"Get up there with that lady that's up on top of this Capitol dome, that lady that stands for liberty. Take a look at this country through her eyes if you really want to see something. And you won't just see scenery; you'll see the whole parade of what Man's carved out for himself, after centuries of fighting. Fighting for something better than just jungle law, fighting so's he can stand on his own two feet, free and decent, like he was created, no matter what his race, color, or creed. That's what you'd see. There's no place out there for graft, or greed, or lies, or compromise with human liberties."
Great principles don't get lost once they come to light. They're right here; you just have to see them again!
~ Jefferson Smith, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
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I hate politics.
Breeding ground for corruption and greed. The way it pits good people against one another. The need to be right…superior. How it can make you think less of a person if his persuasion doesn't align with your own. The sense of doom and despair many predict if the other guy wins.
We're a nation of liars and lunatics from top to bottom, talking out of opposite corners of the same mouth, and if that kicks a burr under your saddle think on how you vote daily with your choices and how that contradicts your rhetoric.
Or maybe the chaos and confusion of partisan politics simply paralyzes, lulling the less engaged into an apathetic stupor.
But that's the down side; there are up sides.
The right, privilege, duty to vote. The freedom to speak, oppose, protest and rally.
The opportunity for good people to make a difference.
There's a David versus Goliath match going on in Georgia's 9th Congressional District, where districts were redrawn following the 2010 census. Where an unheard-of Democrat is running against an incumbent Republican…
In a district that is SOLID red…
Most of the friends of that Democrat Underdog are Republican, and no telling how many times he was told "If you'd only run as a Republican, you could win…!"
See, he cannot win if some of those Republicans don't cross over party lines and vote for him.
And many after knowing him, or meeting him, or hearing him are willing.
But will they be enough?
You pull Jody Cooley aside and ask him why he's running, and he'll tell you a lot of reasons; you know the one that impresses me the most?
He's told his two daughters their voice makes a difference, and you gotta try when something's important, and how can he say that to them if he's not willing to do the same?
Jody is more moderate than left and he doesn't claim to know all the answers. He loves his country and cares about people and his concern for others has marched him right outside his comfort zone. He's desperate to give voice to those who have none.
He loves Jesus–and his life would show it–but he's not willing to co-opt him and add him to the ballot. He's done a little fundraising with the emphasis on little–not related to effort but because of what the people who need representing have to give. His opponent's coffers are full of Big Party Money.
He's been out there breakfasting, lunching and barbecuing til he's stuffed and hoarse and thinks he can't shake one more hand while his Republican counterpart, Doug Collins, is sitting smug, sure of a win, not doing much campaigning because he doesn't have to…BECAUSE THEIRS IS A SOLID RED DISTRICT. Jody hasn't bad mouthed him, but I have absolute zero respect for that.
Jody went into this race not standing a chance but following his conviction that if he can make a difference, he needs to at least try.
He's worked tirelessly the last several months, doing everything he can to win, listening to the cries of the weary, speaking kindness and common sense, and he's turned many a Republican head and EARNED THEIR VOTES.
He's had a helpmate by his side, his wife of 26 years, cheering him on, championing his voice, campaigning in front of and behind the scenes.
Jody Cooley is my brother-in-law and I could not be more proud of him. I couldn't be prouder of my sister, either, who believes in him and for him when he wonders what in the world he's doing.
He's a good man and the best choice to make a real difference, to bring compromise where it's needed.
I wish I could vote for him. If you're in Georgia's 9th District, you should at least check him out. You could not have a better Representative. And I hope you'll email, Facebook "Like", Tweet or otherwise share this post with everyone you know.
Because, like Jody, you make a difference.
(Jody didn't pay me to say any of this; in fact, all of these opinions are my own…and I've help my tongue when I want to say more, so I hope you can read between the lines. 🙂 )
Great story Robin and I too hate politics but am so proud of Jody and Lora for how hard they are working. Praying that truth will emerge as the champion in God’s time.
I don’t know why people say they ‘hate’ politics, when politics is discussing 2 sides (usually) of issues and what people believe in and how they can let others see those beliefs and ideas. It’s the fraud and deceit that people hate…and that is everywhere. As a Republican who believes in ‘life’ for unborn children, family values, the Constitution, as those great patriots who wrote it, and believed in it for this unique country, and I believe the people of this nation need a hand ‘up’ not a hand ‘out’. Remember it’s the great truths of the Bible which are spread all over Washington DC, carved in almost every building that is our foundation. I still wonder how people who have committed their lives to Jesus, believe in the Word can still want to be a Democrat. The foundational beliefs of the Democrat party have so drastically changed over the years and I as a former Democrat could never go back to what they now believe in. Most of it is contrary to the Word of God…just sayin’…look it up.
Hi Susan!
I’m a former Republican turned Democrat who often has a difficult time seeing how Republican values line up with Scripture. The Scripture speaks to poverty significantly more than to either homosexuality or abortion combined, and yet that is an issue that is rarely considered by the Republican leadership, to the point where the poor are looked upon with disdain by the candidate running for the highest office. A group that calls itself pro-life but fights against contraception which has been absolutely shown to significantly reduce abortion, that encourages war that will result in the loss of life, that opposes measures for expansions in things like WIC or SCHIP that make it easier for mothers to choose life, that supports the death penalty that takes life.
