My name is Alyce Townsend. I have lived in Spencer, Iowa for the last 6 and half years. I'm originally a small town girl from Primghar but moved to Spencer because of the big city shopping with small town appeal. Okay, maybe that's not the whole truth. I hate driving in snow. Living in Spencer allows me to never have to leave town in the winter! I'm a 26 year old mother of three children ages 6, 5, and 4. Yes, that's how old they are. Yes, I know. Please stop laughing. I am currently enrolled in Iowa Lakes Community College for my Business Degree with hopes for someday having my own online clothing store. When I'm not doing homework, chasing kids, or cleaning house I love to write. Writing is my release and I currently have been working on screenplays I hope will someday become Oscar worthy motion pictures. I must warn you that I do at times have a twisted sense of humor, so I hope that when reading my blogs of whatever topic I may joke about, you leave with a smile and a whole new perspective!

Dear Rick Perry

Posted Tuesday, December 13, 2011, at 9:29 PM

I thought about writing some cute, Christmas gift exchange blog full of new ideas for families looking for new budget friendly games to play because "Tis the season" right? Wrong! I was abruptly halted by an obscene political advertisement that really chaps my khakis. Not to mention this same man will appear in Spencer on Saturday. Yes, I'm talking about Rick Perry. This blog is now made in a state of urgency to appeal to all who will "swoon" over this Presidential hopeful. For those of you not familiar with the advertisement because DVR now offers the option of fast forwarding live TV, I'd like to quote to you directly what was said.

"I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a Christian, But you don't need to be in the pew every Sunday to know that there's something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school. As President, I'll end Obama's war on religion and I'll fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage. Faith made America strong, it can make her strong again. I'm Rick Perry and I approve this message." Rick Perry

First of all, in the United States Amendment to the Constitution it declares, " Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." America was built on individuals fleeing from religious persecution. The main principle to understand about "American heritage" is that our land is free from religious persecution. It was the idea itself not so much the religion that was believed in that mattered. The underlining message in this advertisement is that Obama is against Christian morals. Obviously he must be because he allows "gays" to serve in the army and kids can't celebrate Christmas in school or pray. That's just completely against Christian-American beliefs that homosexual's can voluntarily join to serve and risk their lives to protect their neighbors and their country. How dare our kids not be able to pray in school or be forced to say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas!".For some odd reason, I keep thinking Americans consisted of all different backgrounds, religions, and holidays. Not everyone in America celebrates a Merry Christmas but celebrates a different holiday. That however, is obviously irrelevant because the "Christian-American" way is the correct way and as Christians we will not tolerate anyone who opposes our religious morals or has different beliefs than us. Therefore, President Obama, your unfair religious ideas have created a war on religion only the admirable, Christian Saint Rick Perry can save us from. ( Hopefully, you were able to catch my sarcastic tone)

Yes, Rick Perry, I applaud your Christian heritage being a Christian myself, but what I can't understand is how is it you feel justified to use your religion to advance your political stance. Especially at the expense of others. I'd like to know "Where" in your Bible does it say that because you are Christian, you therefore have permission to criticize and degrade another person? As a Christian we are to be understanding, empathetic, and helpful to our brothers and sisters. We are to act as guides to the word of Jesus Christ, never judge or condemn others who do not share in our beliefs. My Bible must be different than that of Rick Perry's because mine offers these scriptures which support my argument.

John 15: 12

This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you

Galatians 5:13

For, brethren, you have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another

1 Thessalonians 3:12

And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward ALL men, even as we do toward you

1 Peter 3:8

Finally, be you all of one mind, having compassion of one another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous

Politics can be an ugly game, no doubt with vicious attacks brought on by each candidate against another. In this particular Presidential race lets focus on the issues and what your proposal will be to help others in America. I know its hard but in the words of Ellen Degeneres, " Be kind to one another."

More from this blogger · Alyce Townsend

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Well said Alyce!

