Let us never forget that millions of people in the USA voted for putting immigrants in concentration camps without due process, and helping Israel commit genocide in the middle east. They are now very happy that it’s happening and cheering it on. We live in a scary world.
Meanwhile, the fears that compelled them to vote for this, have mutated into a much bigger threat than before. We now have fewer jobs, higher prices, greater threat of war, a diminished sense of security, fewer government services, and much higher government expenses. We are spending more money on war and less on health care. Women’s rights have been set back fifty years. The chance of dying if you get pregnant is higher. Women are bleeding out in hospital parking lots because doctors are afraid of losing their license to practice medicine for treating a miscarriage.
Freedom of speech is being suppressed. 2A is being threatened. Journalists are getting arrested. NSA computers are scanning every word we type into our computers and flagging our e-mails if we disagree with the current administration. Protestors are being murdered in the streets. Immigrants are getting raped, going hungry, and dying from lack of medical care in concentration camps. How is this making American great?
When has America ever really been great? This country was built on ground that was stolen from the indigenous people by genocide. Enslaved people, who were stolen and trafficked from Africa, were used to build this country. They were treated like animals, beaten and killed. People are now being hunted and sent to concentration camps because of their skin color and the language they speak. What is great about any of that? Old wealth is rooted in this evil.
The American dream may have been great. The idea may have been divinely inspired. But the country itself has always fallen short. Much of the hatred is being generated and perpetrated because the constitution guarantees and protects freedom of religion. Because conservative religious leadership uses scripture to justify, excuse and defend evil. Child abuse (spare the rod spoil the child), misogyny (women are supposed to obey men), racism (if you aren’t one of god’s chosen people), ethnic cleansing and genocide (if god brings you to land and gives you over to them, you must completely destroy them) are cruel ideas masquerading as good, misinterpreted as God’s will. They are man’s interpretations replacing Love’s intention.
The only truly great thing about this country is our constitutional duty to form a more perfect union. And in order to do so we must condemn religious hatred and terrorism. We must refuse to acknowledge that any organization is a religion unless it preaches only love, acceptance, and equality. Should we choose to tolerate the continuation of human suffering, trafficking, misogyny, genital mutilation, sexual assault, and racism in the name of religious freedom, this country will never be great.