I could no longer, in good conscience, continue to support candidates who only worked against abortion (which will never, ever be illegal again) but which opposed everything that could actually lower abortion rates and that, from my perspective, fought against things that enhance and encourage life. When more concern is given to protecting a frozen embryo than to seeing that a 3 year old child whose parents live below the poverty level has access to well doctor visits, I feel that those priorities are out of line with the Scripture.
Just some thoughts from a Jesus-loving Democrat. Have a great day!
Oh goodness! Robin, it is clear that you are inspired by your brother in law, and that he has worked hard to maintain a sense of perspective. We are naive if we think that one just rides a wave of glory and support into office and then, with clanging sword of justice make every correct and lovely change that needs to be made. And so I commend him for his effort at being willing to cross every aisle. In fact, this is how things get done. (As a side note, many of the things republicans accuse democrats of not doing is a direct result of their active rejection of democrat legislation). So, yay for Jody.
Now I simply must reply to Susan. Politics in America is making laws for a country founded by religious and political rebels for people who want freedom. Freedom to vote according to conscious, freedom to speak without fear, freedom to be treated fairly and equitably. This is in fact what America is about. It is not about appeasing those Christians who have aligned themselves with a political party. What concerns me about your comment is that it doesn’t recognize the diversity of thought in America, or the diversity of faith, or the working of God in the lives of his people. I am not a political party; I am God’s daughter. My job is to love his people, educate myself and to pray. God is not a Republican, or an American. His Word is for everyone. It is dangerous to make assumptions about people by how they vote, and more dangerous still to ascribe a party as the one for Christians.
WOW! As I read these comments all I can say is get to know the candidates and vote for the person not the party!!! I have had the privilege and honor to get to know Jody during this campaign, I suggest that other Republicans do the same.
Proud of you, Robin. And sounds like you’ve got a hum-dinger of a brother-in-law. I second all that Alise and Jen have said here – good words. And good for you, Hazel – looking at people first is pretty key, seems to me.
Tina,
I’m SO THANKFUL you and Andy have loved Lora and Jody through this. It makes such a difference to have *that* kind of support during the really hard days. I know they’re grateful for y’all, too.
Oh, Susan…it has taken me days to respond to your comment, because the “tone” of your words is one of the reasons I would make that blanket statement. While I’m glad you have the freedom to disagree, and felt welcome to in this arena (I did invite it, after all); and, actually I understand because there was a season I thought similarly… Well, all I can say is my allegiance is to a King, not to a country or its politcal parties. Jesus is not a Republican, my friend.
Ahhh, Alisa…you’re a recovering Republican, too :). You understand from the inside out. You’ve given some good points to consider, chew on….but don’t you think when EITHER side is so entrenched in their political ideology, they can’t hear the other so well? I saw that b/c during the conventions (I was home for that but not during the debates) I read Twitter as I watched on TV. The divide between the two sides was laughable; it was almost as if either was watching a different show.
I can’t identify myself as a R or D anymore…and sometimes, I wanna run from the label of “Christian;” when it sounds oppressive or judgmental or condeming or self righteous, ya know?
Jen,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply; you’ve articulated well some of how I feel.
I think it was GENIUS when the R party co-opted Jesus years ago. Brilliant. I was on that bandwagon and believed it all, horrified if any “good” Christian could vote for any D candidate. Funny what a difference a few years makes; how, as I sought Christ, that didn’t begin to fit so well… I’m grieved by some of my former assumptions about people; and ironically have literally seen the expressions of friends CHANGE when they realized I didn’t think exactly like them. The loss of respect, the incredulousness.
Anyways…thankts, too, for sharing intelligent food for thougth.
Hazel, I know! It’s been hard for me to respond gracefully, thoughtfully, b/c this is (in this instance) about someone I love and respect. I want to be fair, balanced…
In any event, thank you for joining in the conversation and for sharing a pearl of wisdom. I’m glad you got to know Jody and I’m grateful for your vote for him!!
Diana,
Ha! Hum-dinger; I’ve called Jody a LOT of things during the years, but never that! I think I’ll add it to the list :).
I was raised a white-bread Republican at the doors of the Southern Baptist church where I served in communications for national agencies for the first 11 years of my career. On the last stop of that career I covered missionaries across North America who were all about WWJD and it changed my life and my politics.
I respect the journey of all be it Republican or Democrat. I left the party of my parents (and stats show most vote their parent’s politics) when I saw the love for the down and out and getting down and dirty in the party of the Dems.
I will also state that I left Christianity after a journey that began when I was eight when I could not understand then why a God that loved us would condemn some of us to hell if we did not pledge to believe in one version of God. I made the transition to universalism, honoring all faiths, at age 25 and then left Christianity completely at age 46. I am now 53 and I have never felt more free.
I write this that not to invite debate or proclaim myself right and others wrong but to not half mascarade (sp)here as something I am not. Too, I wanted to give that background as I say the following:
It takes guts, and of course Robin has it bc she is a woman of integrity–as I know her to be–to stand out in a crowd who is largely conservative Christian and generally votes Republican and to say these things. I applaud you, Robin.
We must stop intertwining our right and privilege to vote with whether one is right or wrong and thus evaluate the quality of their faith likewise.
I mean no harm or ill will here.
Robin, you are one beautiful, tough chic. I love following you on Instagram. I hope your b-in-law wins. I have promoted him on Facebook though I am in Nashville.