Clergy Email Implores Democratic Super Delegates to Vote on Principle

Clergy Email Implores Democratic Super Delegates to Vote on Principle
February 21, 2008

The Brody File has received an email circulating among progressive religious leaders and their congregations imploring people of faith (and delegates especially) to vote their principles in this closely contested Democratic Primary. Read part of the letter below. Pay particular attention to the last paragraph.

Dear friends,

fellow clergy and people of faith: We are people of faith from all traditions and backgrounds, all genders and races and all regions across our great nation. We are Americans who look to God and the holy texts for our moral compass in our private decisions and civic duties. We are concerned about the direction the current Presidential race is taking, and we feel we must bring attention, as clergy and faith leaders, to our concern. How will we, as Americans, come together in this moment to overcome past and current divisions and move forward as one in the best interest of our nation?

That is why we call on all Americans to bring their highest and best selves to this moment in time – to focus on content and character, depth of ideas, and a tangible vision for our future. In this, we must demand that our political leaders, participants in the political process, and the news media bring us together instead of pushing us back toward divisions that have plagued our past. We cannot afford it, and we must not accept it.
(pickup)

Delegates to our national conventions should be bound by principle, beliefs and a shared commitment to the common good that we are all in this together. They are charged with using their judgment individually and collectively to determine who will be our next Democratic nominee for President of the United States.

You have to wonder though if principle is being sacrificed in some instances. As we speak, some Obama supporters are putting quite a bit of pressure on Clinton supporters, especially super delegates, to switch sides. There are numerous examples of it but check out this one cited in the Minnesota Post last week regarding Super delegate Jackie Stevenson:

“Stevenson has been heavily involved in DFL politics since the early 1950s, when she licked envelopes for a young congressman, Eugene McCarthy. She was – and is – a leading feminist in the state. She is an unapologetic Clinton supporter. She is upset by some of the emails she has received from Obama supporters. ‘I get emails telling me that it's incumbent on me to switch from Hillary to Obama because of how well he did in the caucuses,'' she said. "I'm trying to calm down from those, but it really bothers me. I want to tell those people that they should contact me after John Kerry and Ted Kennedy switch from Obama to Hillary in Massachusetts.'’'On the Internet, there have also been some vile comments being thrown around too. Check out the website “Bossip” where there have been slurs against African Americans who support Hillary. The quote is below:

"Their support for Hillary has been bought and sold and they may end UP preventing Obama from getting the nomination if it goes down to the end. These plantation-minded officials don’t belong in power and when Obama gets in power, their communities will vote them out for their foolish and corrupt support for the Clinton’s."

It’s a shame that it has sunk to this level in some places. The bottom line is that the clergy leaders are right. Shouldn’t we all be voting our principles first?

Comments?
<<>>
Video: Obama Strategist Robert Gibbs in the Spin Room
February 22, 2008
Video: Clinton Strategist Mark Penn in the Spin Room
February 22, 2008
Hillary's Shining Moment
February 21, 1008
Celebrity Spotting on The Brody File
February 21, 2008
Video: Hillary vs Obama On the Streets of Austin, TX
February 21, 2008