Who to vote for?

As the national election campaign barrels on like a runaway train, I realise that election day is just around the corner.

It strikes me that, when I’ve followed politics in the past I’ve thrown the information out of my mind instead of storing it in a ‘safe place’ for later use. I think this stalling has become the norm for many who can’t quite figure out the significance of politics, or think it’s only for people who use words like swingometer or watch Parliament Live TV.

Perhaps it's because our focus is elsewhere. Many would say that living in London is a struggle for survival, where the homes of the upper middle classes exist very close to areas of unbelievable poverty.

Paradoxically the struggle may be the reason why some don’t recognise the importance of voting. I think of Rosa Parks, one woman who one afternoon made a big difference with one simple action. She refused to listen to a bus driver’s command that she give up her seat because of her skin color, and as a result was arrested. But there was hope yet. Her small action led to a big action; a boycott that resulted in near bankruptcy for the bus company. Then, as pressure and momentum kept gaining pace, a court ruled that racial segregation on buses was unconstitutional.

Rosa’s small action led to a big action…..that led to a bigger action. I think struggle is the exact reason we need to vote; whether it’s you or your neighbor’s struggle – it's all the same!

I don’t know about you, but I am grateful to live in a democratic society, where I don’t have to fear for my well-being because of my religion or race.

I'm also grateful to have an MP who listens to people.

It began with a very considerate and meaningful response to my university questionnaire about youth crime. Then it was a nearly two page response to my letter about the inequality of the UK tax system. Then it was her letter updates about her many door knocking adventures in Haringey. Lynne Featherstone, my Liberal Democrat MP, has over the years tirelessly campaigned for better housing, more youth community centers and fairer taxation to benefit the poor.

But in the name of making well informed decisions, I’ve also looked at David Cameron's call for a "Big Society", including government working with voluntary and faith groups. A society that is unified and have a shared sense of purpose is likely to produce well adjusted individuals. It’s a very good aspiration, but not sure it is realistic. I’m thinking about the 4 million children living below the poverty line in the UK. Children are particularly vulnerable to poverty, and financial support for them and their families via the tax and social security system plays an important role in their protecting.

I’m also thinking about the fact that the square mile and the wealthy in London enjoy the greatest financial advantage over the poorest that has been recorded since the days of slavery (Read the Daily Mail)
Shouldn’t these topics be on top of the agenda, above volunteering, above military? As someone once said at Tearfund, you can’t preach to people with empty stomachs.

Enter Gordon Brown who makes frequent references to the "moral compass" he inherited from his Christian background. I know a few Christians who will vote for him because of this, but I think it’s more important to make an informed decision based on who is going to be the best person for the job, who will seek to eradicate child poverty, restrict bankers' bonuses and give financial help to mothers and fathers who want to care for their children at home. The question isn’t whether or not a candidate has an overt form of morality but whether or not he is able to tackle above mentioned issues. I also can’t help thinking that despite the optimism of 1997 life has gotten worse for people at the bottom and better for people at the top.

Nick Clegg strikes me as having captured the mood of the nation. He talks about revolutionary tax reform to make sure those at the top pay their fair share in order to allocate to the people who need it most; and ending the favorable tax subsidies which top earners make on their pension contributions. Desperate times, desperate measures. There’s a sense of urgency here that I like.

But suddenly I remember that, as a Finnish citizen, I can only vote locally. Disappointment.

I want to vote in national elections but can’t this time around. So, for now I’ll decide on the person I think would make the best MP for my area. With Haringey Council officially rated the worst in London we really do need a change from Labour’s forty years of rule, and Lib Dem MP Lynne Featherstone has well and truly deserved to win the majority.

Finally...

Pure, unstained religion, according to God our Father, is to take care of orphans and widows when they suffer and to remain uncorrupted by this world. James 1:27

Thank you for reading – and I pray you’ll have clarity and wisdom as you tick the box on your ballot paper on May the 6th.

A few hinkylinks for you….

If you want to pray

If you feel your vote doesn’t count

If you want to write to your local MP

Blog Introduction

I love conversations; whether they be over the dinnertable, in a street cafe, in a busy household, on park benches......and well on a blog. That's why I need to start by simply saying this: please talk to me! This is not a one-way blog, where I just inform you, reader, of the goings on in my life, fascinating as they are, but a space where reader and writer meet, chat, engage, reflect.

So...

I'm a Christian passionate about issues such as justice, politics, singing, books, nature, music, laughter, church, springtime, chocolate, the bible, things that make you go mmm, and did I mention my mum's homebaked bread? Everything rolled into one, into the delightful mixpot that life is.

I am also a person trying to figure out what it means to be a Christian and to follow God in my everyday life.

I like questions.

I think questions are good, because they challenge commonly held assumptions about ourselves and our environment. They help us to see things clearly; things which could have otherwise remained in the abyss of the unknown. However, I think the real challenge comes after you've asked the question, and somebody's answered it for you, and you have to move forward and make a choice. How do you act on that information?

Years ago my question was; how can I use my gifts to make a difference in the lives of those living in poverty? The answer eventually crystallised, like a very gradual eureka moment, and I suddenly had to make a choice to act or not to act. Looking back, I am amazed at how far my answer has taken me.

It could also be questions of less epic proportions like - which brand of coffee should I choose? Or how do I connect with my neighbours on a street where people barely say hello?

The questions, answers & choices thing is more difficult when you don't know of anyone who's gone before you - nobody to lend you a helping hand. You feel like a solitary figure blazing the trail of first time-ness, and you want out pronto. Because being the first at something can be both amazing and awe inspiring, as well as daunting and nerve wrecking. But it doesn't have to be that way. I'm realising that learning to stand isn't supposed to be quick and automatic like a baby's first gasps for breath; it's learned. So I practice and I practice.

In the meantime I look to friends, faith, relationships, politics, blogging; everything under the sun that will teach me to stand up for what I believe in, even if I am blazing a trail or going against the grain.

And whatever that means at any particular time....well you'll just have to stick around to find out.