"See You at the Poll" Movement

I did some research on the web to see if anyone was talking about this See You at the Poll rally, but I could not find a single site that had issue with this. So, maybe it’s just me, but I feel a little offended. For those of you who are not familiar, See You at the Poll (SYATP) started in the early 90’s in a small town in Texas. Every third Wednesday in September across America, students, teachers, and parents gather around the flag poll of their school to pray for the new school year ahead. I remember attending SYATP as a jr. high and high school student, and maybe it was just my own experience and a different time, but it was very innocent. We would gather at the poll and pray to God…not Jesus, Allah, or Buddha, but just a general termed God. Although this was more of Christian organized gathering, it seemed to be open to any, and all, walks of faith or non-faiths. It wasn’t exclusive. It was a time you felt joined together with your peers and your leaders to share in the same spirit of love and harmony as you prayed/hoped for a peaceful year.

However, today it doesn’t seem to be quite so sincere or innocent. Right Wing Politics and Christianity have become so intertwined, that you definitely feel the hidden agenda behind SYATP. It almost feels like more of a demonstration. I received a long e-mail from the PTO president at my son’s school, inviting all Christian parents and students to attend SYATP this Wednesday to display “radical obedience” to Jesus.

“Are we desiring to see a mighty move of God on our children's schools? Are we pursuing God passionately? Are we serious about radical obedience? Are we determined to get rid of anything and everything that dishonors God and ready to challenge our friends to do the same?” Quote from the e-mail

This just feels like a right wing fundamentalist movement of finding a voice in numbers, weeding out those that don’t believe the same, and to one day redefine public school. We already know that right wing fundamentalists want to establish prayer and (Christian) religious education in our public schools. This SYATP feels more and more like movement of bullies making a statement that “you must believe as I do, or you’re simply not worthy and your voice doesn’t count” all the while standing on tax payer property, holding hands in a circle around our nation’s flag (in a display to intimidate all of those that do not think/believe the same) and to make others feel that America only belongs to the Christians. Coming across this scene as an “outsider” could make anybody feel as though their country were taken hostage. This would not be condoned by any other religious organization and definitely not by non-believers….do you see the double standard? What ever happened to “Do unto others as you would have done unto you”?