Reply #188: As far as I know [View All]

[drfemoe]

the other candidates care about all the children too. However, if I'm not mistaken, Howard Dean is the only one who has actually put it into action with legistlation and programs to provide, not just healthcare, but lifestyle improvements. Domestic violence and child abuse rates in his state dropped dramatically due to the laws he signed. (The exact stats exist, but I don't have them at my fingertips just now.) These are important issues to me, as I am sure they are for you.

I want to be honest .. I am from the largest southern state, although the south doesn't really claim us, because we were not part of the confederacy. I have NEVER been a racist or bigot in any fashion. I am much too sensitive for blind hate.

My family took a vacation to GA and FL in the 60s (when I was a young school girl) during the time when there was a great deal of racial tension there, and the civil rights issue was raging. My dad wanted to take a picture of a restaurant which had a sign in the window proclaiming "no coloreds served". My uncle stopped him, fearing he might be shot or attacked for taking pictures. We ate in such a restaurant, and I remember our family talking about how ridiculous it was that this eatery would hire Black people to work in the kitchen, but not allow them to eat in the dining room. I sure didn't understand it.

Now the honesty .. the 'confederate' flag has always been an embarassment to me. Like I said, it never flew over my home state, but there are still plenty of 'rebels' around who seem to enjoy it. To me, it does say "hate" and "we are better than YOU". I believe 'sin' is this very belief that any 'one' is superior to every 'other'. And I do not even begin to understand how certain people can be proud of their hatred.

Nevertheless, I do not condemn Dean for wanting these haters to vote for him. I don't think his comments excluded the people who are the object of this blind hate, as contrary as that may sound to someone with a different background than mine. I may be naive, but it seems to me that if we can overcome the poverty, violence and hopelessness, the hate will go away. It won't be 'needed' any more. What other method will achieve this? Killing each other is not the answer, obviously. Hurting ourselves to hurt those who hate us is not the answer. The people I stand with want an end to hate and bigotry in all its forms. But there are others who are served by that hatred and perpetuate it to guard their own 'power'. These are the people we need to go after an dethrone. And I think that's what Gov. Dean is trying to do. If anything, his comments have brought this issue to the surface so we can all see the complete monster for what it is.

Thank you for your participation in this important dialog.