Am I a Bush supporter?

This morning a longtime reader of this blog forwarded something to me via e-mail with the note, "You haven't said, but I know you're a Bush supporter, so...."

No, I haven't said. So with respect, my friend, you don't know. Yes, I have opinions about politics, but that is not what this blog is about, so you haven't read anything for or against Republicans or Democrats here. Yes, I am a conservative Christian. But that is a statement of my religious faith, not a political declaration. So anyone who lumps me with the so-called Christian Right and counts my vote before I cast it is making some pretty big assumptions.

Like everyone else, I have an opinion on whether or not W. stole that election from Al. I also have an opinion about the war in Iraq. But you know, for almost a year now I've been able to find plenty to say on this blog without bringing up politics, so I'm going to keep on not talking about politics.

Some of you who read this blog every day might think you know me. But really, you don't, and that is by my design. I am not spreading out my life here for others to inspect. I'm very much aware that anything posted on the internet is "forever" and can't be erased if I decide later to reclaim my privacy. So if I had an argument with my husband last night, you're not going to read about it here. Neither will I tell you if I've gained or lost twenty pounds or what city I live in or whether I breastfed my two boys or how much money I make off my writing. I'm comfortable with you all knowing what I think about Harry Potter books and used-book stores and plagiarism, and even that I have a blogger's crush on a gentleman whose name I won't mention (in this post, at least) because my favorite sister says I mention him too often and he might be getting a little creeped out. But what you see here is just one facet of my life; the one I'm putting out for public consumption.

I've said before that a writer can't help spilling some of her worldview onto the page. If you've read Finding Hope, you know I subscribe to the biblical prohibition against Christians marrying non-Christians. My second book, A Family Forever, makes it clear that I place high value on a man's honor. (The hero of that story makes some pretty amazing promises and is determined to keep them all or die trying.) And even here on the blog, I've revealed big chunks of my personality and moral code, often while being only vaguely aware of having done so.

But I'm actually a very private person, so everything I write is automatically censored by my fear of telling too much, of putting something "out there" that I may never be able to clarify or take back. I've seen it suggested on other blogs that I avoid political controversy so as not to offend my readers, but that's nonsense. Surely as many readers would be attracted by such discussions as offended.

So am I a Republican? Am I a Bush supporter? Should we get out of Iraq?

If I ever turn this into a political blog, I'll be sure to let you know.