The Voting Dilemma
If I listen to the media, pro-life advocates have no viable choices in the upcoming elections. Senator Obama is adamantly pro-choice and it’s been said Senator McCain is less than pro-life.
Some Republicans are considering not voting for president because John McCain isn’t pro-life or Christian enough. I wonder if they realize a non-vote for Senator McCain is in effect a vote for Senator Obama?
Here are some of things I must consider as a pro-life woman…
This coming January, the Roe V Wade decision will be 36 years old. For 20 of those years, we have elected pro-life presidents. Abortion is still legal. So where is the value of voting only pro-life?
Besides…the truth is – I am not a single issue voter…the war, environment, education, diversity, and taxes matter to me. They always have.
The reason I vote Republican is that the platform is closest to my personal convictions. And yes, my personal convictions are closely related to my faith convictions. Everyone’s are. We all take our beliefs to the ballot. Even atheists take their unbelief with them and often use that as a deciding factor in their voting.
I also need to vote for the candidate that most closely relates to my values. In this election, that is John McCain. Does he fit the platform perfectly? No. So am I compromising my beliefs by voting for him and am I jeopardizing the pro-life movement? No. It could be the pro-life movement's biggest enemy is at times...itself.
In my heart I know this: abortion is far more than a political issue. We forget it’s an intensely personal crisis for thousands of women who regret their choice. Keeping it political allows us to keep our distance and still do “the right thing.” Voting strictly pro-life and thinking we’ve done our part is lazy.
Everyday women chose to abort their unborn babies – legally. Everyday most of them begin a life of regret and sorrow – alone. That is part of the heartbreak of abortion. It takes more than voting a specific way to help them find healing. It takes people offering a shoulder to cry on. It takes personal involvement from me…not putting our confidence in politicians who will vote (or promise to vote and not carry through) a certain way.
It’s intimate and intentional. It’s the Jesus way.
I’ve read John McCain’s voting record. Have you? I don’t agree with him on 100% of the issues, but I am not sure there is a politician alive who I could stand behind all the time. He is not the lesser of two evils…he is the Republican candidate and therefore the best choice for my vote.
As far as being pro-life…I am. Passionately. Adamantly. One woman at a time.
