I must take the time to write when compelled to do so. I value my opinion, I also value the opinion of others, in the aspect that their opinion belongs to them and is generated from within their soul. I must also say that I love politics. Some say that they won't talk politics because it is the source of hostile arguments. I say disagreement is healthy. I've learned a heck of a lot by disagreeing with people. Some have changed my opinion from time to time by simply disagreeing with me then explaining their reason. This is where respect comes in to play.

Talking politics can be like talking religion. We are all aware that you must have great respect for someone's faith if you are to discuss it with them. You don't have to blindly agree but you must have a healthy respect for their belief because it is generated from within their soul.

Over the past few years I've seen a trend in mainly National level politics that really troubles me, especially in the 04 Presidential election. Candidates bring issues to the campaign forefront that are really just cultural issues that can be decided on an individual basis (meaning this is either right for me so I will take part in it or this is wrong for my conscience and therefore I won't do it). Then, the concept of religion is somehow attached to the cultural issue and many people feel obligated,one way or the other, to vote for or against certain candidates because of their opinions on these few issues. I am not at all saying this is right or wrong but what I'm saying is that when we begin to legislate laws based on the belief of a few facets of religion I smell trouble.

The question I have is, where does it go from here? Are we really the moral Country that we let on to be when we decide on these few cultural issues that rub most of us the wrong way? Do we as a Nation have a form of godliness and deny what God's power really is? Who ever you are and where ever you live you must take the time to think, what really goes on in my community and how will my opinions on homosexual relationships or stemcell research change the things that are killing my community.

Then take a step further and ask yourself, what goes on in my life when no one is around but myself? When all the Dust has settled, we as a Nation, are about gratification. We want to have a standard of morals for everyone else, but our own private lives are off limits. We tolerate things that are somewhat acceptable. The things that aren't acceptable we label as Immoral. In America 80 percent of the citizens claim to be Christians and I would be willing to bet that 50 percent of them have never read the whole Bible.

Lastly we must all ask ourselves do we really want a government that has laws mandated by certain religious groups or do we want the freedom to make decisions based on our consciences. I for one don't want to see history repeat itself.