Salad of Death and the New Crusades

In a week where eating multiple fast-food value meals for dinner is better for you than a spinach salad, one does not have to look very far to see how topsy-turvy life can get sometimes.

I have always been a live and let live type. My general philosophy has been one of tolerance, attempted understanding and friendship. I have never allowed anyone's background, appearance, race, religion or sexual preference keep me from getting to know them. Life is short. With so little time on the planet, I believe that people should be allowed to pursue peace and happiness in whatever way they see fit, as long as that pursuit does not hurt others.

The Muslim furor over comments attributed to the Pope last week has accomplished two things in my life. First, it re-opened my eyes to the big picture. Secondly, it has somewhat damaged my worldview. I, like many others around the world, have been more than wary of the current Administration running our country. The conspiracy theorist in me has many questions about both of Prez Dubbya's election "victories", strange events/occurrences surrounding the 9/11 terror attacks, the brazen unchecked price-gouging performed by the oil industry, the marriage of the Republican party and the religious right... I am convinced that all of it is leading to something big. I strongly believe that the current administration has no plans to hand over power at the end of their eight year, two-term limited run.

Historically, fascists seeking seizure of power have needed a cause to rally behind. Most revolutions have had flashpoint events that have given those seeking to create change the momentum needed to achieve their goals of upheaval. It is obvious that Dubbya has done everything in his power (and then some) to foster an attitude of fear in this country. Fear of Muslims. Fear of terrorism. Fear of Saddam. Fear of Mexicans. Fear of everything except what we should REALLY be fearing (i.e. the fascist takeover of our nation, global warming, big business running unchecked, the rampant devolution of our inner cities, etc.). Last week it became apparent to me that the right-wing uber-caucasoid-Christian movement is getting exactly what they want. For years I have assumed that the support of the ignorant redneck red state bloc was what would carry this regime forward. Now, they are getting help from abroad in the form of the Pope and the very people we are supposed to fear, the knee-jerk reacting way-too-over-the-top Islamic radicals/protesters.

Last week, there was another outcry from the Muslim world over comments made by the Pope during a speech in which he condemned violence in the name of religion. Many Muslim leaders called for a Vatican apology, while other Islamic protesters firebombed churches and other Christian-affiliated buildings. After reading the transcript of the Pope's speech, I could see where some of it could be interpreted as scathing. In fact, by referring to bloodshed carried out in the name of Islam while refusing to acknowledge atrocities committed by Christians along the same vein, the speech comes across as a bit hypocritical. The overall theme of the speech, as I interpret it, is that violence and religion have zero business mingling with one another. This is a theory I subscribe to wholeheartedly.

What the Muslim (over)reactions to the cartoons and the Pope's speech do is put people on edge. They are painting themselves as a people unable to take criticism, unable to be rationalized with and worse of all unable to be coexisted with. Do I believe all Muslims should be painted in this light? No, I do not. I feel badly for everyday Joe Muslim, whose religion's leadership and higher-profile brethren make him out to be a proponent of violence at the merest hint of insult. Scarier still is the general unbending nature of religious philosophy. The Catholic Church has archaic stances that it adheres to even in the face of mass exodus from its pews worldwide. While there are different sects of Islam, most of them still view all non-Muslims as infidels, and would like nothing more than the complete annihilation of Israel (another view for another day).

I honestly believe that the current leadership administration of the United States would like nothing more than for the Muslims to continue scaring the West with its violent protests, proclamations of intent to see a world dominated by Islam and terrorist attacks. I do not believe that terrorists represent the bulk of the Islamic world, but we will see how many mass street demonstrations/celebrations there are after the next round of terror attacks. By flipping out every time Islam is criticized or actually insulted, the Muslims push towards conflict, a conflict those in the American religious right can't wait to see.

Should push come to shove - and I truly believe that we continue to push the Muslim world. I liken American handling of the Islamic world to a dog trainer who gleefully pokes an angry doberman with a long stick until it finally snaps and tries to gnaw through the Stay Puft marshmallow man training suit - an all-out conflict between Muslims and the West will serve a plethora of purposes for the agenda of our powerful married American couple consisting of rich Republicans and the religious right. First, it allows the current administration to put a stranglehold on power using the impending "World War III" as its excuse. It allows Big Oil to jack up prices due to "supply issues" stemming from the volatile situation in the Middle East. It kicks any Red State wavering support right back in line as we become the champion of Christianity and we send our armies over to fight against the rampaging hordes of "godless" Muslims...

So, how does all of this change my world view? I do not judge anyone by what they believe. I judge them on how they act. Right now, the Muslim world is acting and reacting with methods of protest that are simply uncalled for. Much of the Muslim world continues to repress its female population. How many of the world's problems might have been solved by untold amounts of brilliant minds kept from the rest of the world because of "religious" beliefs that do not allow women to study, speak or be seen? So, it is with that (and more) in mind when I say that if a conflict were to arise, that my support would be on the side of those who are at the very least indirectly provoking it - America, the religious right, the West and Christendom. Should it come down to a choice between us and them, I choose us.

I choose to be free (as free as we are allowed to be, anyways), to have the illusion of being able to choose the leadership of my country, to serve a system that caters to Big Business and the rich at the expense of the only habitat our species has to live on... Why? Because the alternative is even scarier. I am a Christian. I am a proud American (I will be prouder when we evolve as a people to realize that democracy and free market economy are not the same thing), and while I feel our system could be tweaked some in order to make it better, I still believe in its core values. I do not believe it is right to repress women. I do not believe it is right to burn embassies in response to the publishing of political satirical cartoons. I do not believe that religion and government should EVER intermingle. I am a Caucasian Christian who is deathly afraid of the Caucasian Christian movement that is openly trying to take over our country. Give me true separation of church and state. Give me true separation of religion and violence. That is when the world will become a much better place.

[Currently Listening: Marc Cohn - "Healing Hands"]