It doesn't matter what HE says -- 20% of Americans believe that our president, a bi-racial man with a one of them there funny names, is Muslim. HE describes himself as a Christian, but nooOOOooo. The far right hammers away, and ignorance grows. What really bothers me? That whether he is Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, atheist, or just really, really loves American Idol makes a damn bit of difference at all, because it should NOT. Do you need your plumber to be a member of your church? Hell, maybe you do, you lunatic.
The United States political system is broken, and so are the hearts of people who believe that this country was designed to and is still supposed to lead the way in progressive thinking. The hate that spews daily out of the mouths of those like Sarah Palin or Glenn Beck, the intolerance, flip pseudo-threats, the utter lack of compassion or tolerance for anyone who thinks differently, reaches millions instantly with an effect that reaches into every single household on the planet. As the U.S. goes, so does the rest of the world, and what happens here ends up in some way in the laps of everyone else.
Now when I travel out of the country I must be aware that as an American citizen, most of the world thinks I suck. Nice work, pols. Thanks.
How do you deconstruct the monster you built that will end up consuming you and everyone else? I don't know. Read this excellent article from Vanity Fair examining what it is like to be the president for a day, and how the monster serves no one. The system rules the people, not the other way around.
© Copyright 2008- Marianne Spellman