Alfredo Deambrosi

You and I have seen athletes so desperate for victory that they start playing unfairly. The same thing happens in politics, and not just among politicians. Voters can be worse.

I’m planning to vote for McCain/Palin. But I have been disappointed by the tactics that many conservatives have used against the opposing ticket.

I am glad for friends and acquaintances who argue strongly against Obama’s pro-choice record. However, I have seen or heard some of the same people forward, copy-paste, or speak the claims that Obama is a Muslim, that Obama’s cousin is a Marxist prime minister of Kenya, or that Obama was not born in the United States (and thus not eligible to run for President).

There is no solid proof for any of these ideas. When I talk to those who bring up these kinds of assertions, they are also the voters who sound the most panicky, the most stressed, the most desperate. In the final minutes of the game, they are making some plays that are simply unfair.

One of the results is that we are alienating many of the voters that we are trying to win. Another is that we do further harm to the reputation of political or religious conservatism. The worst perhaps is the damage to personal integrity. In what other ways will we repeat outlandish statements or proclaim something as true only because we want it to be true?

I am not saying that some Obama/Biden supporters do not also make outlandish claims about McCain or Palin. But we need to use our free-speech privilege responsibly. We need to check our facts. Even when discussing politics, even when opposing pro-choice candidates, our obligation to the truth continues.