A Message to my Red State Cousin

Here's how I responded today to one of my favorite people when I received an alarming and alarmist email message clearly intended to rally recipients to vote for John McCain and Sarah Palin. (If I were to make a list of individuals whom I believe hold loving feelings for me in their hearts, my cousin in Arkansas would be very close to the top.) Although I'll be in mourning for a long time if the GOP team defeats the "Obama phenomena", and while I couldn't disagree more strongly with the unsupported contentions in the forwarded message, nevertheless, nurturing the relationship with a beloved family member is far more important to me than rebutting a list of claims barely entitled to be referred to as 'arguments.' (As an instructor of persuasive writing, I recognize a fallacy of logic when I see it.) Therefore I took several minutes to compose a careful reply that I hope provokes thought, but most importantly I hope my words convey my deep affection for a deeply Christian woman I believe with all my heart to be deserving of my respect, admiration, and love.

I hope she sees it that way.


Great to hear from you cuz. It lifts my spirits to know I'm still on the list of those kept up to date about your passionate concern for our country's current situation and future well being. Because I believe the times demand it, and because in our hearts most of us know what is right -- love our neighbors / don't do things we wouldn't want others to do -- I'm convinced that our next president will be an honorable, hard working, intelligent, and idealistic "young" man who truly has the interests of all Americans at heart (but most importantly, the generations of Americans yet to be born whose fate is in our hands.) My prayer is that all who love their country will unite behind Barak Obama's efforts to secure a brighter future for Americans, and for all those on God's earth who come after us. As we came together after 9/11 in support of our president during an unprecedented crisis, let us do the same after this upcoming election, at a time when even more compelling circumstances have overtaken us all, clouding the future of humanity itself.