(((I hope everyone reads this, I know its long, but I don't normally stand on a soapbox like this.))
::as a disclaimer , I would like to mention that I have nothing against the Christian faith or those who practice it::
I wanted to bring to attention a certain opinion I have about the state of our Union.
I am scared for the future of our nation. This is not a hyperbole or exaggeration. I am genuinely terrified.
This intense gloom comes from the intense foreshadowing of a hardline Christian based movement away from the principles of which this nation was built. I am speaking about principles such as freedom of religion, separation of church and state, and the laws of our nation that have helped secure the liberties of the minority against the opposition of the majority.
This glimpse into our future of the nation comes from two recent news stories that have caught my attention. These news stories, which I will review, bring upon me a sincere dark cloud over my views of the future of my nation.
First, news from Washington. Full story here
You may have heard about this story, It is about a Representative from Virginia speaking out against Keith Ellison , Representative from Minnesota who chose to be sworn into congress over the holy book of his faith, the Koran , instead of the traditional Bible. The Virginian lawmaker goes on to promote racism by encouraging tougher immigration laws to keep Muslims out of our country.
"The flap arose from a recent letter Goode sent to constituents who had objected to Ellison's plans to place his hand on the Koran at his unofficial swearing-in ceremony.
"I do not subscribe to using the Koran in any way," Goode wrote fellow Virginians.
"The Muslim Representative from Minnesota was elected by the voters of that district and if American citizens don't wake up and adopt (my) position on immigration there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran," Goode wrote.
"We need to stop illegal immigration totally and reduce legal immigration and end the diversity visas policy pushed hard by President Clinton and allowing many persons from the Middle East to come to this country," Goode added."[/I}
Now, forgive me if I am wrong, but I do believe that the Fathers of the United States, our Constitution, and the first Ten Amendments to it, forged our country as a haven against Religious persecution and secured our rights to freedom of religion. Furthermore our country was forged on these securities, and strengthened by a long history of immigrants of many nations and faiths. This type of bigotry has no place in any branch of our government. While in my mind this should be a pressing urgent issue, a hate monger's voice representing an entire state in our great nation, my televised news seems to be pressed with more urgent news such as three climbers who I have never met, lost on a mountain where I have never been.
To show that I am fair on this issue, I must also point out that despite my rage towards this Virginian, I stand by my stance that Religion has NO place in government, and I am opposed to officials being sworn in over ANY holy book.
Next, I want to bring up this story.
It talks about how South Africa has deemed a ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. This is great news for South Africa, and for civil rights of humans all over the world. The country became the first on the continent to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide.
My issues with this story arise with the fact that same-sex marriage is NOT legalized nationwide in my country of the United States. In the U.S. it is illegal in many states, some states refuse to recognize the marriages from other states, and parts of the executive office and many of the Republican Party lawmakers in the nation are attempting to make a Constitutional ban on same-sex marriages.
The America that I am proud of is the American vision painted in our constitution and the Amendments to that constitution known as the Bill of Rights. I was raised being taught that our nation was the freest nation in the world. As I grew older, I came to find pride in our constitution, and the writings of the fathers of our country. I came to respect the ideas forged in the writings of these men and the Ideas that our country should keep balances and laws in order to ensure that the rights of the few should not be trampled by the ideas of the majority. Some of my favorite words ever written of our country were;
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men."
The most free nation in the world is now behind 5 other nations in the realm of civil rights. Citizens of 5 other countries now posses a freedom that is withheld from a large group of Americans , the freedom to marry the person you love, regardless of gender.
The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, and South Africa have legalized same-sex marriages nationwide. Israel, a hotzone since the beginning of human civilization, the worlds most disputed holy land, recognizes same-sex marriages from other nations. The most free nation in the world has done neither.
My America was forged in a manner so as to prevent this kind of oppresion. If ever there was a case of the rights of the minority needing protection against the numbers of the opposition, this was it.
These stories terrify me for a couple of reasons. First, perhaps I have seen to many movies with a grim view of civil rights in the future, but the thought of this kind of behavior being accepted as normal scares me. It scares because of the possibilities of where this type of mentality can take our nation in a year, 5 years, a decade. Forced faith. Controlled marriage. Persecution of anyone not heterosexual, white, Christian and male.
Second. I believe that despite our jaded past, our nation has the potential to become the greatest nation ever. In order to do this , we need to once again move in the direction of equallity for all, freedom of religion(or freedom from religion), the seperation of church and state, and holding true the idea of the fathers of our country and the ideas of our Constituion and its Bill of Rights.
