[I wrote this summary just before the 2006 elections.]
Dear brother in Christ,
Grace and peace to you.
You may be thinking twice about your decision to vote Republican.
Perhaps you feel you got more than you bargained for.
The destruction must be weighing heavily upon you.
As Christians we’re instructed to love our enemies (Luke 6:27), feed the least of us (Matt 25:35), and avoid sexual immorality (I Cor 6:18), and yet we see:
A costly invasion and occupation which now appears to have been unprovoked.
Cruel and unusual punishment of prisoners held without trial.
A slothful response to a levy failure that all could see plainly on television.
Forced abortion and prostitution in the US Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Predation of our children serving in the halls of Congress.
…The Republicans were supposed to be the party for people of the Christian faith.
And liberals like the Greens may seem immoral to you.
You may feel as though you have nowhere to turn.
Let me describe where I find refuge.
I don’t expect you to agree with me on much.
But I may be able to explain how a fellow Christian can adopt a liberal worldview.
I pray that we can find some common ground.
You believe in the bodily Resurrection, and so do I.
To me, it’s a leap of faith. I wasn’t there to see it.
Whether or not the other miracles occurred, we can agree that the teachings live on.
I pray that God will find a way to welcome into Heaven nonbelievers whose hearts are in the right place.
If He can forgive His captors (Luke 23:34), He can do that.
Whether or not you agree, we can agree that it is never too late for anyone to be saved.
Therefore, we can and should love and work alongside nonbelievers as if they were believers.
I am open to ideas from other faiths.
If I meditate to calm my nerves, nothing bad is going to happen to me.
If I light a menorah or face Mecca when I pray, nothing bad is going to happen to me.
We are of the body of Christ. We may also have the mind of Christ (I Cor 2:16). You never know where a good idea may come from. All people, even children, are important and may have something of value to contribute. It’s ok to question religious tradition.
You may believe in creationism. I believe that God created evolution. I like the divine watchmaker of our deist forefathers. A thousand years is like a day to the Lord (II Pet 3:8). I believe in the scientific method, to test all things and hold fast what is good (I Thess 5:21).
The old covenant was literally hard to follow. Uzzah touched the Ark and died (II Sam 6:6). Luckily, the new covenant replaced the old. Also, the acceptance of animal sacrifice went away (Hos 6:6), the acceptance of polygamy went away (I Cor 7:2), and the acceptance of slavery went away (Exod 22:21).
I respect the teachings of Paul, but I keep in mind that he himself admitted that he was the least of the apostles (I Cor 15:9). Some of his teachings were homophobic. If there’s a discrepancy in the scriptures, I believe that the teachings of Jesus should take precedence. As Christians I believe that our core mission is to follow the Golden Rule, to do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Matt 7:12). I want the right to marry; therefore I want others to have the right to marry.
If the soul enters the body at conception, then abortion would break the Golden Rule, but I’m not sure of that. You may cite that all of us are conceived in sin (Psalm 51:5), but I am open to the possibility that God might intervene to withhold a sinless soul. As I understand it the Bible says that if men fight and disrupt a woman’s pregnancy, it is not necessarily a capital offense (Exod 21:22), therefore it is not murder. I’m just not sure, therefore I believe that the abortion decision, risk, and responsibility rest with the female carrying the fertilized egg. Whether or not you and I can agree, I hope we can find common ground in reducing the factors that can lead to unwanted pregnancies, and in strengthening families by strengthening their opportunities.
I believe that the warrior Deborah was a great feminist in her day (Judg 4:9).
I believe in encouraging healthy lifestyle choices. The prophet Daniel went on a vegetarian diet and his health was better than those who hadn’t (Dan 1:12)!
I believe it is honorable to pony up and pay one’s taxes. Jesus did so when He instructed His disciple to get a coin from the mouth of a fish (Matt 17:27). If you don’t think your tax dollars are being spent efficiently, work to fix that. But don’t selfishly complain about what can be seen as a positive interfaith mission effort.
And finally, I’m concerned with all this obsession about the end times. If we are adhering to the Golden Rule, then we are doing everything in our power to forestall the end times. I want to live; therefore I want others to live. Even Jesus does not know when the end will come, only the Father knows (Matt 24:36). So let’s identify and prevent potential man-made cataclysms, but for Heaven’s sake, let’s not do anything to encourage or hasten our own destruction!
