A Different Destination

The long eight years of Bush's "pro-life" presidency draw to a close. Abortions proceed apace. Fear slithers among the so-called conservatives; they hear the death rattle, expressed in ever louder tribal rhythms: Ba-rack, Hus-sein, O-ba-ma! Ba-rack, Hus-sein, O-ba-ma!

"We must vote pro-life. We must vote McCain-Palin!" the Christians cry.

I see the glittering eyes, the snake in the grass. I am tempted to vote McCain-Palin--to sip the poison in hope of a future immunity. I remind myself to think long-term, grasping firmly the clear definitions, avoiding labels, hacking away at Newspeak with my vorpal blade, snicker-snack.

I can not separate "the life issue" from matters of personal and economic freedom. I see that both candidates travel eagerly the broad road to socialism, which threatens to end at China's company store, to which we owe our soul. And there, I fear, we will have traded the elective abortion for the forced abortion.

I have read the entreaties from people I respect, begging me to vote for McCain. I understand their point. But I want a different destination, not a detour to the same place. That different destination requires that I stand up and be counted, not for my fear but for what I truly believe, which is best expressed by Chuck Baldwin and the Constitution Party.