((Thanks everyone, your feedback would be greatly appreciated, reguardless of your opinions. ))
::as a disclaimer , I would like to mention that I have nothing against the Christian faith or those who practice it::
I wanted to bring to attention a certain opinion I have about the state of our Union.
I am scared for the future of our nation. This is not a hyperbole or exaggeration. I am genuinely terrified.
This intense gloom comes from the intense foreshadowing of a hardline Christian based movement away from the principles of which this nation was built. I am speaking about principles such as freedom of religion, separation of church and state, and the laws of our nation that have helped secure the liberties of the minority against the opposition of the majority.
This glimpse into our future of the nation comes from two recent news stories that have caught my attention. These news stories, which I will review, bring upon me a sincere dark cloud over my views of the future of my nation.
First, news from Washington. Full story here
You may have heard about this story, It is about a Representative from Virginia speaking out against Keith Ellison , Representative from Minnesota who chose to be sworn into congress over the holy book of his faith, the Koran , instead of the traditional Bible. The Virginian lawmaker goes on to promote racism by encouraging tougher immigration laws to keep Muslims out of our country.
"The flap arose from a recent letter Goode sent to constituents who had objected to Ellison's plans to place his hand on the Koran at his unofficial swearing-in ceremony.
"I do not subscribe to using the Koran in any way," Goode wrote fellow Virginians.
"The Muslim Representative from Minnesota was elected by the voters of that district and if American citizens don't wake up and adopt (my) position on immigration there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran," Goode wrote.
"We need to stop illegal immigration totally and reduce legal immigration and end the diversity visas policy pushed hard by President Clinton and allowing many persons from the Middle East to come to this country," Goode added."[/I}
Now, forgive me if I am wrong, but I do believe that the Fathers of the United States, our Constitution, and the first Ten Amendments to it, forged our country as a haven against Religious persecution and secured our rights to freedom of religion. Furthermore our country was forged on these securities, and strengthened by a long history of immigrants of many nations and faiths. This type of bigotry has no place in any branch of our government. While in my mind this should be a pressing urgent issue, a hate monger's voice representing an entire state in our great nation, my televised news seems to be pressed with more urgent news such as three climbers who I have never met, lost on a mountain where I have never been.
To show that I am fair on this issue, I must also point out that despite my rage towards this Virginian, I stand by my stance that Religion has NO place in government, and I am opposed to officials being sworn in over ANY holy book.
Next, I want to bring up this story.
It talks about how South Africa has deemed a ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional. This is great news for South Africa, and for civil rights of humans all over the world. The country became the first on the continent to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide.
My issues with this story arise with the fact that same-sex marriage is NOT legalized nationwide in my country of the United States. In the U.S. it is illegal in many states, some states refuse to recognize the marriages from other states, and parts of the executive office and many of the Republican Party lawmakers in the nation are attempting to make a Constitutional ban on same-sex marriages.
The America that I am proud of is the American vision painted in our constitution and the Amendments to that constitution known as the Bill of Rights. I was raised being taught that our nation was the freest nation in the world. As I grew older, I came to find pride in our constitution, and the writings of the fathers of our country. I came to respect the ideas forged in the writings of these men and the Ideas that our country should keep balances and laws in order to ensure that the rights of the few should not be trampled by the ideas of the majority. Some of my favorite words ever written of our country were;
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men."
The most free nation in the world is now behind 5 other nations in the realm of civil rights. Citizens of 5 other countries now posses a freedom that is withheld from a large group of Americans , the freedom to marry the person you love, regardless of gender.
The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Canada, and South Africa have legalized same-sex marriages nationwide. Israel, a hotzone since the beginning of human civilization, the worlds most disputed holy land, recognizes same-sex marriages from other nations. The most free nation in the world has done neither.
My America was forged in a manner so as to prevent this kind of oppresion. If ever there was a case of the rights of the minority needing protection against the numbers of the opposition, this was it.
These stories terrify me for a couple of reasons. First, perhaps I have seen to many movies with a grim view of civil rights in the future, but the thought of this kind of behavior being accepted as normal scares me. It scares because of the possibilities of where this type of mentality can take our nation in a year, 5 years, a decade. Forced faith. Controlled marriage. Persecution of anyone not heterosexual, white, Christian and male.
Second. I believe that despite our jaded past, our nation has the potential to become the greatest nation ever. In order to do this , we need to once again move in the direction of equallity for all, freedom of religion(or freedom from religion), the seperation of church and state, and holding true the idea of the fathers of our country and the ideas of our Constituion and its Bill of Rights.
((Thanks everyone, your feedback would be greatly appreciated, reguardless of your opinions. ))
emoly:
i said you should update...not rant....meany