You may see me in church, but then again, I may opt to pray behind closed doors (Matt 6:6).
There’s a lot to think about.
I hope this has been of some help to you.
You may decide to make a leap of faith.
If you do, we welcome you warmly.
Grace and peace be with you,
Your brother in Christ,
Tom Cleland
Member, Green Party of Minnesota
posted by Tom Cleland @ 10/28/2006 10:42:00 PM 8 comments
At Fri Nov 03, 11:58:00 PM CST, Smokey said...
"If the soul enters the body at conception, then abortion would break the Golden Rule, but I’m not sure of that."
If the soul enters the body at conception, then a pair of identical twins only have a single soul.
No religion on Earth treats identical twins in this way.
At Sat Nov 04, 07:29:00 PM CST, Tom Cleland said...
Excellent point, Smokey! God would have to wait until the cell divides into two separate cells before introducing the souls. And if He can do that, He can withhold a sinless soul. Thanks, I feel so much better!
At Sun Nov 05, 08:26:00 AM CST, darrell said...
While I don't share your beliefs I respect what you have to say because I know that amongst Christians the things you've said are very unpopular. They're unpopular because they involve free-thinking. Free-thinking weakens the power individuals can wield over you. I don't want to scare you, but one day you may just think your way out of religion entirely, and you may just find that you're still a good, intelligent person. It's a good book, but it's difficult to read, and you've obviously read it better than most of the people who claim to share your faith. Take it easy.
At Sun Nov 05, 09:20:00 PM CST, Tom Cleland said...
Thanks, Darrell. I want to be a "free thinker" and still "keep the faith.” To do it I keep sticking to the Golden Rule paradigm. (Matthew 7:12, stay on message!) I don't feel like thinking my way out of religion entirely. My spirit says "fade to black" is "not an option"!
I respect atheists, though, and I think they are sometimes more Christian than some Christians!
At Mon Nov 06, 10:40:00 AM CST, Duf said...
Tom, this is amazing. Thank you so much for directing me to read it. Your letter gives me hope - I hope you reach a wide audience.
At Mon Nov 06, 07:02:00 PM CST, Tom Cleland said...
I emailed it to all my friends and relatives, and linked to it on several religious and conservative blogs. I hope people forward it. Thanks for your encouragement, Duf!
[Upon reading The Great Turning by David Korten, a couple books in the footnotes intrigued me and I read them. I want to say right now I believe you can be a liberal Christian without following me on this leg of the journey. Worshippers of the Goddess generally do not seek converts. I do believe, however, that we will need to return to more matrifocal values if we are to survive as a species.]
In the beginning, or at least before Adam and Eve, we worshipped a Goddess. That’s the conclusion drawn from When God Was a Woman by Merlin Stone and The Chalice and the Blade by Riane Eisler.
It’s quite disturbing, but the idea that violent male invaders rewrote history would explain a lot. I am now trying to reconcile this new information with my existing religious beliefs. I am generally always open to other faiths, provided I don’t have to renounce my own, which is grounded in some simple tenets:
Matthew 7:12 – “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.”
John 3:16 – “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
That second one, having to do with the bodily resurrection, can be a real sticking point for Christians, especially conservative ones. I personally find it inconsistent that the Most High would be that automatic, and I don’t think it’s my call to insist that others share that belief. However, I choose to believe it myself, and I wouldn’t want to renounce it.
As far as I can tell, I would not have to. In fact, early Christianity may have been an attempt to restore gentler “feminine” values such as compassion, responsibility, and love. The crucifixion itself may have even been symbolic of pre-biblical legend. Some people pray to the Mother Mary, and Mary Magdalene is said to be the author of one of the Gnostic Gospels.
Many religious leaders have already preached that the Holy Spirit is a feminine entity. Christian theology teaches us that the Holy Spirit is God, as much as is the Father and the Son. As far as I’m concerned, the Holy Spirit can be a code word, interchangeable with Goddess or whatever name women give Her.
Goddess worship may have also involved figurines, as archaeological evidence suggests. With all the Bible’s warnings about idol-worship, I felt somewhat uncomfortable about this. However, just as when one prays before a cross, they are really praying to Jesus, when one prays before a figurine, they could be really praying to the Holy Spirit.
