The answer at this moment is that I have no idea. I could make some guesses, but that would be a waste of time – mine and yours – for it would make absolutely no difference to their decision, which we will know soon enough.
I recently blogged at Gathering Voices about my view of the harm of opinion-poll governance. The Supreme Court poised to render an important decision to all Americans, no matter where we stand on the issue, seems to prove the point.
It’s an important decision. Many of we citizens have opinions on the subject – often passionate opinions, as evidenced by the various town halls leading up to what the Right calls Obama-Care and the Left the health care law or Affordable Care Act.
But isn’t it interesting that not one single public opinion poll has been done (at least that I can find) on how the Court will rule or even how they should rule.
The reason, I suspect, for this dearth of opinion polls in a land where we are asked daily our opinions on all things political, is the realization by pollsters that our opinions matter not one little bit to the outcome. The Supreme Court will not be swayed by opinion polls, nor should they be.
But not so the public when it comes to presidential and other electoral politics: we are most definitely swayed by the ruling views of the herd, whether we stand within or without it.
For the integrity of our political process, I continue the call for we the people to simply STOP PARTICIPATING IN OPINION POLLS. They’re destructive; they reveal nothing of import; and they distract us from giving due consideration to important issues.
So when the pollsters call you, as they surely will, just say no. Decline to answer. Invoke your own right as a citizen not to participate in the downfall of your own Republic in this one not-so-small way.
My Top 10 international stories of 2011(not necessarily in any order of importance)
1.Osama bin Laden - dead. US college students party in the streets like it’s 1999 and I am embarrassed by and for us as a nation.
2.Arab Spring
3.Purported end to US occupation of Iraq. Irony: those in the US who supported its war against the people of Iraq (claiming it was to depose tyrant Saddam Hussein), opposed the Arab Spring, out of so-called concern about what would fill the vacuum created by the loss of dictatorial leadership in places like Egypt - apparently, that was not a concern when it came to Iraq.
4.Occupy Wall Street
5.Tsunami in Japan with the attendant nuclear power disaster, the long-term effects of which remain unknown. Related story: failure of governments of the world to reach agreement on further climate-change strategies.
6.US proving that any boy really can grow up to be president, as many in the very party she personifies will not support Michele Bachmann because she is a woman – irony may not be news, but it sure is interesting.
7.The US wages yet another undeclared war in the Middle East in the deposing of Gaddafi of Libya and calling it a NATO action (as if NATO is something different than the US).
8.World-wide economic tail spin
9.Death of Kim Jong Il, the effects of which for North Korea, its neighbors and the world, remain unknown
10.Oh, and apparently, the most interesting thing for the world to check out online was making a 13-year-old girl’s attempt at fame (Rebecca Black sings Friday) an international joke.
My Top 10 Personal Stories of 2011
1.My son got a job and moved away from home . . . again . . . and I must admit how much I miss him.
2.The lights were on at Obaugh’s way too often this year. . . Obaugh’s is the local funeral home in the community where I live and when someone dies, owner G. W. turns on the front porch light. In this tiny place, we said far too many good-byes, including from our own church and the families in our church . . . Bobby McCray, Sonny Smith, Ruth Wade, Eugene Hodge, Levi Armstrong and Joey Roberts. Levi and Joey were young, killed within weeks of each other in car accidents.
3.Chris & Heather Scott and their girls Ruth and Esther moved away, leaving me with one less ministerial playmate . . . I still feel their absence.
4.I stayed close to home most of this year but did manage to visit friends in Chicago and have friends visit me from Scotland and Pennsylvania. Oh, and I went on my first and maybe my last cruise (I didn’t get seasick, but that was just way too much ocean for me)
5.I got a new car, well, new to me, anyway . . . and a new computer.
6.Inspired by RevGalBlogPals and my good friend Liz Crumlish I started to blog. And technology came to our church by way of Podcasts (temporarily suspended while we get a new web site up and running) . . . we’re on FB now, and I’m a guest blogger on the Thoughtful Christian’s blog Gathering Voices (shout out to David Maxwell for thinking I’ve got something to say)
7.At age 56, I began cello lessons and am even learning to read music for the first time!
8.There was an earthquake in Virginia and Ben and I felt the shocks
9.I saw an abundance of butterflies, squirrels and deer, insects and bunny rabbits.
10.I went to my first film festival
History may be writ large, but it is lived small . . . in the everyday-ness of our existence, we find our meaning, purpose and place in the world.
This year mine has been less about the larger world and its events and more about home and family and friends.
In the small as well as the large, so many have suffered so much and my heart aches for them all.
But as for me, it has been, by and large, a very good year. For that, I am thankful.
And I am wondering . . . what have been your Top 10's for 2011?
