The internet and news are filled with candidates claiming to support traditional marriage. I assume that those who support a traditional marriage also hold dear the marriage vows, because without the understanding of the vows that go along with marriage, how can a candidate really support traditional marriage values?

If married, each candidate who claims to support traditional marriage should go on the record and state if they have been true to their marriage vows or not. Of course, many candidates will cry "foul." They will claim that their idea of traditional marriage is "between one man and one woman." This answer only deepens their predicament by affirming the vow is between one man and one woman...forsaking all others.

Why is this important? Because if a candidate claims to be for traditional marriage values and has been unfaithful in their marriage vows, they have violated a "trust" placed in their person. A candidate who cannot be trusted to keep their vows definitely cannot be trusted to represent their constituents. It is high time we force candidates to run on their integrity and not some grand idea they hold the rest of the country to, but will not live by themselves.

Stephen Durham freethinker1963@yahoo.com

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I agree completely. But the christian dominionists that are creeping into our government don't just want traditional marriage between one man and one woman. They want the old testament laws that call for one man with as many wives as he can manage. Just last week we heard from some of them wanting to stone Orka for murder.

Wake up America. These dominionists are trying to turn women back into baby making machines and slaves. They want us stripped of all of our rights, including our vote. Now where have I heard that before? We have come a long way baby, and I for one, am willing to fight to hold on to my rights.

Google "dominionists" and make sure you are not supporting such an oppression. People are more important than anything...even beliefs. If your church is supporting this dominionsts theology, are they backing it up with the old testament or Jesus? Jesus preached for social justice so where are these people coming from? Just follow the money. It is not that hard to see. If women are oppressed, anyone can be oppressed.

Deborah Williford
deborahdtw@hotmail.com

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I think it's impossible to elect any politician that actually cares about solving problems. I wish they had integrity, but even if they had it at one time, it will be sucked out of them by the never ending need to amass power and be re-elected.

What problems should be solved? I don't know, how about some level of health care for every individual regardless of pre-existing conditions? How about doing something about unemployment that's in double digits? How about winding down a multi-billion dollar war in Iraq (remember them, the folks that weren't responsible for 9/11?) while figuring a way to lessen our involvement in the Middle East? How about making sure our kids get a good education whether their parents are well off or not? How about smarter environmental legislation so there's actually an earth left for our kids, in case they were to somehow actually get an education? These few things would be a great start.

Instead, our elected politicians are busy solving flag burning, marriage between a man and a woman, or creeping satanic socialism, among other things. Of course, that is when they're not busy telling us a hundred different reasons to hate and fear the other side.

In fact, isn't that what almost everything boils down to now? Consider the fact that hate and fear have taken the place of thinking, compromising, and working together to solve problems. The next time you are listening to a politician or a political pundit, really take the time to notice if they are offering actual tough solutions to tough problems, or if they are just wanting you to hate (or fear) someone or some idea. If you find you are allowing yourself to hate and fear anyone having a different opinion than your own, you have become an easy vote for your side to manipulate. Think about it.

Herb Montgomery
herbm55@yahoo.com
Hixson

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Ms. Williford, while we are looking out our right window at these Christian dominionists that you stated are creeping into our government, and which I
rather doubt could even get to first base with the agenda described, we
might want to take a gander out our left window at the Islamic dominionists who are working overtime to move in and take away much more than we ever dreamed of. They have a goal of the entire world coming under their thumb, and they aren’t very kind to their women or children. Google it for yourself. We must be on the alert for any extremism, and it doesn't fall under the category of solely so-called Christian.

Freedoms come at high prices, and we are on the verge of losing ours because we’ve forgotten how we obtained it.

Karen Fink
Chattanooga