Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Bokonon · 11-07-2002, 06:32 AM

I voted at the "Center for Independent Living". I'm still not sure what exactly the CIL is.

11-07-2002, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by capsaicin67:
<strong>I went to church for the first time in years! Hallelujah! The voting was set up in a large conference-type room, FACING a large cheesey mural with a large caption beneath it stating something about heaven and god.</strong>

You're joking, right? Please say you're joking.

Mageth · 11-07-2002, 08:53 AM

My precinct voted in the local Baptist church. I have no problems with that, for the reasons others have expressed on this thread.

HOWEVER, across from the registration table, there was a table set up that had a spread of witnessing tracts. That bothered me; while it may not be illegal, I felt it was inappropriate.

Seeker630 · 11-10-2002, 04:34 AM

Mageth:

"HOWEVER, across from the registration table, there was a table set up that had a spread of witnessing tracts. That bothered me; while it may not be illegal, I felt it was inappropriate"

I had to vote in a "Bible" church, whatever the hell that is. In my county there are over 100 voting precints. About 75-80 are in churches. Of course that is probably due to the lack of sufficient schools to use as an alternative. Florida's public school system is ranked something like 48 or 49 out of all the states for overall quality of education. Of course all these nice Republicans have had chance after chance over the years to try and fix the problems..................................

GaryP · 11-10-2002, 05:55 AM

There are two wards that vote in the church I have to go to.

In the hall which needs to be traversed to reach either polling place is a bulletin board.

One of the propaganda pieces on the it this year was something in big print stating, "God is Pro-Family Values". Since FV is a buzz word of the Repubs, don't you think some might see that as an endorsement from the Creator of the Universe for my local Repub candidates?

capsaicin67 · 11-10-2002, 08:36 AM

a-i-f:You're joking, right? Please say you're joking.

c67: About which part? The "hallelujah" and feigned enthusiasm part---yes, that was in jest! Bigtime. The fact that I went and voted FACING [in clear view the entire time I was voting]a huge, tacky, godmural----nay, I'm afraid I'm not joking about that.

Mageth:HOWEVER, across from the registration table, there was a table set up that had a spread of witnessing tracts. That bothered me; while it may not be illegal, I felt it was inappropriate.

c67: Man, oh man, That is sick and wrong. I genuinely do not get why people go on and on about various other C/S issues, rabidly, and there is stuff like that going on and it does not really seem to bother many. I wouldn't have called that one in a zillion years. I am not an expert on all the legal subtleties of the whole C/S situation, but that seems like a very significant conflict of interests---religious tracts dispensed at the voting establishment. Isn't there a marketing term for that [that I'm too lazy to look up]? It's like having Schwarzanegger hold a Coke and wear a Nike tshirt in a movie to crossmarket products or something. I mean, it seems obvious to me that the fundies have political agendas, and they seem to also have exclusive prosletyzing rights at the pollbooth facility. And being the official sponsor of the election sends a very strong message that there is no firm boundary between church and state, and the message is that,in fact, the church is a co-sponsor of our govt./democratic process etc.

Does everyone have the right to dispense tracts at the voting booth on election day, I wonder? Or just the xians? Seems like a 500lb fundamentalist gorilla in the room to me.

GP:Since FV is a buzz word of the Repubs, don't you think some might see that as an endorsement from the Creator of the Universe for my local Repub candidates?

c67: I agree! That is exactlywhat it looks like to me!
But it's not a "buzzword"---as Minister of Propaganda Rush Limbaugh says on his show, its a "codeword"! He loves to talk about liberal "codewords". Sounds more sinister and cunning I guess. Family Values are definitely xian fundamentalist, and especially anti-choice/pro-Repub, codewords.

[ November 10, 2002: Message edited by: capsaicin67 ]

[ November 10, 2002: Message edited by: capsaicin67 ]</p>

Bumble Bee Tuna · 11-11-2002, 01:35 PM

GAH! That's frightening! How can people say this is ok? It's not just "using the building", it's exposing voters to religious propaganda and implying government support for the church! This is terrible! On a somewhat related note, I'm really not sure why people are so happy that the Civil War prevented the South from seceding. I certainly wouldn't be unhappy if fundyland was a separate country.

-B

RufusAtticus · 11-11-2002, 02:01 PM

Church polling is a good idea.

What could be better than voting to legalize alcohol by the drink in a Baptist Church?