Having a clearer picture then of both feminine and masculine religions, we now have the opportunity to choose the best of each. Research hints that the ancient legends may have involved incest and pedophilia, while the Old Testament outlawed those practices. Since then, modern science and research has shown that incest leads to genetic abnormalities, and pedophilia is harmful to children’s psychological development. Conversely, the newer, masculine-originated sociopathy of empire has pushed us to the brink of extinction.
A number of ancient Goddess worship practices were described. One idea I find objectionable is the ritual sacrifice of the younger male consort. This would be a violation of Matthew 7:12. Even if he wanted to go of his own volition, no mortal human could possibly assure him it was in his best interests. In other words, if it were me I would not want a killer as my high priestess. Perhaps a substitute ritual could be devised. Some consorts may have been sacrificed after only a year.
Could this be a case of a desire gone too far? It seems that these rituals and practices could possibly yield clues as to the innate natural behaviors of women and men. If I may speculate, this may have been the manifestation of conflicting emotions. For no matter how much a woman loves her man, she may begin to grow weary of him after about a year, even if he does everything right. She may not even realize the source of her restlessness, leading to feelings of denial and unspecified resentment. It may explain why daytime television dramas, historically targeted toward women, consist of an ongoing procession of new husbands and boyfriends.
If monogamy, as the research suggests, was indeed imposed on women through force and intimidation, it then becomes more difficult to blame those who are, shall we say, “candor-challenged.” I would expect a great deal of repressed anger, and, perhaps, repressed desires. This might also explain the supposed female attraction to men with money: An ingrained survival reaction by those compelled to buy into the androcratic power structure. Instead, the authors encourage us to envision a gylanic world where women and men work cooperatively to meet their economic needs. Once a reasonable level of comfort has been achieved for adults and their offspring, attention can be turned to pleasure.
Trying to guess the true hidden desires of women may prove to be an exercise in futility, as I suspect they love surprises. Based on some of the rituals described, my impression is that feminine desires are constantly changing, often opposite whatever men want, and potentially without end. Of course I am wrong on all this, but that too would make sense under the new paradigm!
While I found the second book more up-to-date, comprehensive, and scholarly, the first book really captured my imagination. In both books I was most intrigued by the Minoan civilization. It could be a good model for intentional communities.
[Author’s note: This is an outrageous fantasy, based on my research of the Goddess but without any consultation with those who actually worship Her. While my reptilian and limbic brains are normally under the holy auspices and sovereign dominion of my neocortical brain, I must let them out occasionally if I am to be a fully integrated human being. The Holy Liturgy is an initial attempt at the joyous revival of ritual. It is just one person’s perspective, and a male one at that. In modern society a tamer version may needed for public consumption, perhaps employing the use of flesh-colored body stockings…]
The priestesses summon me. I trust them, and I feel safe. This is a high honor. As is customary, first I acquire the most pleasing garments. I acquire the appropriate modest gifts such as flowers, spiral shells, and honey. Then I undergo a medical examination. Then I take a ritual bath with pouf and loofah, and use the prescribed mints, soaps, and sundries. I am blindfolded and transported to an undisclosed location. I am treated well, except I must beg to eat and to go to the bathroom.
Many, many lifetimes ago, in the natural days, before the trust was broken, there was no need for such secrecy. But then some fool thought it would be a good idea to explore evil to the fullest, and others followed. Beautiful civilizations were destroyed, their people massacred. Thousands of years later, millions were hunted, tortured, and murdered. More than four out of five were women. I don’t want to think about it. If I had a past life, I pray that I had nothing to do with it. This day is to be pleasant, but I cannot ignore the past.
Their identities must be protected. They remove my blindfold. They wear masks and robes. In the Minoan tradition, the men wear loincloths. This is a special ceremony. The men serve refreshments such as wine and juice, honey cakes, whole grain bread, olive oil, nuts, and fresh fruit. Apple hemispheres show the star-shaped pattern of the seed pockets. Occasionally, a priestess will thank her server by exercising the peeking privilege. They sit or stand in a semicircle. For this ceremony, the nine-foot circle has been expanded to twenty-seven feet. On the outermost periphery are the guards, ever vigilant. (Later I will become a guard.) Next are trusted onlookers, monogamous couples, and honorary eunuchs. Next are the Venus figurines and lower priestesses, and finally the priestesses. The same person can have different titles at different times. The circle may be expanded to another multiple of nine.
We are surrounded by nature’s beauty. It doesn’t matter to me whether it is day or night, indoors or outdoors, though I am told an outdoor grove is best, weather permitting. I am brightly lit, like the plump candles held by the robed ones. The smell of incense fills the air. I feel the urge to be clad only by the sky.
