It looks like the religious right is figuring out that they have been taken
for fools by the Bush Administration, even going as far as to
blackmail Bush to get what they want. So in light of that, I have written an open letter to those of the Religious Right who are not the fanatics like Falwell and Robertson, but rather the sheep who have been led astray by these people with alternative agendas. Read the letter after the bump:
To the Religious Right:
It is becoming clear to many of us on the other side of the aisle that you have grown quite discomforted, if not angry, at the Bush Administration. It is being said that after securing reelection, a victory that the media declared was mainly responsible by you, the Bush Administration is now, more or less, ignoring the very demands that were pivotal in your choice for President on Election Day. Needless to say, we are not surprised at the outcome, nor are we surprised by your reaction.
We have known for a long time that the Bush Administration consider Americans, their beliefs, their principles, and sadly their votes, to be expendable to his corporate friends at home and abroad. We have known for a long time that this Administration does not care what the people think, but rather what big business and Corporate America think, the same Corporate America that is largely responsible for the type of programming and culture that you have come to despise.
President Bush and his cohorts in his Cabinet and in Congress are now only offering empty actions and slogans for the very causes you demanded he follow through. Despite Senator Frist's reintroduction of the Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment, it is well documented that Bush sees no chance of it passing through Congress - he is only doing this simply to show you that he put it on the table. Instead, he is choosing to not only cut your Social Security benefits, but to further cut your health care benefits just to pay for his grossly irresponsible Social Security privatization plan, and to also threaten to draft your kids into another unnecessary war in Iran. He and the GOP are determined to make your life a living hell, while telling you to blame the liberals, the democrats, the gays, the atheists, and everyone else besides them for the troubles in your life.
Although victimization has been your primary means of getting what you want out of government and the rest of America, I regret to have to inform you that to expect sympathy from our side is gravely mistaken. If your life continues to be a living hell, if your children cannot get a good education or job in this country, if they are forced to die in a desert thousands of miles away from home, don't blame liberals; don't blame the Muslims; don't blame the black man; don't blame the women. Blame yourself! The responsibility for the future of this nation, your children, and your fellow man is yours.
We, the majority, knew that you were going to be taken for fools by this Administration. We knew they wouldn't take your demands seriously. We knew that as soon as they got your vote they would point you back to your sheltered, gated-community home and not bother to call you again, until the next election comes. And yet, you still went ahead and voted for them. Your naivety and blind trust towards this President has made both you and the values you speak of so much a complete laughing stock. But the real tragedy is that you never bothered to listen to us, even as we pleaded with you to understand why this man was so wrong for America.
Chances are you will never listen to us anyway, and that is your right. But there are some who may feel inclined now to listen to us, and this letter is mainly for you. However, I must also inform you that by continuing to support such unchristian behavior in Bush and his cronies, your outright hypocrisy towards the very faith you stand upon will continue to close our ears to you, much less even take you seriously. You talk of a culture of life while continuing to ignore genocides and tsunamis across the great oceans. You condemn homosexual behavior and other vile, disgusting acts that do not match what the Bible says, but turn the other cheek when those of your faith, including leaders, openly and repeatedly disobey those very same convictions. You proclaim to follow the Prince of Peace while supporting a war based on lies which is killing our children and innocent civilians by the thousands.
But don't think we take any great joy in seeing you being taken for a fool by this Administration. Your actions and your votes, like it or not, condemn us just as much as they condemn you. Our children, as well as your own, will continue to experience this "culture of life," where thought is suppressed, jobs are scarce, and people live in pain and sickness. All our children will be forced to live from paycheck to paycheck and use their hard earned money on us, just so they can have us around when our Social Security money is wiped out in the Stock Market. All our children will face the wrath of the children whose parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandfathers and grandmothers, and lives have been destroyed by the actions of our President. All our children will reap the bitter harvest we have sown for them, by our inability to communicate with you and your inability to listen to us.
However, unlike President Bush, we are willing for an open debate on a variety of issues you are concerned about, and we are even willing to consider methods that will help adhere to your requests and desires as long as they fall under the Constitution. We are not as intolerant as those in your group appear to be. However, until you yourself repent from your own shortsightedness, your own hypocritical and even pompous stance towards those that don't necessarily follow your faith or your interpretation of it, than we cannot have that meaningful debate. We have already heard what you have to say - we hear it everyday on Fox and talk radio. We are not perfect and may be wrong at times, and we have been wrong before, but until you can admit the same and are willing to sit down at our table and listen to what we have to say, this is as far as our conversation will go.
We have a country and a global reputation to repair, and we only want to work with folks who believe in working together to make the necessary fixes our country and this world need so desperately. Our opinions may differ, but you must be willing to also listen to us rather than degrade us with your mindless, liberals-are-evil, hateful and spiteful Hannity-O'Reilly-Limbaugh-Coulter talk, attitude, and actions. As Bush once said, "You are either with us or against us," and quite frankly, we don't have time to deal with those who are against us.
So what's it going to be? Bush & Company have shown their true colors. Are you content to stay as mean and angry at the world as you have been for so long and support immoral Americans in their hateful, fruitless causes, or are you willing to put down your moral crutch and get dirty with the rest of us moral Americans on the real business of this country and its future?
Sincerely,
gfactor