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11-07-2002, 06:32 AM	#11
Bokonon Regular Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Left of the Mississippi Posts: 138	I voted at the "Center for Independent Living". I'm still not sure what exactly the CIL is.

11-07-2002, 08:53 AM	#13
Mageth Contributor Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Deep in the heart of mother-lovin' Texas Posts: 29,689	My precinct voted in the local Baptist church. I have no problems with that, for the reasons others have expressed on this thread. HOWEVER, across from the registration table, there was a table set up that had a spread of witnessing tracts. That bothered me; while it may not be illegal, I felt it was inappropriate.

11-10-2002, 04:34 AM	#14
Seeker630 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: North America Posts: 1,624	Mageth: "HOWEVER, across from the registration table, there was a table set up that had a spread of witnessing tracts. That bothered me; while it may not be illegal, I felt it was inappropriate" I had to vote in a "Bible" church, whatever the hell that is. In my county there are over 100 voting precints. About 75-80 are in churches. Of course that is probably due to the lack of sufficient schools to use as an alternative. Florida's public school system is ranked something like 48 or 49 out of all the states for overall quality of education. Of course all these nice Republicans have had chance after chance over the years to try and fix the problems..................................

11-10-2002, 05:55 AM	#15
GaryP Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Lancaster, OH Posts: 1,792	There are two wards that vote in the church I have to go to. In the hall which needs to be traversed to reach either polling place is a bulletin board. One of the propaganda pieces on the it this year was something in big print stating, "God is Pro-Family Values". Since FV is a buzz word of the Repubs, don't you think some might see that as an endorsement from the Creator of the Universe for my local Repub candidates?

11-10-2002, 08:36 AM	#16
capsaicin67 Contributor Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Gold coast plain, sea, scrubland, mountain range. Posts: 20,955	a-i-f:You're joking, right? Please say you're joking. c67: About which part? The "hallelujah" and feigned enthusiasm part---yes, that was in jest! Bigtime. The fact that I went and voted FACING [in clear view the entire time I was voting]a huge, tacky, godmural----nay, I'm afraid I'm not joking about that. Mageth:HOWEVER, across from the registration table, there was a table set up that had a spread of witnessing tracts. That bothered me; while it may not be illegal, I felt it was inappropriate. c67: Man, oh man, That is sick and wrong. I genuinely do not get why people go on and on about various other C/S issues, rabidly, and there is stuff like that going on and it does not really seem to bother many. I wouldn't have called that one in a zillion years. I am not an expert on all the legal subtleties of the whole C/S situation, but that seems like a very significant conflict of interests---religious tracts dispensed at the voting establishment. Isn't there a marketing term for that [that I'm too lazy to look up]? It's like having Schwarzanegger hold a Coke and wear a Nike tshirt in a movie to crossmarket products or something. I mean, it seems obvious to me that the fundies have political agendas, and they seem to also have exclusive prosletyzing rights at the pollbooth facility. And being the official sponsor of the election sends a very strong message that there is no firm boundary between church and state, and the message is that,in fact, the church is a co-sponsor of our govt./democratic process etc. Does everyone have the right to dispense tracts at the voting booth on election day, I wonder? Or just the xians? Seems like a 500lb fundamentalist gorilla in the room to me. GP:Since FV is a buzz word of the Repubs, don't you think some might see that as an endorsement from the Creator of the Universe for my local Repub candidates? c67: I agree! That is exactlywhat it looks like to me! But it's not a "buzzword"---as Minister of Propaganda Rush Limbaugh says on his show, its a "codeword"! He loves to talk about liberal "codewords". Sounds more sinister and cunning I guess. Family Values are definitely xian fundamentalist, and especially anti-choice/pro-Repub, codewords. [ November 10, 2002: Message edited by: capsaicin67 ] [ November 10, 2002: Message edited by: capsaicin67 ]</p>

11-11-2002, 01:35 PM	#17
Bumble Bee Tuna Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Middletown, CT Posts: 7,333	GAH! That's frightening! How can people say this is ok? It's not just "using the building", it's exposing voters to religious propaganda and implying government support for the church! This is terrible! On a somewhat related note, I'm really not sure why people are so happy that the Civil War prevented the South from seceding. I certainly wouldn't be unhappy if fundyland was a separate country. -B

11-11-2002, 02:01 PM	#18
RufusAtticus Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NCSU Posts: 5,853	Church polling is a good idea. What could be better than voting to legalize alcohol by the drink in a Baptist Church?

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