Making a Fetish of Democracy, Cont'd

Let's vote, shall we?

Savannah, GA. The god-fearing followers of the evil god of Abraham may have to confront their 'majority-rules and I deserve a vote on everything' dogma in ways they never considered.

It's a pretty sure bet at the voter's craps table that many of the opponents of gay marriage are still smarting over the fact the Supreme Court unanimously ruled against the wishes of the majority in 1967. In that year--in fact, up until the early '90's--a majority of Americans were opposed to interracial marriage. Right up to the SCOTUS decision majority-vote-holding Americans supported varying miscegenation statutes in locales around the country.

And wouldn't you know it--they used scripture to justify the bigotry:

Almighty God created the races white, black, yellow, malay and red, and he placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with this arrangement there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that he separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix. -- Virginia trial judge Leon Bazile, January 6, 1959, sentencing the Lovings to a one year prison term.

Loving vs. Virginia put an end to all of that democratic chauvinism.

But people in CA, and now in WA and ME, are demanding votes on the rights of a minority vs. the greater number.

Since we're making a fetish of majority rule, let's vote on a few more topics, eh?

How about: Is Scientology a religion? (Or just bad science fiction with 501c3 tax-exempt status?)

How about the great cult of the 19th Century: The Latter-Day Saints? Is Mormonism for real? You just know a majority of Americans--deep down--don't really believe it's a legitimate branch of Christianity. Let's put it up for a vote--but not in Utah--and find out, shall we?

Heck, the First Amendment only guarantees Freedom of Religion; it says absolutely nothing about that freedom extending to taxes on the generation of income. We'll even be magnanimous: Houses of Worship--tax exempt. Everything else, to every property, every strip mall, and to every apartment complex owned by these religions--well--meet your friendly I.R.S. auditor. Let's vote on it!

Follow CA's lead (again) with their recently filed, "2010 California Marriage Protection Act" which would outlaw nearly all divorces. "Every divorce is the death of a traditional marriage." Vote. Vote. Vote.

Another Murderous African Clown

Shortly after the Coup

Savannah, GA. Yahya Jammeh's brain is the size of a goober. So Is it surprising the chief export of his so-called Republic is peanuts? He is yet another extreme example of the nutbars that make up so many of the planet's religious extremists.

He goes by the official title "President Alhaji Dr. Yahya Abdul-Azziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh, Commander In Chief of The Armed Forces and the Chief Custodian of the Sacred Constitution of The Gambia." He also holds the title of "Secretary of State for Defense and holds responsibility over several Departments..." Departments such as the Cabinet, Legislature, Auditor General, Constitutional Matters--you get the idea. Dictatorship 101. He came power in a military putsch in 1994, returning Gambia to constitutional rule--his constitution--two years later and winning that presidential election. Surprise!

Unfortunately his Excellency's policies are anything but peanuts: When not "disappearing" members of the press or opposition, this dog of a man traipses about in white civilian drag, concocts personal herbal cures for HIV, and sidles up to the pig-trough for a tasty share of U.S. Foreign Aid ($100 million since the takeover alone.) Now this 21st Century despot has decided to go all religiously medieval on LGBT folks saying he will, "cut off the head" of any homosexual caught in his country. All homosexuals have been ordered to leave his plantation further stating that legislation "stricter than those in Iran" concerning homosexuality would be introduced soon. He should know; the Gambian Legislature is listed on his c.v.

George Washington

As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Musselmen; and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.

--- George Washington, (signed by John Adams in 1796) Treaty of Tripoli, Article 11, 1797

It is worth noting the "Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the United States of America and the Bey and Subjects of Tripoli, Barbary" when sent to the Senate for ratification, passed unanimously. Only the third such unanimous vote in the young Senate's history. The vote was unanimous without debate or dissent. Imagine the hew and cry by the present crop of American Puritans if such a vote, containing such language, were held today.

As we celebrate the birthday of our first President, at a time when wearing one's religion on one's sleeve is all the rage - NeoPuritans and Politicians alike - observe the death of the Father of our Country:

It is interesting to note that the Father of our Country spoke no words of a religious nature on his deathbed, although fully aware that he was dying, and did not ask for a man of God to be present; his last act was to take his own pulse, the consummate gesture of a creature of the age of scientific rationalism.

-- Brooke Allen, The Nation

If only we had leaders of such private and sterner stuff today. Happy birthday, Mr. President.