On a daily basis I'm appalled at the bile that spews from the conservative right, those self-righteous keepers of everyone else's thoughts and actions, all the while, in many cases, sneaking off to commit their own dirty little deeds in private - until getting caught, that is, then they weep and publicly repent.

A study by the University of Maryland reveals that the ignorance of Fox news viewers actually increases the longer they watch the network. These are the people Perry (and his like) pander to.

I might go to see Perry on Saturday. To boo!

-- Posted by ggilmore on Wed, Dec 14, 2011, at 7:36 AM
I saw the same ad but my interpretation was different. I feel like what he was trying to say was why does it have to be one way or the other? Why can't we peacefully coexist without omitting the other. I often feel as if our government has gone too far the other way and that now it is ok to openly persecute Christians. At the very least, mainstream media mocks Christians every chance they get. Rick Perry is using his belief system in the same way that President Obama used his "neutral" faith beliefs to his advantage and therefore appealed to the fence sitters and got elected.

I wish they would all stick to the issues at hand. All candidates need to stand on their records and things they have accomplished in order to obtain the vote. I want to know what they have done to make their state better. I want to know if they represented their constituents in the manner that the people wanted. Personal faith beliefs are a factor but should not be the forefront except in the mind of the voter.

-- Posted by Leah Cauthron on Wed, Dec 14, 2011, at 8:58 AM
It's also worth pointing out the jacket he's wearing in that ad is the same as the one Heath Ledger wore in Brokeback Mountain.

-- Posted by jlees on Wed, Dec 14, 2011, at 9:42 PM
Alyce, you stated "what I can't understand is how is it you [Perry] feel justified to use your religion to advance your political stance". I guess I look at this the other way around and can't understand how it is that Perry feels justified to use his politics to advance his religion. I am not sure if Rick is too dense to understand it (people in Texas refer to GW Bush as the "smart" one) or if he doesn't care and feels he should lie to make his point, but it is currently perfectly legal for kids to pray in school; the only requirement is that it does not disrupt the educational process. I also find it remarkable that Perry laments that 9 unelected judges (at least he finally got the number right) "outlawed" prayer in school (which is completely untrue, but for the sake of argument) and have decided when and how children should pray, yet he seems perfectly OK with 1 unelected teacher deciding when and how children should pray. It just seems like such a simple concept to leave decisions about faith to the parents.

by the way - the idea that the vast majority of Americans are being persecuted by a tiny minority is just plain silly.

-- Posted by DaveMunson on Wed, Dec 14, 2011, at 10:02 PM
The GOP wants to bring back Reagan era politics. I'd love that. Reagan was respectful to his opponents on the election trail and in Washington. Reagan talked about policy issue and not people's personal relationships and bedroom activities. True, Reagan did not say the word AIDS in public until years after Rock Hudson died and it became a public issue, but maybe that's because he was busy asking Gorbachev to tear down that wall.

I'm not saying all of Reagan's policies were great, or that he was even close to perfect, but it seems he was the last president who was really presidential. He didn't get sucked into the fray of back and forth nonsense with his opponents, he gracefully handled media criticism and personal digs ("I commit to not making the youthfulness and inexperience of my opponent an issue in this election.") he admitted the other side did some things right (stating some social programs like Head Start and WIC needed to be kept intact because they worked to alleviate the effects of poverty on young children) and he didn't accuse anyone of not being a "real" Christian because they weren't as strong on anti abortion or something as he was.

I don't like seeing Perry's Brokeback Mountain ad, which is full of misinformation; I don't like seeing Mitt Romney make a $10,000 bet on the stage of a debate; I don't like seeing Newt Gingrich act like a monkey on stage; I don't like Michelle Bachmann holding up two fingers to try to tell us she's bringing back $2 a gallon gas.

There is a certain gravitas, intelligence, ability to rise above the lowest common denominator, and conduct oneself as the leader of the free world that's sadly lacking in ANY candidate I've thus far seen.

-- Posted by AmyPeterson on Fri, Dec 23, 2011, at 10:34 AM

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