Harrumph

All these stories, these news features, are bringing me down, man. 600,000 killed in the wars. A past Republican conspiracy of silence--or worse, indifference. A present Republican push to tar and feather gays with the Foley brush.

Sometimes, I wish I was a Republican. I'd have to be a really staunch one, of course. Unthinking, possibly. Certainly unquestioning. Because if I were a Republican, I could listen to George W. Bush and believe that all is well and wonderful and under his incredible control and power. I could see those 600,000 deaths as only being maybe 30,000. And as being a worthwhile sacrifice for freedom and democracy.

I'd believe that the economy is on the upswing if I were a zombie Republican. I'd ignore those oh so quiet reports that the Dow is, in fact, NOT at its high level ever because no one is adjusting that figure for inflation. I'd pay no mind at all to the notion that job growth is actually far below the average rate since WWII. And I'd probably even believe that crap emanating from the government about the deficit being cut in half.

Or maybe I should be a fundamentalist Christian. I've often found it appealing, on dark winter 2ams when too many questions bombard my mind and I simply want answers. Fundamentalist Christians have all the answers--and they actually believe them. How comforting that would be, to know it all.

I'd be quite certain that gay people are bad because, well, it's obvious, isn't it? Read the frickin' Bible. Well, don't actually read it. Look at the words. Don't try to put any meaning in the words, let alone attempt to understand the culture and times in which it was written. Unless it fits with your beliefs, of course. Don't have to wash feet, even though Jesus commanded it more than anything else, because, well, it's obvious. That was something that was done then, not now.

But those gays? They're different from me, so clearly I need to take the Bible literally in that situation. Because it bolsters my distancing from discomfort. And isn't that what religion is all about? And then, let's use our collective discomfort with those who are different than us (in one medium sized way alone) to make all gay Republicans suffer for Mark Foley's preying on teen boys.

Maybe if I were a Republican Fundamentalist Christian, I'd suffer fools more gladly. Maybe I'd think it's a great idea to arm an entire town to facilitate growth. Or perhaps I'd vote to outlaw drawing stupid, incendiary conclusions about historical facts. Or maybe then I'd agree with Tony Snow, who said at a White House briefing that we need to give presidents the benefit of the doubt when national security is involved.

Didn't I say something about pigs flying yesterday?

Liz