I'm not saying everyone down there is like that -- far from it. But, there is a "Bible Belt" and the question is... why?
You could ask the opposite question (Why does the Northeast attract tweedy liberals?) but since I'm from the Northeast, I think that questioning the abnormalities of the South is far more informative.
Up here, you would never have people protesting to keep a Ten Commandments monument in the state courthouse -- at least not in large numbers. We'd never elect someone who would do that (not that we elect our judges) because as a population we generally get it -- the separation of Church and State, that is.
So why is the South different?
But does the country really *get it*?
What do you swear on when you're put on the witness stand? It's not Barrons Weekly.
What's on our money? It's not "We Want Money".
If we have an Athiest come into the whitehouse somehow, he's not going to get to do shit, because the first thing he's gotta do is swear in. And it's not a cookbook he's putting his hand on.
Face it: as much as you disagree with it, and as much as I don't give a flying fuck about it, God, the bible, and religion are deeply intertwined in this country. Presenting the ten commandments is a throwback to where our laws came from in the first place.
I'm no bible-thumping loon, but I just have to ask what the big deal is about all of this. Where is the danger in continuing tradition? What is the harm in a display of pride for your religion?
We gonna ban crosses next? Then maybe turbans, burkhas, yamulkas and other signs of religious evil in the world? How about national "holidays"? "Holiday", hrm, I believe that feathers out to "Holy Day". But the government recognizes them. You want Christmas, Easter, and other religious holidays banned, because it's not seperate between chuch and state?
We've all heard this stuff a million times, but I've personally yet to hear a single reason that sounded like it made sense to me. Just let the Christians have their crosses and commandments. I'll have my beer and chips.
And when the President comes out and says "okay all you heathenous bastards, it's INQUISITION time", wearing a red robe and an evil smirk, then you can damn well bet I'm gonna be the first to put on a cross, say "oh THANK you Jesus!" then run away to another country. But until that time, I can tolerate intolerance such as the type coming from the Christian right. Does it annoy me? A bit. Would I rather we not focus on stupid religious quarrels? Fuck yeah. Do I think we'll ever stop bitching back and forth about it? Yeah, sure. About the same time Elvis comes back down from an alien space ship carrying Amelia Airhart's unconscious body, then walks up to shake the president's hand, the free one, you know, the one not holding a joint.
You don't believe in God? Go you. See if I give a shit. See if anyone gives a shit when you don't scream it at the top of your lungs.
Oh yeah. Homosexuals are people. Nothing more, nothing less. Both sides of the argument need to sit down and shut up about it. It's not a big fucking deal. The bible doesn't say shit about it.
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