Not my writing but largely expressive of my decisions about Obama

Two Countries, by Sandy Cressman

Dear Friends and Family,

I am writing to express my sad realization that the America where I was raised and educated is no more. I have watched the Republican convention for the first time. We are two countries.

I grew up believing that the United States came about as a place where religious freedom was of paramount importance, leading to separating church and state. I grew up believing that the United States was founded as a place where one is free to speak their mind and read the books of their choice. In the America I knew, patriotism meant pride in these principals, and in being a good citizen of the world. In the country I aspired to, Americans respected the environment and wildlife. In the country I aspired to, grass roots community organization and service was respected and values. In my America, we sought a peaceful world where cultural differences are respected and valued. In my America, we valued compassion, taking care of those who are born with less privilege, and where those who have much help those that have less through compassionate social programs.

This week I learned clearly of the the other America. I watched the celebration of candidates and a political culture which suggests censorship in libraries....which brings religion into politics and whose support of "faith based" initiatives as a substitute for compassionate social programs, dangerously blurring the line between government and church.

I saw a group of people chanting "USA, USA", as if our world is a football game and they were rooting for the dominant team....a group of people who confuse patriotism with nationalism, who talk of our "enemies" and of "winning". It seems that this group of people are not satisfied with the goal of the US being a good world citizen, but insist that we be a dominant bully.

I saw a group of people speak so cavalierly of drilling offshore and in Alaska, with little regard for the environmental impact. I heard them chant "drill, baby drill", as if the environment is a game. But this shouldn't have surprised me--after all, John McCain joked about bombing Iran and putting both Iranians and our soldiers once again in harm's way...singing "Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran....

This mania for raping our coastlines to drill for oil "so that we won't have to get oil from our enemies"(said Sarah Palin) clouds the fact that the republican cooperation with oil companies killed a California mandate in the 1990's that produced very dependable electric cars-- George Bush senior moved into the White House and promptly removed the solar panels that Jimmy Carter had installed on the roof, no doubt in deference to his oil investment contacts. If you want to verify this, rent the movie "Who Killed the Electric Car". You will be horrified.

I saw the other America celebrate a candidate who wants to make sure that she preserves her right to shoot wolves for sport. Do we want to leave a beautiful country and wildlife for our descendants, or is having fun with guns more important?

I saw a candidate deride and disrespect community organizers, grass roots workers for change and improvement, all the while championing "service".

I heard Huckabee object to Obama "vacationing" Europe--claiming he brought home dangerous European ideas. Family and friends, as you know, I work in Europe several times a year. My colleagues there are in disbelief that my children do NOT have free university education as theirs do; they cannot believe it when I tell them it will cost Natalie $25,000 to $40,000 A YEAR for her university education. They cannot believe that I will have to choose between preparing for retirement or paying for her education....or starting her adult life off deeply in debt. My European colleagues cannot believe that my family pays more than $7,000 per year just for health insurance, not to mention doctor's visits and prescriptions. Some of you may have an easier time with paying for education and health care than our family. But remember, you know us, we are self employed and we work our fannies off.

Yet, this other America I observed this year thinks that government providing university education and health care for all are dangerous ideas....and that we would actually have to fund these things by making sure the wealthiest Americans pay their share of taxes seems scandalous to them.

I heard Rudy Giuliani deride Barack Obama for failing to call terrorism "Islamic Terrorism". Guiliani mused that maybe Obama felt this term was not politically correct. Well, I have news for you, Giuliani, it is an offensive term and not all terrorists are Islamic. I wonder how Rudy would feel if we called all organized crime "Italian Organized Crime"....

The other America I observed this week rejects choice for women, and even suggests that abstinence-only education is the best way of dealing with teenage sex education. Ok, we have seen that abstinence-only doesn't work; but as far as choice goes, and the results of the failed idea of abstinence only education, this other America wants to cuts government programs like those that would assist the teenage mothers and their children, because, as one Republican representative stated "Government is not a philanthropic institution".

I don't want to sink into despair about this realization that we are two Americas....so after this next work trip I must take next week, you can be sure that I will be keeping up the debate and taking action. If you agree with my original vision of America, I beg you to not sit complacent. If you are in California, get on the phone or on the plane in October, talk to voters in Swing States about preserving the compassionate America that we grew up to believe in. If you are in another state, talk to people, work on getting them to vote for the Compassionate America, which has its best shot at existing under Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

So, friends and family members, I know I have never talked politics with some of you.

This is not about politics, this is about preserving the America of the founding Fathers.

With Sincere love for our country but also love for our world,