Ms. Parker dared to call out Sarah Palin, and now she has been demonized by the mindless Right. She wrote a column today that spoke of the kinds of emails she has received from the rabid idiots that think only in the most narrow terms of partisanship - if they think at all. But Kathleen Parker dared to say something that, while patently true, was against the party line. For that, she deserves support. The truth is not a partisan issue, and in this election, there are just too many lies and a serious deficiency of truth.

So, in answer to this column, here is what I wrote to her.

Dear Ms. Parker,

It takes courage to tell the truth, in particular when surrounded by immature and potentially violent fools. Partisanship is absurd when the real issues are so very profound. We may differ on methods, but I hope that some of us, at least, want to support this country’s ideals.

For speaking out against Palin’s qualifications, you deserve great credit. Moreover, I think it’s obvious that the woman is not qualified to be our vice president, and more to the point, our president. She began her campaign with a series of lies that she repeated, mantra like, as if no amount of factual oversight could possibly refute her steadfast position. She proceeded to attempt to block an investigation plaguing her position as governor – an investigation that she had previously welcomed. If innocent, she has a strange way of convincing us of the fact. Her whole resume, as told by the McCain campaign, is an insult to our intelligence, and a well-stacked packet of lies that have been thoroughly refuted – yet they continue to pound away in defiance of fact and reason. And you can’t cram wisdom and understanding of complex issues into someone’s head in a fortnight. (And, for the record, Obama has shown a remarkable grasp of political realities and has written thoroughly about the politics of the last 50 years in The Audacity of Hope. His insight and experience far belies his years of service – a fact that people seem unable to grasp. It isn’t true that years alone grant wisdom, but it probably is true that the incurious or overly rigid mind is less likely to achieve wisdom than the one that thinks, studies, explores, ponders and questions.)

I disagree with Ms. Palin’s policies and distrust her ability to keep church and state separated. I would oppose her even if she were ostensibly qualified, because I am not a conservative. I suppose, by default, that makes me a liberal or some other dirty word, but in reality I’m someone who truly believes in our Constitution and who would like to see that concept of “equality” be more seriously evaluated. I would like to see a world at peace and a country in harmony. I would like to see people prosper under our flag instead of suffering – instead of seeing the division of wealth expand and the “haves and have mores” of Bush’s base having, well.. more… and the rest of us having – you guessed it – less.

Free market? Regulation? Bush Doctrine? Diplomacy? These are questions we should be able to discuss with civility and with an attempt at compromise – to take the best of what we all have to offer and come up with a plan for our country that works for as many of us as possible. Sure, we have differences, but the fierceness and divisiveness and closed-mindedness that has grown in this country since Reagan is tearing us apart. The outright lies push us further apart. Bush promised to be a uniter, not a divider, but he and the Republican Congress have done nothing of the sort. They have run amok over their opponents and, in doing so, have run this country into the ground. They should all be ashamed, but apparently they think they were serving a bigger and more important cause. What was it? Neo-conservatism? Is that worth the lives, dollars and the destruction of our position in the world? I think not.

Voices of reason, rationality and honesty must be heard. I like Obama because he is that kind of person. At least that is what I believe. Even if you don’t see his positions as those of the Republican Party, in temperament, in intelligence and in consistency, he is presidential. Meanwhile, McCain, who I once thought was a maverick and a straight shooter, has proven to be a win-at-any-cost-gambling-hypocrite. He is erratic and transparently opportunistic. His antics are embarrassing. Sorry, but I do not take well to out-and-out liars and poseurs. Which also includes Palin.

So, perhaps you would see me as the enemy, and therefore feel some need to distance yourself from my praise and gratitude, but nonetheless, you have my appreciation for saying what is painfully true. There were women whom McCain could have chosen who I might not like, but who were clearly qualified to take the position for which Palin is running. Palin, however, is not among them.

Peace,

Raider