Politics "Schmolitics"

It's late and Piper is sound asleep in the other room. I find myself searching for entertainment, then staring at the ceiling, then watching a fish in my aquarium swimming side to side in a hypnotic sort of way. While looking at the work my wife has done with our blog I decided I should put forth an effort to "blog" for my first time ever. I decided to write about the very thing I was reading tonight. When it's late and it is quiet and I am alone I like to read about the presidential candidates. I have two guidelines when deciding what to read. Is the source credible and reliable? And is it as unbiased as a thing like politics can be? With these two criteria I find very few sources. The only outside party I can find is good ole' reliable wikipedia.com. Or I get my info straight from the horse's mouth.(No I don't mean the one that looks like a horse... besides Hilary is out of the running anyways.) I've kept most of my opinions to myself for the most part (which is very unlike me to do) but I've only done it because people go crazy with politics. It's good to be passionate about something but a line must be drawn somewhere. Forcing your beliefs on someone is just plain jacked up! Take the advice that Bruce R. McConkie has in the book "Mormon Doctrine" under "Gospel Hobbbies". Basically it says that we should not focus on one commandment or doctrine and be obsessive with that one thing. It will destroy your mind and lead you to judge others and ruin any humility you may have once had. Can politics be a gospel hobby? I think so. Especially when all your efforts are focused on turning someone's opinion because you think it is wrong or even concentrating on nothing but abortion and gay rights. Have opinions and morals and hold strong to them but have courtesy. We live in a free country where everyone can have their own beliefs and vote anyway they wish. I think its wrong to attempt to take that freedom away on a personal level. Not only that but we should not be so narrow minded and think that abortion and homosexual marriages are the only two issues out there. Theres happens to be many many other issues that will affect you more than those two things will. Do I personally want those things to come to pass? No. I don't. I think it probably will at some point but that does not mean I am a supporter of it. I will never admit to being a Republican or Democrat or any other party.(Which believe it or not people.... theres many other parties out there!!!) I stand by George Washington. Listen to what he has to say about political parties.....

"The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism."

or

"However combinations or associations of the above description may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely, in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion."

So for anyone who may be trying to sway my vote to Republican or Democrat, or anyone who may even think I'm a Republican or Democrat..... I say to you.... I am neither. I am me and I will vote accordingly.

While I'm on the subject.... what is a Patriot? To say that it is someone who undyingly supports is government is true but the true American definition of a Patriot is one who fights for his freedom and beliefs. Our founding father whom we lovingly call Patriots did just that. An American patriot is NOT somebody who supports his government. If that's what the American definition of a patriot were, we would not have been calling George Washington, Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, James Madison, Thomas Payne, John Hancock and all the rest of them "patriots" would we? Those true patriots were all men who openly advocated revolt against THEIR government. That's what made them American patriots in the first place. A patriot is not someone who stands at a parade waving a miniature American flag. It is someone who stands up against tyriannical force and says I will not stand for this! We don't need to fight against eachother. Don't yell at your neighbor because he supports McCain and you do not. If you truly want to be a Patriot then stand up against your government. I am NOT suggesting anarchy. I am suggesting nonviolent ways to stand up for what you believe in. I hope my words and words of people I have quoted do not get distorted. I believe in my country. It is a chosen land. I believe God saved this land to bring forth freedom. I believe our founding fathers were inspired individuals. In the Book of Mormon it is continuously prophesied that this is a chosen land but it is everyone of us on an individual basis that must make it a chosen country.

And lastly... Have a sense of humor people!!! Not everything with government needs to be serious!!!