An Interesting Day

So, today has been a pretty busy day, and an interestingly busy day at that.

I started my day early for a Saturday around 7:30.  My buddy James and I headed off to California's 4th congressional district where Charlie Brown is trying dethrone John Doolittle, the 18 year incumbent.  We expected that we'd simply be visiting our independent and democrat friends to remind them to vote on the 7th.  Well, that wasn't the case.  We were actually targeting those who are registered as republicans.  I admit that upon discovering this little tidbit, I felt a brief wave of fear.  After a few minutes I decided that this a good thing and that I'm really more interested in trying to convert some republicans than chatting it up with some people who already already share my world view.  There's a 12+ point spread between the number of registered democrats and republicans in this district, so we need to convert people, not just GOTV.

James and I hit up some 65ish addresses over the course of and hour and a half, and by and large, it was uneventful.  We found a few Charlie Brown supporters, and a whole lot of people not home or not interested in what we had to say.  I had one gentlemen tell me how much he fucking hates liberals and democrats.  The best part was that he didn't even know who the democrat or the republican candidates are.  I wish I was quick enough to say something like, "you should make candidates earn your vote, not simply give away because they call themselves one thing or another."  Another approach would have been, "you have a moral duty as a citizen to make an educated decision; you're doing yourself and your community a disservice by simply voting republican."  I feel like I'm far better prepared after this experience to deal with thick-skulled folks.

We rushed back to San Francisco where I dropped James off and then headed to the Atlantic Day of Ideas tour to catch the last two sessions: A panel with George Lakoff and then a Q & A with Sam Harris.  The panel was interesting, and as always, I wish I was able to articulate ideas as well and George can.  He's got the snack for turning arguments around in such a way that they seem stronger and more correct once he's done (to the chagrin of those to whom he speaks).  Sam Harris was excellent, and I took a few interesting things from the talk:

-- Why is it that the onus is on those who don't believe in god to prove that he doesn't exist?  If gods exist until unproven, how is it that all of the dead gods of the centuries (Thor, Zeus, Ra, etc) aren't still alive?  How were they disproven?

-- Why is it that there's a name for someone that doesn't believe in God (i.e. atheist)?  We don't generally describe people by what that aren't, or what they don't do.  For example, I don't go around describing myself and a non-astrologer or a non-carpenter.  I thought this was pretty funny, especially when Sam brought it up.

-- Regarding the use of religion as a context for building morality: Why use the bible as the source or morality when there are so many great examples in modern society of what is or is not morale.  If one is going to teach morality, they should take advantage of the 2000+ years that happened after Christ and all of its richness to provide examples of both moral and immoral behavior.  Not all of the 10 commandments, the basis of Christian morality, have something to do with morality.  Consider the first 4, which have nothing to do with morality.  People should use a 21st century definition or morality, not one from the 1st century.  We'd all be better for it.  This is especially true considering that either approach is going to require much interpretation.

A great day.  Both experiences leave me a little exhausted physically, but otherwise energized.

Comments

[Lisa]

Hi Xian! I read your blog!

I saw this interesting article on Slate about why it should be ok to vote with the party lines and thought of it when I read your entry: http://www.slate.com/id/2152350/

It made me rethink my opinion a little.

[Tara]

It has forever been my lot in life to think of the perfect thing to say long after the moment has passed. That is why the security of the internet has rendered me largely incapable of real time conversation.

I am so happy with the election results I still am not able to find the words. I spent so much time trying to convince people to get out and vote, and I got so frustrated at everyone's complete lack of emotion about it. I was getting so discouraged, and then it came and went and look at us now! Republican failure or democrat win, I care not. For the times they are a changin'.

You should be reading my blog, Christian. You would appreciate some of it. And you should write more in yours. I would appreciate it. I still feel like we have a symbiotic sort of support for one another, even with a nation and so many years between us.