Inferior Imitator

ep·i·gone n. A second-rate imitator or follower, especially of an artist or a philosopher.

Friday, October 01, 2004

"Well you know my views on the issues, basically cuz you know my dad..."

That was me at thirteen, too. The first time I changed my stance about a major political issue was when I was a freshman in college and I had the chance to see Sister Helen Prejean speak. I had seen the movie, but that did not prepare me for the emotional wrenchings hearing about her experiences caused. And what she said made sense to me, and I realized that the death penalty was inconsistent with everything else I believed.

If that was wrong, what else had I blindly taken as truth? And how many other people were like me, taking the things I was told at face value without examining my own thoughts and reasons and the influences of the speaker? Too many, I'm afraid. I was listening to Talk of the Nation discussing the sixteen ballot initiatives in California. The question was asked (paraphrased), "How do voters become informed about all these issues." The answer? "They look to organizations that represent their issues, like the Sierra Club, and see what they recommend."

This does make sense. But how do you know what these organization's ulterior motives are? That's why so many people trust Jon Stewart. You know what his motives are. Listen to his interview on Fresh Aire. It contains a clip of his interview with a party head and he was asking some pretty tough questions, questions you don't hear news anchors ask. The debates illustrate this - there is no real discussion on the issues anymore. You have people on each side repeating the same things over and over again. They somehow hope to convince people to vote for them by repetition.

I guess I'm not sure how people are supposed to filter through all the talking points and ulterior motives and power grabs to find the truth. How do we become informed voters if politicians talk down to us?

3 Antiphon:

5:51 AM, October 02, 2004, Blogger Technomage

Do you own research, find your own issues and answers. Then pick the canidate that is best in line with your views.

 
3:56 PM, October 03, 2004, Blogger Amanda

Yes, but how many people actually take the time to do that, or care enough to do that? What about ballot initiatives? How many people are well-versed enough in legal language to be able to discern the true effects of a law? Sometimes things can't be simple enough.

 
12:38 AM, October 04, 2004, Blogger Ems

True information. Is there such a thing? Truth is perception. Your truth is different from my truth. That's why there ARE issues.There are common aspects to truth but no one's is the same. An informed voter should know where they stand and where each of the canidates stand. But an informed voter is also a person who CARES about something, otherwise, they wont bother to find their own truth.

Its not an easy thing to find. I remeber when I started to question my "truths". A very good friend of mine, someone I had known since preschool, and someone I loved dearly, got pregnant. She was so terrified. She couldnt tell her guardians because of their strict religious beliefs. She was so terrified. I went with her to her doctor's appointments. We were shopping we'd tell everyone. Instead we spent many afternoons in a stark white room surrounded by pamphlets about how it was her choice.

When she did tell her family, they did exactly what she feared they would do. They disowned her. She was having sex before marriage. Period, the end. I was with her when she had no where in this world to go. I was there when the father walked out on her, I was there when she made her choice. I thought that the world would end. She made the "wrong" choice. But I had known this girl for my entire life. And the world didnt end. I may not have agreed with her choice, but it was hers to make, not mine. Nor was it anyone else's. She was facing her truth. And I had found mine.

So what's the point to all of this? Information is all around you. Just open your eyes and see it.

 

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