In a comfortable, ergonomic throne sits the High Priestess. Sometimes she sits. Sometimes she stands. It is her choice. In each hand, she holds a serpent. Her guards at either side are rotated as she sees fit. She wears the crescent moon and other beautiful symbols. She has many names: Gaia, Isis, Astarte, Diana, Inanna, and many, many more. My favorite name is Athena, because Minoan Crete, the last surviving civilization, worshipped her, before the Greeks made her a warrior. I like the sound of the name Inanna. I do not know what name the High Priestess calls herself, and I don’t ask. We read from the prepared text.
Her: How dare you come here!
Him: I beg your forgiveness.
Her: What do you have to say for yourself?
Him: No words can express my sorrow, and no sorrow is sufficient.
Her: Are you prepared to worship the Highest Goddess, the Queen of Heaven?
Him: I believe so, yes.
Her: You believe so? Are you still worshipping that sky god, the one whose followers committed genocide?
Him: Only the parts that were not bad. I believe that the good lessons take precedence over the bad lessons.
Her: Good lessons such as what?
Him: Do for others what you want them to do for you.
Her: We already had our own version of that. Is there anything else?
Him: We believe that someone died to take away our sins.
Her: Do you insist that others share this belief?
Him: I leave that to God.
Her: God? A male god?
Him: The Holy Spirit is God as much as is the Father and the Son. I see the Holy Spirit as a feminine entity. If I pray before a cross or a figurine, I am really praying to that higher Spirit.
Her: You say a cross or a figurine. What about another human being?
Him: If that person’s heart is in the right place, I think I could do that. Still, I am scared. With your permission, I would like to take Holy Communion, symbolizing the body and blood of the one who died.
Her: That sounds rather morbid, but if it will help you to relax, very well. Priestess, get this man some bread and wine.
Him: Thank you.
Her: We have other, parallel rituals intended to negate sin. Eat the sycamore fig. It is the body of the Goddess.
(I consume the bread, wine, and sycamore fig or reasonable facsimile.)
Him: Thank you. Please forgive me for my sins.
Her: Now you are as innocent as a little boy. Pull your pants down.
Him: I beg your pardon?
Her: You heard me.
(At any point from here forward, the High Priestess may order the process expedited.)
Him: What if I refuse?
Her: You may be disciplined or removed.
Him: Please, don’t remove me! Not yet! I want to worship the Goddess. I’m so scared.
Her: Priestesses get out the cobra venom!
(Two priestesses hold me by the arms while two others hold the serpents, or reasonable facsimiles, in front of me. The priestesses then drink a legal concoction which symbolizes the cobra venom. It is believed to give them uncanny powers of clarity and comprehension. They begin chanting.)
Priestesses: No more stalling, no more deals. Make him tell us how he feels… (Repeated.)
Him: Ok!
Her: Are you ready to tell us how you really feel?
Him: I want to tell you so badly.
Her: Are you ready to worship the Goddess?
Him: I want to worship the Goddess so badly. I don’t want you to have actual power of life or death over me. I just want to pretend that you have power of life or death over me. I do not want to suffer lasting damage or disease.
Her: Very well, if you want the ceremony to stop, simply say “no,” or “stop” or some other agreed-upon safe-word. Until then, or until the end of the ceremony, we will pretend that I have power of life or death over you.
Him: Thank you. That makes me so happy.
Her: We will also pretend that I am the Goddess.
Him: Yes, thank you. You are the Goddess. You are Earth. The plants and trees, the animals of air, land, and sea, all life can be traced back to you. Thank you for giving me a heart that beats; lungs that breathe; a mind that thinks; and a spirit that feels. The oceans, the seasons, the sounds, colors, and smells, it is all beautiful. You live on in this woman. To me, woman is your most beautiful creation of all. Her hair, curves, textures, and motion…
Her: Shut up. (Pause.) You may speak.
Him: I want to do whatever you say.
Her: You may remove your pants now.
Him: Are you sure it’s ok? (I look around to the others.)
Priestess: I object.
Her (High Priestess): Do you wish to leave?
Priestess: No, I will stay.
Her: You may proceed.
Him: What is the proper etiquette? Am I expected to be big or small?
Her: You may be either. However, later we may command you to alternate.
