Finally Some Common Ground

By Matt and Mark:

New web ad by the SD Campaign for Healthy Families. Check it out.
This is an important message regarding Initiated Measure 11 and it's dangerously vague language.

"Choice" at the Gate

By Matt:

Choice. It's a word that carries so much symbolism when it comes to our county’s history. Choice is what has led this country to be so great!

The significance of having the power of choice could not be summed up better than what was stated in a recent mailer I received from Church at the Gate. The piece states: "Americans like options. We dislike being told what to do. As powerful as God is, he does not exert his power over human will, or a nation’s will for that matter. Theologians call this freewill.”

THAT’S AWESOME! I applaud the marketing department of Church at the Gate. It’s total B.S. but well done. The reason that it’s total B.S. is the because the Church is led by Pastor Steve Hickey. I check out his blog frequently and he is for choice about as much as Leslee Unruh is.

Not only is Pastor Hickey a major force in the Vote Yes on 11 Campaign, he is consistently using his blog to launch smear campaigns against anyone who doesn't share his point of view. Recently he went after a young woman at the SD Campaign for Healthy Families because of her work against Initiated Measure 11. He went so far as to post personal information about this young woman and her family. Totally uncalled for and totally disgusting.

He acts in a manner that is not consistant with any kind of Christianity that I know. What happened to Loving thy Neighbor?

But, it's his choice to act the way he does. It's his freedom. Just as it's my choice to call him out on it.

Here We Go

By Mark:

I was watching the 5 o’clock news tonight on KELO and after the weather segment, an ad caught my attention.It was from VoteYesForLife.com talking about the upcoming abortion ban in South Dakota – Initiated Measure 11. Oh boy, here we go again.

Didn’t South Dakotans already vote against a ban on abortion by a vote of 56 to 44? I’m just not ready for this divisive debate once again.I would’ve missed the ad because in all honesty, it’s pretty darn boring.

I find several things very curious about this ad – not to mention inaccurate.

The ad claims Initiated Measure 11 was “written by South Dakotans for South Dakotans.” This is just not true. We know that it was heavily crafted by Harold Cassidy, a New Jersey trial lawyer. If you search his name on YouTube, you’ll find plenty of videos in which he’s talking about the “importance” of this measure in South Dakota. I love it when outside interests use our state as a battle ground. Which makes me wonder: was this really written for South Dakotans? I highly doubt it. In fact, I’m pretty darn sure that this is an attempt to create an abortion-free America… a direct challenge to Roe.

The ad claims that this ban has exceptions. It does not. Plain and simple. If you take the time to read this poorly crafted measure, you will find it’s full of legal jargon that is confusing and deceiving. I cannot imagine any doctor in SD being willing to perform an abortion for fear of prosecution. Great, now we’re putting politicians in the exam room. Now doctors will have to put their own careers ahead of the best line of care for their patients.

There is no question, this is a sensitive issue. I think we can all agree on that. That is why it is so important for people to make up their own minds about this… not the Government.

For more information check out what Cory over at Madville Times has to say about the issue.

Sign O'Rama

By Matt:

As I mentioned in a previous post, I've been away for almost a week. And, even though my beautiful wife was in Oregon with me on vacation, she was apparently very busy back here at home as well.

Well, not actually, but it appeared so.

We pulled into Sioux Falls, wiping the exhaustion from our brow early Tuesday evening and when we did, there was a plethora of yard signs ALL over our yard. When I say "plethora" I mean it. Especially because we have a corner lot and that means each candidate can give us two signs which my wife was quick to agree to.

I don't mind yard signs. They're fun and supportive and all that jazz. But, it got me thinking... do they really work? What is their real purpose? And, how odd is it when you have spouses (like us) who don't always agree on candidates and you've got one for each who's running against one another. Do they motivate neighbors? Do they influence anything?

Personally, as soon as the Initiated Measure 11 signs go up, I think the signs divide neighbors and families. People you thought were your friends are suddenly turning their noses up at you because you don't agree on the very sensitive issue of abortion and who should be making those decisions - the government or women and their families. Regardless, I know my wife will be sure we have at least two of those in our yard.

I'd be curious to know what you all think. Do signs work?