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catman
Joined: 18 Jul 2004
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 Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 11:25 am Post subject: Dems turning into a religious party? |
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Obama supporting "faith based" programs was the first eye opener.
I thought you might be interested in this action alert from the Secular Coalition for America:
http://action.secular.org/t/5367/cam...aign_KEY=25245
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For the first time in the history of the Democratic Party, the Democratic National Convention will begin with an Interfaith Gathering. As a Democrat and a member of the Secular community, I am disappointed by the decision to unite Democrats around religious values when not everyone who identifies as a Democrat, or supports the Democratic Party, is a person of faith.
To hold a unity event that is not totally inclusive of all the members of the Democratic Party is a mistake. |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
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| Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 12:57 pm Post subject: |
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| To hold a unity event that is not totally inclusive of all the members of the Democratic Party is a mistake. |
That's a silly position to take, not to mention that it is short-sighted. Except for despising Bush, I doubt there is anything every single Democrat agrees on.
Aggressive secularism is as distasteful to religious people as aggressive religion is to the non-religious. The world does not come in black and white. There are plenty of shades of gray between religious fundamentalists and athiests and Democrats are foolish if they don't court the progressives among them. Hispanic Catholics are an increasingly important voting bloc and Democrats need them if they are to form a successful governing coalition. Many of them are social conservatives but agree with Democrats on other issues.
The most effective way to take religion out of politics is to have religious people in both parties. Let the Republicans have the religious conservatives. We'll take the religious moderates and progressives.
It isn't required anywhere that Dems let the Republicans define them. It's a foolish and losing strategy. It's about time the Democrats took back leadership of the country. The troglodytes have had their day (four decades of days) and nearly ruined the country. |
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Kuros
Joined: 27 Apr 2004
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| Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 5:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Ya-ta Boy wrote: |
| Quote: |
| To hold a unity event that is not totally inclusive of all the members of the Democratic Party is a mistake. |
That's a silly position to take, not to mention that it is short-sighted. Except for despising Bush, I doubt there is anything every single Democrat agrees on.
Aggressive secularism is as distasteful to religious people as aggressive religion is to the non-religious. The world does not come in black and white. There are plenty of shades of gray between religious fundamentalists and athiests and Democrats are foolish if they don't court the progressives among them. Hispanic Catholics are an increasingly important voting bloc and Democrats need them if they are to form a successful governing coalition. Many of them are social conservatives but agree with Democrats on other issues.
The most effective way to take religion out of politics is to have religious people in both parties. Let the Republicans have the religious conservatives. We'll take the religious moderates and progressives.
It isn't required anywhere that Dems let the Republicans define them. It's a foolish and losing strategy. It's about time the Democrats took back leadership of the country. The troglodytes have had their day (four decades of days) and nearly ruined the country. |
Exactly. If the secularists are so offended, they can join the Republican Party.
To call this move a transition into a 'religious party' is a bit much. Democrats are just acknowledging that most Americans believe in God, and that this belief is important to them. 80% of Americans believe in some sort of higher power. Like Ya-Ta Boy says, it comes down to whether the Democrats want to win, or whether they want to embrace the demands of their fringe. |
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wannago
Joined: 16 Apr 2004
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| Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 5:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Ya-ta Boy wrote: |
| The troglodytes have had their day (four decades of days) and nearly ruined the country. |
When will the Democrats understand this type of spewage only drives people away? There is no truth to this whatsoever. Quit being a drama queen. |
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Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994
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| Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 1:00 am Post subject: |
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You know, wannago, the truth only hurts if it should.
Back in the days when I attended Jefferson-Jackson Day dinners, one of the recuring cracks by the speakers was: Democrats comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. I always liked that line. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 4:37 pm Post subject: |
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I have no problem with the Democratic Party reflecting religion. Governing the people should reflect THE people, not specific people.
Part of the problem with both parties is they tend to reflect specific people, instead of being inclusive to all people in the country. |
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Gopher
Joined: 04 Jun 2005
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| Posted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 5:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Kuros wrote: |
| Like Ya-Ta Boy says, it comes down to whether the Democrats want to win, or whether they want to embrace the demands of their fringe. |
Precisely. This is politics. And the Democrats are moving wisely here.
"Inclusive to all people in the country," Tiger Beer, is a pipe dream. You can not construct any political system that does not privilege at least some over others, lor even alienate and exclude some. There is no perfect political system. Remember: all animals are created equal. But some animals are more equal than others. |
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