Religion, Rhetoric and Why Doesn't She Just Go Home!

It has been a while since my last posting. I really do have several excuses -- post-election euphoria and bronchitis. The euphoria continues and I finally got some meds for the bronchitis!

There are three issues currently bothering me; hence the title: Religion, Rhetoric and Why Doesn't She Just Go Home!

Religion

I just finished reading Ken Follett's World Without End, the sequel to his The Pillars of the Earth. Both are historical fiction set in the 1100's to 1400's with a major theme of religion, politics and power in England. Great stories that once again give us an historic perspective of unethical and immoral religious power at its worst -- the use of religion to control common people. Now you are asking yourself, "So what's her point?"

The point is -- it still happens today. Aren't we slow learners! The Associated Press has reported on a catholic priest in South Carolina who told parishioners that if they voted for Barack Hussein Obama (yep! he used the full name!) they can't receive communion because he is the "most radical pro-abortion politician...," and voting for him "constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil." Holy Shit! Whatever happened to separation of church and state? Why should his parish (or any other for that matter) be tax exempt? Secondly, what an idiot! He doesn't know the difference between pro-abortion and pro-choice! President-elect Obama is pro-choice. He has never said that he would push, force or compel anyone to have an abortion. Don't like abortion? Don't have one! Priests can abuse children for years and the church keeps it hush-hush and pays off victims. But women make their own choices? Never! What hypocrisy! Isn't it time to quit clinging to religion?

Rhetoric

Wow! I can't believe how naive I've been. I used to think that Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity were just idiots that a few bigots listened to. Then someone told me about Media Matters for America. I had no idea just how many radio programs are broadcast every day in the country that preach hate and intolerance, tell lies and swear they are true.... and millions of people listen to them every day and take it all in as "gospel truth." These are gun-toting, religion-clinging, "I'm patriotic and you're not," kind of folks. Katie Couric should have skipped the question about what newspapers Palin reads and instead asked her what radio programs she listens to!

Media Matters for America has documented a nationwide network of conservative radio hosts engaged in an all-out effort to foster hate and suspicion of Barack Obama. But these same radio hosts also lash out at women, the LGBT community, the poor, minorities, progressives and even autistic children. Since I usually only listen to NPR or CBC2, I had no idea how bad it was out there on talk radio. The Media Matters website documents hundreds of these programs that are indeed shocking. I'll do additional blogs on this issue over the next few weeks, but here are just a few:

Dennis Miller: "Women on the left hate" Palin "because to me...it appears that she has a great sex life."

Chris Baker: Called Obama a "little bitch" who "won't even stand up to "smoking-hot" Palin.

Chris Baker: "I don't think homeless people should vote;" "I'm not that excited about women voting."

Bill Cunningham: on Democratic women -- "A lot of women who are single are vulnerable; they need like a daddy government to keep an eye on them."

Jim Quinn: Called NOW the "National Organization for Whores" and said that Philadelphia Daily News columnist, Fatimah Ali, should "get an American name."

Why Doesn't She Just Go Home!

Just when you think that the election is over and you'll never have to listen to another speech by Sarah Palin -- she's baaacckkk! So now she says that she will run for president in 2012 if god tells her to. "Hey, Sarah, this is like, you know, god speaking to you, just DON'T DO IT! You betch ya!" Poor Sarah just doesn't know when to call it quits. She has given more press conferences and interviews since the election than she ever thought of giving before the election! 

Actually, part of me feels sorry for her. I don't think she understands how very badly she was used by John McCain and the RNC. Instead, she believes that she really is equal to Hillary Clinton. Yikes!