My "Epistlette" on Voting and My Voting Experience

Yesterday afternoon, I sent a brief e-mail to all my family and friends (probably the only people who may read this :) ) regarding today's vote. Here it is:

Hi, Family and Friends. I hope this short message finds you and yours well, even though I don't keep up with you as I would like. Peter, the kids, and pregnant Mommy are all fine.

You know that it is very rare for me to send forwards or mass e-mails, except for periodic updates on our family. But, I know that I must send this e-mail because I care about my loved ones and, frankly, I am very concerned about what our nation will look like after the election this Tuesday.

Rather than write a newspaper-length editorial (and you know I have done it and I could again!), let me pose two simple questions for the contemplation of the thoughtful voter -- after all, we are not grade-schoolers voting in a student council popularity contest! Voting on our federal and state leaders and certain laws (propositions) is one of the most important things we will ever do, and I'm sure that most of us have been ruminating on our votes for a while.

Very simply, can you think of any weightier concern for a nation than more than a million innocent babies' lives being taken legally through abortion each year, and the wholesale maiming of their mothers -- a people decimated?

And, is there any better way to protect and strengthen our society than to vote for candidates and measures that support the rights and well-being of the family: moms, dads, and their kids?

Of course, I am concerned about the economy (what large family living on one high-school teacher's income isn't?!), the lives of those in Iraq, and many other issues, but *first things first*!

One's answers to the two questions above make the vote for president and many other votes, too, quite clear. Especially in states like California, where we have parental notification and marriage amendments on the ballot. Under my signature, I've linked to three excellent guides that outline core principles for voting, two for Catholics and the latter for non-Catholic Christians.

So, bottom line, I'm hoping and praying that my family and friends *vote pro-life and pro-family* on Tuesday. For us and for our country.

Sincerely,
Kristen

http://www.priestsforlife.org/elections/voterguide.htm

http://www.caaction.com/pdf/Voters-Guide-Catholic-English-1p.pdf

http://www.caaction.com/pdf/Voters-Guide-Christian-English-1p.pdf

My husband and I have already voted. This is a post I made on another site about our Central CA voting experience:

We're in Central CA and turnout seems to be very high locally. My hubby and I both voted already.

He had to stand in line when they opened to wait for a "secrecy shield" that covers less than half the ballot (!) -- anyone can see who you chose for president, but then again, they can just look at our yard sign or cars to see that. :)

I didn't have to wait, but they did make me get my jacket from the car to cover my "NObama" shirt with pro-life button, and remove the McCain/Palin button from my purse. (The jacket buttoned easier before I was pregnant four times in four years!) Like [another poster], I find this rule ridiculous (no free speech in the voting booth?!), but it's not worth fighting for me; it's the vote that matters most, after all.

I did make sure to claim my free cup of Starbuck's coffee and walk around a local park after drinking it for a while so that everyone could see my shirt and the stickers on my car, though. :)

Most of the country already knows what's at stake here in CA, so I won't bother saying much about that. Just, in charity, please pray that we don't get still more death forced on us, and that Prop 4 (parental notification on abortion) and Prop 8 (marriage amendment) pass!

I suppose that covers what I want to say about the election. Maybe I'll work out my election jitters (I know, very Catholic-nerdy) by blogging some more -- if the kids will let me! :)