Starting Over Talk - Peer Coaching Support Site

It seems as if the political races are getting ready to get mean. I have steered clear of too much political talk on the board because I get so stressed about it. I guess I'll continue with that decision, but, I was just a little surprised to read about a major story on http;//www.msnbc.msn.com

It's a big story about a college thesis written by Hillary Rodham Clinton when she was 19 years old. The paper is a 90 page thesis about Saul Alinksy. He is described as the radical father of community organization. My research shows he was actually a Criminalist.

The story claims this paper written over 40 years ago may reveal who Hillary really is. The report indicates that the Clintons had Wellesly College keep the paper hush hush during the Clinton Administration. Apparently, now you can go to the school and read the paper. Everyone can draw their own conclusions.

I have thought about maybe running for some local political positions over the last few years.... Nothing too big, just county or state offices, but, I just get nervous. You never know what your opponents may come up with to tarnish your name. I recall writing a term paper in college. It was for an English literature class, but, we were supposed to add some modern day spin to it. I picked Othello. I wrote about Iago and anti-social personalities. I was a Criminal Justice major at the time. It sounds like a strange angle now, but, then I thought it was quite creative.

Can you imagine how humiliated I would be if that paper ever got out? Who knows what such a paper would say about the true Debby? LOL.

Do you think digging something up from that long ago is fair and does it really expose the content of someone's character?

I wouldn't be too worried about Hillary's work as a 19 year old. I hadn't heard this... but I think most of aren't the same as we were when we were 19..or even think along the same lines. Who knows what the topic of the paper was..

Is it normal for a college freshman to write a thesis? I thought a thesis was more towards the end of a college career such as when obtaining a masters.

I think alot might depend on what the topic was supposed to be. If she wrote it on that person it doesn't mean she ascribed to their belief system.. It's a good idea to be educated about all sorts of belief systems and how the paths they lead down..

I've never heard of the person..

I did hear something on a talk show a couple nights ago...that I'm surprised hasn't been discussed more regarding Obama..

Apparently he's affiliated with an afro centric type church in Chicago.. Here is a news piece about it. The news show I saw featured a black guest who also saw potential problems with Obama being affiliated with a segregationist church.. If a white candidate were affiliated with a white separatist church spouting white pride.. I'm sure all heck would break loose.

I'm sure we'll be hearing more abou this. I'd be more concerned with Obama's affiliation with this church in the here and now...rather than something Hillary wrote almost 40 years ago..
http://williamjohnhagan.blogspot.com/

Here is a link to the church.. It is apparently a huge church.. and is part of the United Church of Christ. My husband grew up in that denomination. The opening few seconds of the website... introduces the viewer to typical christian verses but they use a logo which is the outline of the African continent..
http://www.tucc.org/home.htm

I'm willing to bet we start hearing more about this.. It might be a solid teaching church.. but we need to be a united states and not something further to divide us. I think he's a freshman congressman.. Maybe he needs a few more years to gain some experience and distance from a segregationist style of worship..

I took a look at those sites KPW. I am not very familar with the Church of Christ, but, I think there are many religious groups who say openly they are not segregationist, but, in reality, their church practices it. At least that is true amongst many protestant groups in the south.

I am fairly familar with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, sometimes called Mormons, a term they don't particularly like. I actually took classes as a teen, attended the church and almost joined, but my parents refused to give their consent. I was almost banished to my room.

John Hagen seems to think that leftwing liberals will somehow try to discredit the &quot;Mormon candidate.&quot; I'm not so sure I agree with that. I heard on Meet the Press a week ago that conservatives were favoring Giuliani right now. This should be a surprise except when you really think about fundamentalist conservatives. They disapprove of Mormons very strongly. They consider them a cult. At least most of the conservative fundamentalists I know of. I do believe the Mormon candidate will have a very difficult time with the south. I do not believe his grief will come from the liberals, but, conservatives.<br><br>Post edited by: Debby, at: 2007/03/05 17:34

Here is this particular congregation's &quot;about us&quot; link.

Very different! I'm all for cultural pride... but there is a way to go too far the other direction. You'd want a candidate who can unite folks of all cultures..and not be obviously biased..
http://www.tucc.org/about.htm

I had mentioned that my husband grew up in the UCC... This particular church might not really be a part of the organization and might just be an independent church.


Debby, I've never heard that Mormons don't like being referred to as Mormon.. That sounds wierd.. Their Holy Book is called the Book of Mormon...and their very famous choir has always been known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.. What do they prefer to be known as? Latter Day Saints?

Yes, they prefer to be called Latter Day Saints. There are 3 different and separate sects from the &quot;LDS&quot; church.... Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints, Reformed Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and Fundamental Church of Latter Day Saints. The latter who commonly refer to themselves as &quot;Mormon&quot;. (The latter is absolutely not affiliated with the &quot;Mainstream Mormons&quot; and anyone part of it is automatically excommunicated).

Some Latter Day Saints don't mind being called Mormons. Some do because when the term Mormon is used... it's used to describe polygamists.

I have heard of an angle being used against Romney and that is the churches formal position on African Americans. The LDS Church use to deny upper levels of Priesthood to African American males but no longer do so. They also don't believe in homosexuality being right in God's eyes. They don't condone their members choosing that lifestyle but don't believe it's their place to invade the bedrooms of those that don't belong to their church and tell them what they can't do.

Also an interesting fact on LDS.... up until the early 70's, in some states, it was legal to kill a Mormon- It was removed in 1972 I believe. (Hence the reason for moving to Utah... it was easier dealing with the 'hostile' Native Americans than it was the dealing with angry mobs trying to legally kill you.)

I agree with you Debby... it's the conservatives that more than likely give him a hard time. I don't see him winning. I'm pretty sure he won't get the feminist vote, not sure of the gay and lesbian community. I did hear that some Evangelical leaders met with Romney and asked him questions and possibly might back him. Not sure what happened with that but I know of a website with Evangelicals for Mitt.

(I'm not for anyone at this time)

I think TigerRose knows much more about the faith than I do. Some famous Mormons or LDS members are The Osmond family and Gladys Knight.

I don't think that religion will play a part in making my choice of candidate. There are quite a few to choose from, so I'm going to look at them very carefully. I don't want to jump on a band wagon just yet.