Sodomites just can't resist a good musical. And so, I begin with a refrain from Broadway Giant Frank Loesser. Back when Americans had real allies, fighting a real Axis of Evil, Frank went to his piano. He cranked out a ditty that served as the rallying cry of World War Two. "Praise the Lord, and Pass the Ammunition."
It is no longer gathering dust in the key of C. It is once again a call to arms.
I am a proud and openly gay man living in the very heart of "Red America." It ain't Pearl Harbor, but make no mistake, the war has begun. In this first attack, freedom was walloped. November 2nd, 2004. A day which will live in infamy.
For those living on either coast, it may be hard to fully understand just how galvanized the Radical Evangelicals have become. Odds are, the more "urban" among you don't know any Christian extremists. I live in Kentucky, and to turn a familiar phrase, "Some of my best friends are Religious Radicals." They are not the wild-eyed snake handlers of parody. Many are even tempered, most are outwardly "compassionate." All are absolute in their determination to create theocracy.
I'll leave the scholarship to theologians. I can only tell you, that after countless discussions with Evangelicals, there is no reasoning or compromise. They possess an absolute and blind faith in a literal interpretation of the Bible. In itself, this is no more insane or absurd than the worship of belts and shoes. But the central difference is the critical one: Evangelicals I know believe it is their duty to mandate that each of God's Children comply with their concept of righteousness. I'd refer you to the Spanish Inquisition, but nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.
George Bush has empowered and emboldened this radical movement as never before. Of the eleven states with anti-gay ballot initiatives, the final tally was 11 to 0. In my state, 75 percent of the vote went to a constitutional ban. The Evangelical churches bought commercial time, canvassed neighborhoods, and offered voting guides from the pulpit. The army of "Christian" soldiers was overwhelming. Their crosshairs are now squarely on abortion, first amendment protections, and civil liberties. They have seduced some in the Catholic Church to join in this unholy marriage of politics and religion. Just ask John Kerry about communion. The web blogger Atrios aptly concludes "The people who voted George Bush and the Republicans into office this year didn't do so because they were conned by a right wing asshole posing as a compassionate centrist. They did so precisely because he is a right wing asshole."
Still, Ben Affleck didn't give up at Pearl Harbor, and neither will we. I refuse to be demonized and subjugated without a good fight. Gays and Lesbians (like Mary Cheney, daughter of Vice President Dick Cheney) aren't the only casualties. Ultimately, they are the "Poland" of this war...a gateway to greater things. If all those Red States in the Bush column tell you anything, it's that Republicans have leveraged the "Values Issue," to a much larger consequence.
Each of us must join now in a renewed effort to defend religious freedom and tolerance. "Morality" and "spirituality" have been kidnapped by the Evangelicals, and they have bastardized the meaning. If there is any hope of a progressive movement in the country, we can no longer cede the issue of God to the radicals. Nor can we allow their definition of righteousness to carry the day.
We believe in a creator that values love above all. We believe in a God of compassion, understanding, and tolerance. We believe you are free to worship as you choose, or to not worship at all. Either way, you are still God's Child and you are loved unconditionally. We believe that advocating for the rich and ignoring the impoverished is a sin. We believe all the sick should be healed, with access to the medicines that bring them to health. We believe in a vibrant and unspoiled planet, with a deep and spiritual respect for all of God's natural creation. We believe you are free to find your own path to enlightenment, as long as you infringe upon the freedom of no others along the way. We believe that no pastor or congregation has a monopoly on God or his wisdom. And, above all, we believe in the American Dream of Freedom and Justice for all. Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition.