, "really seem to want to help old people and children, and are not just saying it to get elected." They really seem to value the things that I do, both domestically, and especially in terms of our place in the world. I can't remember who said it, but I thought the remark that "we will be more secure by isolating the terrorists rather than isolating ourselves" captures one of the biggest grievances I have against the current administration, and one of my fondest hopes for the next. It never ceases to amaze me how much damage we've done to America's place in the world in a mere four years. I can only hope that we can un-do the damage in some reasonable period of time.

In case you're wondering, after all this flaming political commentary, I'm actually a registered Republican. Okay, I'll 'fess up -- I became one so I could vote for John McCain in the last presidential primary, and I never bothered to switch back. I probably would have voted for McCain if he'd been running against Al Gore. So I'm not a party-guy in the traditional sense. But it's becoming clearer and clearer to me that what they're saying in Boston -- even if I can't get over reprehensible personal behavior on the part of our leaders, or if individual positions are being taken that I don't agree with -- what they're saying in Boston is striking powerful chords with me. And for as much as I wish this convention were over, or at least somewhere else, it means a lot to me that it's here, and I'm proud that we're hosting it in my city.

And you know that I'll be tuning in for the next two nights, hoping that Edwards and Kerry can live up to their introductions.

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*My friend Wayne sent me a fascinating article which looks at the morality of Stem Cell Research in Jewish Law. Very cool!

(2004-07-28 07:34:37.0) Permalink