Voting Catholic Despite Our Choices

Note: the picture was used because I liked it. The link was provided so you would know where I found it. The link in no way expresses the opinions of this blogger. It is just a picture I found on a google image search.

I understand that voting is a right and a privilege. I do. I really do. But yet, for the first time, I find myself in a position of really questioning our system and not wanting to vote. I just don't know what to do. I am leaning toward voting for McCain but that thought just sickens me. If I vote for him, it will only be to clearly state through my vote, that I refuse to vote for Obama.

The consideration of third party candidates is appealing, but is it reasonable? Some say voting for third party candidates will voice our displeasure in our choices the same way that a no vote would, except that you are supporting someone who, despite having no real chance to win, will show the government what we really want, a choice who isn't nauseating. There is some legitimacy to that argument, that voting for third party candidates still allows you to exercise your right to vote, and still sends a message, but I can't help thinking about Ross Perot. What if our third party choices take just enough votes from McCain to throw an abomination into office? Would it not be better to refuse to vote than allow that to happen through a misguided attempt to have our voices be heard in a way that might cause irrevocable damage?

Of course, there will be some who say that this is precisely why we Catholics must vote for McCain, the lesser of two evils. Then there is the propaganda about Obama being the savior of our country, with votives and all, though some claim that it is just a votive of St. Martin. One must really wonder if the picture put on those votives isn't supposed to make those with little to no knowledge of faith question the salvific qualities of Obama...I think I just choked on that sentence...that is blasphemy, and someone is capitalizing on the resemblance of those votives to the abomination, or deliberately made the image to resemble him, either way, it is propaganda in one of the worst examples I've seen to date.

I've had a campaign hitting my e-mail box, from my friends, trying to convince me that McCain is the only choice in this upcoming election. I've seen and heard many statements to the effect of "If you don't vote, you have no right to complain" and the latest one is "If you don't vote, don't emote." Whether or not we vote, we have a right to voice our opinion about who is in office, because, frankly, I don't think that my vote is going to make any difference in the outcome.

Admittedly, my friends are making some headway in convincing me to cast a vote for the lesser of two evils. But, I am far from knowing what I will do come election day. Here is the latest to arrive in my mailbox, anyone have any comments on this?:

Everyone of voting age should read these two books. Don't buy them, get them from the library before they are removed from the shelves.

From Dreams of My Father:'I ceased to advertise my mother's race at the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ingratiating myself to whites.' From Dreams of My Father : 'I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother's race.' From Dreams of My Father:'There was something about him that made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white.' From Dreams of My Father: 'It remained necessary to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names.' From Dreams of My Father:'I never emulate white men and brown men whose fates didn't speak to my own. It was into my father's image, the black man, son of Africa , that I'd packed all the attributes I sought in myself , the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, DuBois and Mandela.' And FINALLY the Most Damning one of ALL of them!!! From Audacity of Hope:'I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.' * If you have never forwarded an e-mail, now is the time to Do so!!! We CANNOT have someone with this type of mentality running our GREAT nation!! I don't care whether you a Democrat or a Conservative. We CANNOT turn ourselves over to this type of character in a President. PLEASE help spread the word Send to all you can!

I guess I have some reading to do, and I will be looking for these books when I head out to the library later today. A disclaimer and an invitation about this posting...I am just trying to sort all of this out and would be glad for any further information. My opinions are just that, opinions, and I'm honestly trying to figure all of this out before election day, be charitable my friends, I will honestly consider all of your thoughts, feel free to contact me in the comm box or in my email box. Thank you.