Him: That may be difficult at my age, but I will do my best. May I pull my pants down?
Her: Yes, you may.
Him: I want to pull them down so badly. Would you like me to go fast or slow?
Her: Either.
(I take off my shoes and socks. Then I slowly lower my pants.)
Her: Now your shirt.
(I slowly remove my shirt.)
Her: Now your underwear.
Him: I’m a little nervous.
Her: You may take off your underwear.
(I slowly remove my underwear.)
Her: So, when did you first become interested in Goddess worship?
Him: As a little boy, I saw pictures of the Minoan civilization. It seemed so elegant and peaceful, everyone working in harmony. The palaces, the bull-leaping. I didn’t know it then, but it was Goddess worship.
Her: Kneel.
(I kneel.)
Her: Rise.
(I rise.)
Her: Then came the earthquakes and the invasions. We have suffered.
Him: I want to absorb the anger for that, and I want to experience the pain of childbirth.
Her: You may choose from a number of rituals. There is the scourge…
Him: No, no, anything but the scourge!
Her: Or you may have a medical professional expand one of your orifices.
Him: The scourge! The scourge!
Her: Then turn around and kneel.
(I turn around and kneel.)
Her: You don’t have to do this.
Him: I want to. And you can hurl insults at me while you do it.
Her: I’ll try to think of something. Let me know when you’ve had enough.
Him: Let me know when the discomfort is equivalent to childbirth.
Her: We don’t have all day. There will be no scars. Let me know when you’ve had enough.
(I endure the scourge until my laughter turns to tears. At this point a determination is made whether to continue the ceremony another day.)
Him: Thank you, Most High Goddess, for the attention you have given me. Thank you for the opportunity to feel a new sense of atonement.
Her: Are you willing to do whatever I say?
Him: Yes.
Her: Are you gay?
Him: I am not gay. I never have been gay.
Her: Lie down upon this mirror, then roll over onto your stomach. Do a slow pushup. Priestess, hold the other mirror up to him. Press against this mirror.
(I press against the mirrors. I love her and I do whatever she says.)
Her: As you know, the world is full. We mustn’t do anything that could theoretically result in pregnancy. And although we are all synchronized with the moon, we mustn’t do anything that could result in disease. We will use modern technology if we must.
Him: What will become of my innocent, sacred seed? It is important to me that something significant is done with it.
Her: It may be merged into any of your hair centers, to increase your spiritual powers. It may be sown directly into the earth, or it may be captured in a bowl and merged into a bigger bowl, to be ritually poured into the earth. It may be used to cover our charms or candles, or it may be used to increase our spiritual powers. In very rare cases, as regulated by the priestesses, it may be used to create new life. But that might only be once in a lifetime. Even a reenactment is problematic.
Him: I understand.
Her: You know, I sometimes feel that after you have fertilized a woman, you have outlived your usefulness.
Him: I don’t understand.
Her: Legend has it that the young male consort would sometimes be sacrificed.
Him: No! No! Please spare my life! I beg of you. I love you. I will do anything!
Her: Well, seeing as you have atoned in more ways than one, including worship of a sky god that you believe atoned for you, perhaps I might make an exception. But you are still a danger to the planet. After your sexual appeal has worn off, you may run off and find a way to worsen the population problem.
Him: Please don’t kill me! I will become a eunuch for you!
Her: Interesting proposition. Priestess, bring him five feet of string. You know what to do.
(I tie the string into a slipknot and fasten it to myself. I hand the other end to the priestess.)
Him: I will be a eunuch for you.
(The priestess leads me to the High Priestess, who leads me around the circle, or wherever She wishes.)
Her: Stand still.
(She removes the string.)
Him: What’s that?
Her: It’s a plaster cast.
Him: Please no, I don’t want to suffocate!
Her: Relax. There has been a change of plans. I have just selected you to receive the highest honor in all the land. We are making a scale model of you for future maypoles.
Him: Oh, Queen of Heaven, I am truly honored.
(A determination is made whether to continue this part of the ceremony on a different day.)
Her: As a token of our appreciation, you will receive a commemorative award, with sterile pin, miniature ribbons, hoop, and cinch strap.
Him: I don’t know how to thank you.
Her: You may thank me by doing as I say. Remember I have the power of life or death over you.
Him: I submit to your will.
Her: You will now be welcomed into the group, starting with me. Stand still.
