the otherwhirled

I have been busy. I know, that’s always my excuse. The sad thing is, it’s always true.

I am closing my business of the past 15 years, probably before Christmas. I took a full-time gig back in March and I’m loving it: not just that my boss pays me on time, but I honestly love the work. Of course, I’m always inclined to do more than I have to, and I take my responsibility seriously. Last week was the third 60+-hour week in a row, and I’ve only had maybe 3 or 4 weeks since March where my hours fell below 50. So, yeah, I’ve been busy. So that, with finishing up this year’s wedding shoots and the like, well, my time has been anything but my own.

As I noted a while back, the whole political conundrum scene really wore me out, too. This election cycle has found me doing a lot of talking with people about politics and religion, and I reached a point where blogging about what I talk about all the time was just a bit too much. So, that’s why I haven’t been posting so much. It’s been all that I could do to comment on some blog posts from time to time.

But here we are, the day before the election, and I would be remiss indeed not to at least try to remind people of some things. Not to mention the fact that it looks like South Dakota is potentially a swing state now, which impresses the shit out of me. Of course, our curmudgeonly republicans are still who they are, they’re simply aware that a McCain presidency would be bad for farmers, they’re tired of the Bush Economy already, and Sarah Palin casts light on the very hypocrisies they themselves have trouble stomaching in their heart of hearts.

This post also comes in part from a recent conversation with a fellow atheist, who, while active and interested in political things, doesn’t vote, because he doesn’t want to support what he feels is a failed system. So to him, and others whom I’ll generously label “undecided”, I say this:

1. Our system of government cannot be fixed from the outside. It can only be changed from within. The most fundamental step in changing our bureaucracy is changing its leadership. While not all government positions will be overturned just because we elect a new president, in this particular case, how government is expected to do business will change in fundamental ways. That is not a small step, and without it, we have no real way affect change. This is not something that works well from the “grassroots” up.
2. Atheists can be, and should be, very concerned about the elections. The argument that “They’re all Christians, so what does it have to do with me?” is banal. It has everything to do with you. On one side, you have a group of people, largely led by radical fundamentalists who would be quite happy to legislate your belief system into a form of treason. Many of them are feverishly intolerant. The only reason atheists are not their primary targets is because they interpret the hatred of Muslims as “patriotic”. On the other hand, you have another religious group that is tolerant, open to new ideas and change, and which represents the vast majority of religious scientists. They appreciate, and often even welcome, the exchange of ideas with atheists, agnostics, and persons of other religious persuasions. They are willing to fight for your religious disbelief as a matter of moral principle.
3. Take a look around. Even if we all felt “safe” in promoting atheism, agnosticism, and free thought, we’d still be a relative minority. And, it’s going to be a long, long time before candidates, en masse, feel that the religiously predisposed will feel “safe” in voting for self-described atheists or agnostics. We only have one such in Congress right now. If we want our candidates to feel comfortable in platforming on atheism, we have to make an environment for them to do so. And that environment starts by keeping radical fundamentalists out of government. Before we can establish a government of the non-deluded, we have to have a government of the somewhat-willing-to-accept-the-fact-that-they’re-deluded. First things first, in other words, and one thing at a time.

I could probably go on and list more, but quite frankly, I think that these three reasons stand as argument enough that being an atheist and sitting on your ass tomorrow, watching the world go by, is not an option. If you’re a registered voter, you need to vote. Period.

For at least part of tomorrow, I will be driving persons to the polls who are unable to get themselves there. Get out and vote, and if you can help someone else do the same, please do so.