Column by new Root Striker William Hubbard.
Exclusive to STR
I have sullied myself this day, and for no profitable reason. I have stained my soul and made a lopsided deal with the devil. I entered the voting booth this afternoon, for the last time, against my principle, in order that I may fight for other principles. I have not voted in years. This is not out of apathy but out of strength in my beliefs. I do not believe one should force their opinions on their fellow man at the point of a government’s gun. Three wolves and a sheep voting on what is for dinner is no way to protect the meek, but today I mistook the ends justifying the means. This is never the case and my soul has historically known better. I am ashamed. I hoped to vote against one evil and for a good. My fellow man does not share my beliefs; of this I am now sure.
There was a man whom I hoped was the last voice of freedom and peace to hold this country from ruin. This statesman, Dr. Ron Paul, was the only presidential candidate of the last 50-odd years to truly take to heart the Christian admonition of the Golden Rule and apply it to our policy of dealing with our neighbors; the only man in more years than I have lived to believe in loving your enemies, not bombing them--man, woman and child alike, for harming us in no way. His campaign will be not more than a footnote in our history, if that.
It appears the people in the once great state of North Carolina are more concerned with whether or not two men may love each other enough to commit to a lifetime together than if their tax dollars are used to incinerate children across the globe. They are more worried about enforcing one set of so called biblical values on their fellow Americans than standing by the values straight from the mouth of their professed savior. I am not a Christian, but Jesus never once mentioned homosexuality, yet repeated at length the admonition of love, peace, forgiveness and not judging each other. I hoped by turning on my strident belief against the polls, I might stand against the hatred embodied in Amendment One of this state’s constitution and stand for an end to our country’s violence against our fellow man. Instead I have only degraded myself. I have turned to what I knew was wrong only to be shown it was for naught. It was not fighting the good fight. It was not a last stand. It was a vile, despicable act of which I cannot wash myself clean.