(I stand still. Priestesses place the blindfold back on me. A receiving line is formed, and I shake the hand of each person in the line.)
Her: Next you will worship the living Venus figurines. Priestesses, lead him to the first living Venus figurine. Now kneel.
(I kneel.)
Him: I’m so afraid that I won’t do it properly.
Her: Just do as I say. Open your mouth, lean forward, and worship Venus with all your love, all your heart and soul.
(I open my mouth, lean forward, and worship Venus with all my love, all my heart and soul, and am filled with the Holy Spirit. I repeat the process for each that is placed before me.)
Her: You are a good person.
Him: I submit to your will.
Her: Rise. We will lead you to the inner circle like a dairy cow, one of many. Your sins will be negated. Fall into our arms.
(I am surrounded by as many as 13 priestesses.)
Her: Normally, the ceremony would end about now, but I would like you to read from an ancient Sumerian text. You will be Dumuzi. The Goddess will be Inanna.
(Small antlers are placed upon my head, then removed, and placed on the High Priestess. The blindfold is removed. She is the woman I love.)
Inanna: My field, the horn, the boat of Heaven, is full of eagerness like the young moon. My untilled land lies fallow. As for me, Inanna, who will plow my field? Who will plow my high field? Who will plow my wet ground? As for me, the young woman, who will plow my field? Who will station the ox there? Who will plow my field?
Dumuzi: Great Lady, the king will plow your field, I, Dumuzi the King, will plow your field.
Inanna: Then plow my field, man of my heart. Plow my field. My eager impetuous caresser of the navel, my caresser of the soft thighs. He is the one my womb loves best. My high priest is ready for the holy loins. My lord Dumuzi is ready for the holy loins. The plants and herbs in his field are ripe. O Dumuzi, your fullness is my delight. Inanna called for the bed. Let the bed that rejoices the heart be prepared. Let the bed that sweetens the loins be prepared. Let the bed of kingship be prepared! Let the bed of queenship be prepared! Let the royal bed be prepared! He shaped my loins with his fair hands, the shepherd Dumuzi filled my lap with cream and milk. He stroked my hair. He watered my womb. He laid his hands on my holy field. He smoothed my black boat with cream. He quickened my narrow boat with milk. He caressed me on the bed. The King went with lifted head to the holy loins. He went with lifted head to the loins of Inanna. He went to the queen with lifted head. He opened wide his arms to the holy priestess of heaven. We rejoiced together. He took his pleasure of me. He laid me down on the fragrant honey-bed. My sweet love, lying by my heart, tongue-playing, one by one, my fair Dumuzi did so fifty times. Now, my sweet love is sated.
Athena, please forgive me. I have been flirting with Muggles. Maybe I can convert them, but it’s such a long shot. The world is so surreal. I can’t even convert my own family.
The Muggles are only beautiful by androcratic standards. Athena, please help me to get them out of my system, as soon as I get the urge, so I can get back to Your Holy Work. Athena, please give me the strength to honor Your Holy Priorities. The Truth is more important than sex, and the Party is more important than any relationship.
So be it.
Blessed Mary, Mother of God, putti John and Jesus playing at your feet, we praise your Holy Name. Your Love and Light shine down upon me. You take me to where strength is weakness and weakness is strength. You comfort me in my sorrow. You tickle my inner funny bone.
Here are some talking points you can use with family and friends this holiday season. (Disclaimer: Our family has a gag order on politics this Thanksgiving.)
Greens would have cut the funding for Iraq.
Greens would not have authorized the use of force in Iran (Kyl-Lieberman).
Greens would not have legalized the wiretapping of our own citizens.
Torture is cruel and unusual, un-Christian and un-American. Greens would have forced filibusters on Habeas Corpus and the Military Commissions Act.
Greens would have voted for impeachment.
Greens would not have used depleted uranium in Yugoslavia or Iraq.
Greens would have passed single-payer universal health care.
Greens would have submitted Kyoto to the Senate for ratification.
Greens would have improved automobile efficiency in the eight Clinton-Gore years.
Greens would not have passed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
The spoiler argument is ad populum, or opinion based on opinion. Greens believe that opinion should be based on fact. Ventura showed that third parties can win, but he was televised. The Green Party revolution will not be televised. That’s how good Greens are. Greens don’t take the corporate money as shown on www.fec.gov.
Democrat vs. Republican is a false choice. The real choice is Green vs. Corporate.