Pet Peeve

Ok welcome to my pet peeve of the month (or week, or day or minute) depending on how annoyed I am!!) for March, 2007. I was listening to the radio the other day and came upon a group of pseudo politicos (& women too!!) discussing how ashamed John Edwards seemed to be of his Christian background. They had reached this conclusion after listening to an excerpted interview of Edwards where he (rightly) objects to the term "Christian Values" being used to characterize positive American moralty. He mentions that he doesn't like the term as he finds it exclusionary, in passing, and then addresses the wider question posed to him. This aside comment became the focus for an animated attack Edwards session that seemed scripted by right wing, born-again hate mongers. They began by concluding that Edwards is clearly afraid to admit Jesus is a part of his life and ashamed of his Christian background, and thus an anti-christian messenger who doesn't understand democracy or the principles of "Americanism". Their obvious intellectual defecits aside, their attitude made me want to insert hot metal splinters into their vital organs...however I would probably get the cooties so would never actually bother.

One commentator actually said "doesn't he realize that 80% of this country is Christian and that is all that counts!?" Whoa! Someone taking the concept of 'majority rules' a little too far wouldn't you say?? Please note that I do NOT make a habit of listening to Right wing talk radio (why ruin a nice day??) and turn it off immediatley if I hear Rush Limbaugh-like platitudes, but this was a traditionally objective, soft, rock n roll station that suddenly switched identities and caught me off guard. Thank God my children weren't in the car.

Edwards whole point was that since only 80% of the country fell into the category of 'Christian" it is exclusionary to use the term. Further it contains an implicit suggestion that non-christian values are somehow lacking, therefore being offensive to B'hais, Hindus, Muslims, Jews, Bhuddists, Shintos, or anyone not belonging to a Christian sect. If this is not exclusionary or narow-minded, I do not know what is! Are they for bringing back Colonialism too? Also 20% of this country being non-christian amounts to approximately sixty million people!!! There are many countries smaller than that. Like France for instance! Is is morally correct to use terminology that is offensive to 20 million people? And as Edwards also clearly stated that he himself is a Christian, but finds the term prejudicial, in what way is he afraid to admit that Jesus or traditional Christian deities are a part of his life? And to then utilize the old bully on the playground logic of 'if you're not with us you're against us' by claiming he is 'anti-Christian' just crosses a line. Implication being he is now the devil incarnate?? There is no thread of logical reasoning and the slap dash into Republican rhetoric left me breathless (not to mention nauseous). I ask you is it not hate-mongering to deliberately alienate 20 million people? Are we to assume that they don't matter simply because they are a different religion? Should they not be adddressed or represented politically because they are a minority? Gosh, rich, white people are a minority too but they sure seem to have their interests addressed don't they?? Now I may be a proud capital L liberal DEMOCRAT, but that aside I care about the world and where it is going. I have children and I for one would like to have a world around just in case me or my offspring choose NOT to live on Saturn, you know?? Can these people not see that their attitude increases strife and encourages intolerance? In a world where Americans are despised and hated by most other countries for various reasons and terrorism reigns, is it an intelligent move to sow further discontent and hatred? Did their parents not teach them to play nicely with other children?

Ok Sheila says, it is just plain wrong and not nice to behave that way! Big spank on the bum!!!