I completely agree. The bigotry is disgusting. I had real hope when President Obama was elected that the United States' radical conservatives had been overpowered. I was sorely mistaken; they are back with a vengeance.
I have been asking myself lately whether I truly do live in the country that was founded 234 years ago on the principles of individual liberty, cultural diversity, and religious tolerance. Because it doesn't look like we feature any of those ideals in full form now. Arizona's likely unconstitutional immigration law, the furor over a YMCA-like Islamic community center to be located two blocks from Ground Zero, and the Qur'an burnings that took place today only cement the fact that America is moving backwards. These events join a laundry list of similar incidences that have been occurring in the last ten years:
Evangelicals denying evolution. In a 1997 Gallup poll, only 49% of respondents believed evolution by natural selection played a role in the origin of species.
The rise of radical "tea party" factions. Like it or not, the tea party is an ultra-conservative movement that has some incumbent Republicans fearing their seats. Incidences confirm its "radical" appeal.
The woman at a John McCain campaign rally who referred to President Obama as an "Arab." This speaks directly to the hysteria going on in the country right now. Period.
Continued denial of climate change. Unfortunately, the Earth is warming due to human activities, including the burning of fossil fuels. The scientific community is adamant about this: it is not a hypothesis anymore. And those emails that proved a "government conspiracy?" They were taken way out of context by FOX News and the conservative media base.
Finally, I just want to reiterate that religion is not the problem. Radical religious factions are often problems. Like Al Qaeda. I have found it difficult to convince people that I talk to that the war has never been on Islam. But along comes an interesting passage from a speech given by Former President George W. Bush after the 9/11 attacks, on September 20, 2001 at a joint session of Congress:
"...I also want to speak tonight directly to Muslims throughout the world. We respect your faith. It's practiced freely by many millions of Americans and by millions more in countries that America counts as friends. Its teachings are good and peaceful, and those who commit evil in the name of Allah blaspheme the name of Allah. [APPLAUSE]. The terrorists are traitors to their own faith, trying, in effect, to hijack Islam itself. The enemy of America is not our many Muslim friends. It is not our many Arab friends. Our enemy is a radical network of terrorists and every government that supports them." [APPLAUSE]."
Cultural diversity and tolerance is America's greatest strength. Let's keep it that way.
