The other day Rick Santorum said “It’s about government control of your lives and it’s gotta stop.” I don’t know about Ricky baby but the government has little control over my life. I can go where I want, say what I want, worship what I want (or not), etc. No one’s forcing me to do anything, except maybe getting car insurance, not murdering people and the like.
Requiring the HMOs patronized by religious institutions to offer contraception in their healthcare plans is no more infringing on the institutions' (or their customers’/employees’) religious freedoms than requiring me to listen to prayers at a government function is infringing on mine. No one’s telling ‘em they have to use the fucking shit. It no more infringes on them than on the religious beliefs of federal workers who eat at a government cafeteria that serves pork or beef when their religions prohibit eating it (ditto for people who serve it). Why should Hindus, Jews, and Muslims be forced to pay money for food, part of which goes to buying beef and pork for everyone else? And why should foodservice workers be forced to serve it? And why should Catholics be forced to pay the same money at the same government dining facilities that goes toward buying non-fish meat that’s served on Fridays during Lent? No one’s being forced to do anything.
It’s a ridiculous fucking non-issue, and politicians and religious leaders need to shut the fuck up already.
3 comments:
Good commentary!
Santorum and his ilk seem to be playing to those among our nation's Christians who, for some strange reason, believe they are being persecuted. Those of us who are non-believers aren't out to silence Christianity... we just want its adherents to shut up and leave us alone so we can live in peace.
I believe we're seeing this new focus on the "moral values" stuff now because the right wing is coming to the conclusion that they are being beaten on the economy... so, time to get out God, Gays and Guns one more time. However it now appears that Americans are getting tired of this. Coming back to this stuff again now, when the nation has more pressing issues such as job creation and righting the economic ship, seems like little more than political suicide for the GOP.
This recent stuff is reminding me of how far they were off base and how much they overreached in the case of Terri Schiavo. Their fear-driven message will always control a certain percentage of the voting population, but I don't believe that percentage is anywhere near a majority.
Let them keep this up, and watch all the women, seniors and moderates/independents flock to Obama in November. And unless the GOP can regain its focus, I look for a coattail effect when it comes to congressional elections.
Thanks, Snave. It really is maddening that they (the Christian Right) doesn't get the hypocrisy.
Political suicide indeed. I work in a place where the vast majority of people are conservative or middle of the road. I've not heard one of them argue that their (or anyone else's) religious rights are being trampled. To me that's telling, because they're a pretty vocal crowd when it comes to Right vs. Left politics.
Of course it's a "ridiculous fucking non-issue." But every time another rightwing politician brings up these non-issues, millions of Biblehumping dunces get whipped into a frenzy. It works every time.
The GOP can't campaign on the economy since it's improving (slowly). Their only hope is to bring these culture war non-issues into the spotlight. Fortunately this tactic will probably backfire on them.
Post a Comment