Divinity rules
I was raised to believe that America is the land of the free ~ and a sanctuary from religious persecution. So naturally I was alarmed to discover that it all depends on which church I go to. The Republican Administration has chosen to identify itself with the religious right ..primarily Evangelical Christians. The evangelical community has arrogantly staked the moral high-ground ~ and declared themselves the only legitimate believers entitled to hold power. They have adopted their own form of religious persecution by creating a test to discriminate against public office holders. It goes something like this: 1) do you follow divine guidance and 2) do your prayers get answered by the same God as ours. Mormonism is a cult ..that speaks in code ..Catholics seek world domination ..Jews aren’t even Christian ..and Muslims are fanatics. I’m afraid that If I met up with a Christian conservative in some rural backwater ~ I wouldn’t stand a chance ~ I practice zen buddhism ~ there’s no place for me in their world order. In the past, I have been accused of:
2) pagan idolatry
3) being a California nutcase
4) belonging to an anti-American terrorist group
5) being a member of a fringe religious cult from the East that holds life in low regard
I mean, wasn’t it the Buddhists who set themselves on fire to protest the war in Vietnam ~ how different is that than a suicide bomber in Afghanistan ~ how many virgins were they promised in heaven ..? (someone actually said this to me)
Do I feel protected by the constitution ..? not really, certainly not with a Republican Administration that is slowly relieving me of my constitutional rights ~ while turning around and accusing me of being ‘anti-Christian’ whenever I say I want leaders who are ‘pro-constitution’. The constitution clearly states that power and liberty are a ‘human right’ ~ not a ‘god-given privilege’ ~ there was a reason our founding fathers called for ‘separation of church and state’. It’s real easy for someone to pass laws ~ based on the whim of their particular beliefs ~ that hurt or destroy people’s lives. I find the current state of affairs appalling and downright frightening. My sister wants to move back to the United States after living in Toronto for 20 years. I tell her it’s not the same place anymore. I want to pack my bags and leave for Canada tomorrow. About the best I can hope for is that the religious right will divide itself into so many factions ..they’ll be easier to conquer in next year’s elections.
I would love to know how or why one might feel less or more protected by whomever is in power. I hear it all the time- How safe or unsafe people feel with the present administration.
I would want to know (as a foreigner, living in your country) at what time and with what administration did you feel most protected. As for religion.....and my own life, I try to make my home and work be my religion- the way I treat my children and my friends-this is the best I can have it be- I am sure all power is corrupt. I do believe we know nothing of what is occuring right now- we are fed a steady stream of mind numbing information by televison- by a Murdochian drip of morphine for the mind. I know it sounds bizarre but what better way to mute the masses then to feed them trite.
IM0 all religions and all governments are domination cultures, so (since one can eschew religion) you pick the governance form you can live with, keep your eyes open, and take responsibility for being a citizen rather than simply a taxpayer.
My sons and their young friends have been involved in green anarchist movements but they struggle too- the requirements to organize very large systems are daunting. I am calmer and happiest when I contribute to local efforts for safety and health rather than trying to affect something on a larger scale.
"Stay calm, be brave, watch for the signs."
- Tom King
There is no doubt that the greatest engine for the protection of human rights has been the US federal court system. Americans regularly sue government officials for violating their civil rights. Lawyers make lots of money every year from suing the government. Any person in the US, who has a general knowlege of their rights, and sense enough to talk to an attorney when they have been abused by a government official, is more fully protected here than the vast majority of all other human beings presently living on planet Earth. That's not to say that horrible things aren't done by the American government every day. It's just that the best remedies for abuse by government officals, in all of human history, were developed in the US during the last century. These protections, although still substantial, have been gradually eroded over the last 25 years. So the focus has begun to shift. The European Court of Human Rights, beginning with its campaign against torture during the Irish Troubles, has been gradually replacing US courts as the beacon of civil rights protection. The torch may be passing, but progress is still being made. And I still am a hell of a lot safer against malicious government officials in the US than most other countries in the world. Look at Africa! Look at Latin America! Look at Asia!
Surprised? Well, don't ask me what I think of Bush or Scalia!
your last two sentences sounded like poetry to me!
.. does my safety have all that much to do with the party in power ..? probably not ~ to be honest I was blogging more out of principle than fear ~ thank you for pointing that out ~ i didn’t mean to sound divisive
I probably think the same of Bush or Scalia! And that was prior to Bush
being placed in office the first time.
I'm glad I live in America (but I've lived nowhere else). I'm beginning to see Republicans (the so called clone sheep leaders running) as being mostly entrenched dinosaurs. Though I do think a small group in Europe is calling the shots for what our unelected-yet in office-politicians do. I think some Democrats are slightly better than the herd (Kucinich being the best followed closely by Mike Gravel...Richardson I don't actually believe 100% and same with Ron Paul the Libertarian/Republican). The rest of them on both sides are yes men and women and war hawks. The worst are McCain and Lieberman and those within the secret government and those whose names and faces we don't see.
It is the prevalence of military law in America that has me worried. (I try not to think about this stuff more than 3 minutes a month so I worry less than most people).
Power to the people right on! (I always worry that if the people truely got to lead and vote that something worse would happen but I am not sure that would happen and I'd say we deserve someone who is on the side of all the people and not just all the corporations).
But this stuff is the same stuff I have been saying for...well...forever. I have an old webpage Lee would probably approve of on the topic she started.
..is such good advice ~ this is an awfully big place ..and so hard to govern ..I’m still amazed that we have managed to do it for as long as we have ..thanks
..I feel that the US is a relatively safe place to live ..and rant .. thanks
Over the last 40 years Republicans have consistently appointed judges who have erroded civil rights. There's no doubt about it. In part, that's why the Deep South has gone Republican. It's payback for the Democrats' passage of the '64 Civil Rights Act. As for religion, all three of the Middle Eastern Mystery Cults have caused more death and destruction than the invention of the atomic bomb. Actually, the bomb has proven more peaceful!
Lee, I enjoyed reading your posting...