Friday, November 26, 2004
The righteous right: hypocrisy, not 'moral values'
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Froeschl is an author and editor
living in Franklin County.
Recent headlines have claimed that Bush supporters came out in record numbers to voice their moral values and re-elect the president. Moral values? How hypocritical. And how typical of the righteous right to be hypocritical.
I believe that the numbers would show that there were also record numbers of non-Bush supporters who showed up at the polls, and you can be assured that they/we voted on the basis of our moral values as well. Perhaps the issue that is making the news should be this brewing war over whose values are more valuable.
Let's address the "political debt to the religious right" that Bush now owes. I would safely guess that voters of this group were basing their ballot on the promise from their pastors that Bush will be the leader who finally outlaws same-sex marriage (as if that is a federal decision to make), puts creationism and mandatory prayer back into public schools (blatantly ignoring the separation of church and state) and eventually makes Christianity the official U.S. religion (with a Hitler-like reign).
Is cashing in on a political debt a Christian thing to do? "Mr. Bush, I'll vote for you if you promise to make our country over with only my views in mind." Doesn't sound very American to me.
Yes, I voted with my moral values in mind, first and foremost. I believe in our basic freedoms: the right of religious freedom and the freedom of the pursuit of happiness. Take those things away, and our country is history. Elect someone who intends to repay a political debt to the likes of the conservative Christian and we can all kiss our freedoms goodbye.
Putting the law in the hands of the church would certainly change things. Already it tries to inflict its views on the general public. Should the church determine whether you can have an alcoholic drink at a sporting event? Should anyone be able to tell you that your love for another person is not valid? Should some holier-than-thou hypocrite tell you what you can do with your own body?
What truly saddens me, and so many others, is that this country has become so very divided. I don't mean simply the Democrats and the Republicans. There is a religious war being waged right under our noses, and no one in the media seems to address it.
Christian conservatives are bullying the masses and are pulling no punches when it comes to gaining political power. Local media included, it is obvious that capitalistic ventures are cowering from the voice of the almighty dollar that is clenched tightly in the outspoken and oppressive right-wing fist.
Do the local media address various points of view? Hardly. They are more interested in keeping paid their own political debt to the religious right.
It is time to stand up and refuse to be pushed around. We still have rights in this country, and as a citizen I refuse to let a loudmouth "majority" tell me what I can and cannot do. Just because you shout louder doesn't mean you have a bigger crowd, nor a humanely valuable message to spout.
Everyone's values are valid, but we do not have the right to instill our values upon others. I honestly don't believe that my values are better than anyone else's; however, the righteous feel theirs are, and the war is in the fact they will not stop until everyone thinks as they do.
Jerry Falwell recently effectively called out a dare to all who do not see the universe as he does. On the morning of Nov. 11 on WDBJ-7, quoted here from the script posted on the station's Web page, Falwell gives example to what I view as a moral value war.
"Falwell is creating what he calls the 'Faith and Values Coalition'... a group geared towards keeping religion-minded voters involved in the political process. Falwell says their numbers will be enough to overcome anything Democrats can come up with."
(The last I knew, Republicans didn't have an ownership of religion, and being religion-minded didn't just mean being a right-wing conservative Christian.)
Falwell is then quoted as saying, "I think George Bush energized the left as much as any human being ever could, including Jerry Falwell. We know what they're capable of, we know what they can produce now, because they shot their total load on November two, and it wasn't enough."
Do you really think so, Rev. Falwell? How very interesting. I think you may have just helped the cause of the "left," and for that I thank you.
Every voting-age person out there who is not a victim of the brainwashing that conservative rightists spew needs to make a stand for what he or she believes in and not sit back to watch as our freedoms are stripped.
Don't wait for the next election to do something. Pick up a pen and write to your congressmen and your associates, and let them know what your views are. Take a look at every elected official in your hometown and determine whether those people represent what your moral values are.
If they don't, then let them know. And the next time you have a chance to make a change, get out there and vote, get out there and campaign for the person who does represent your beliefs. We are the people, and we will be heard.
