DEAR GLENN

This is an open letter to Glenn Beck inspired by his recent 'Restore Honor' gathering (and Miss Palin, I may as well include you as well):

I am an American citizen, an American citizen that wants to tell you what MY America is. As you’ve been so audacious to hold a rally and tell the world and myself what you think it is. 

First and foremost, in today’s day and age when people like you are desperate to turn religion into a political issue, my America believes in separation of church and state. I shall say it again for the cheap seats, SEPARATION of church and state. My America does not go to war for God. It does not pass bills for God; it does not rule its people by God’s word. In fact, my America is not “turning back to God.” Despite what you tell me. What my America is turning back to is a country that supports religious freedom everywhere, even those that subscribe to the nasty old anti-religion of atheism or non-institutionalized spiritualism – as I like to call it. And this says nothing about my morals or my honor. My morals are not founded in what religious coat I throw on. My America’s core values support gay marriage, gay adoption, my right to choose, and of course dogs and cats living together. My America supports equal rights for all Americans, not simply those I deem worthy.

My America knows that our president is not a racist, or a Muslim, or was born in Kenya (do we really have to keep going over this ignorant people!).

My America knows that Islam is a religion that is followed by over 23% of the world’s population, that is roughly 1.57 billion people for those slow in the math department. My America knows Islam did NOT bring down the World Trade Centers. Fundamentalists did. A minority terrorist faction did. I shall say it again, a minority; and Islam is not a dirty word. It is a religion like any other  [that counts Muhammed Ali as one of its followers, so hence, fine by me]. Just as Catholicism is a religion and cannot be solely judged on the fact that an alarming number of priests have molested their young flock and have been allowed to get away with it for years; and we still allow churches to be built next to primary schools. So that mosque everyone is fighting over near Ground Zero, well it’s just a building where people worship one of the many religions that encompass America. It is not the den of evil.

My America knows how to define Marxism, Socialism and Communism and knows that the sitting president is none of these things. (For the uneducated of you out there, please go look these terms up). And by the way, Socialism is not a dirty word either. In fact, many of the tenets are about, well, helping people (how novel), especially those that are disenfranchised or born into a life that lacks any hint of opportunity – if you don’t understand what this means, or empathize, you have been born into the opposite group, I assure you. For you religious folk out there this tenet of socialism should be right up your alley. Then again, we all know those that protest too much about their Christianity are the least Christian among us.

My America also understands that Rome was not built in a day. In fact, the Rome a.k.a America, in which we currently live in was helped along by a prior eight years of egregious overspending (a trillion dollar unwanted and pointless war for starters), greed, and corruption of the likes we’ve never seen. Let’s not forget our past people. It’s what shapes us.

My America was also founded on many principles that the Glenn Beck’s of the world are choosing – conveniently – to forget. My America is a country of immigrants that was founded by immigrants. It is also a country with a flawed history that cannot be erased. A country that fought and stole and slaughtered those it did not like or think it had a right to be here. A country that persecuted and annihilated and enslaved – so we can count ourselves lucky that the Indian reservations do not rise up, revolt and take their land back.

And my America is not a Mormon – unlike Glenn - and does not believe that God came from another planet. Most importantly, my America gave me the freedom and ability to write this blog without being persecuted. God bless America!