Patricia Nell Warren is the author of several novels, including best-sellers The Front Runner, Harlan’s Race and Billy’s Boy. She originally posted this diary on The Bilerico Project.
Recently I ran across a striking comment by George Washington. In 1790, one year into his presidency, the former general wrote these words to a Jewish group in New Jersey: "The Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection, should demean themselves as good citizens."
Sad to say, if Washington were alive today, he would frown to see how open and powerful bigotry has become. It not only drives major government policy -- it is socially acceptable, even admirable, to many Americans.
Indeed, while Washington didn't shrink from using that word, some Americans are ouchy about saying it out loud. Conservatives don't like to hear the word "bigot" applied to them. Many liberals -- including some LGBT people -- are convinced that it's not cool to refer to other people that way.
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