These People Vote

And they infect their beliefs on those around them

Yes, here's one more reason Al Jazeera's English broadcasts don't get seen much 'round here. The one that makes me cringe the most is the young man -- a young man -- who insists Sarah Palin is filled with the Holy Spirit. What in blue blazes has Palin's capacity to contain the Holy Spirit got to do with anything? Last time I looked, this was the United States of America, where religion and politics are not supposed to conflate.

Thomas Jefferson's Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom -- and adopted right here in Richmond, Va. -- that informed the U.S. Constitution says outright that you can practice whatever faith you want, or none, and not suffer any penalty.

"That no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burdened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in nowise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities."


This criterion of the past 20 years of holding political candidates to a religious litmus test is downright...Talbian-esque. And we've been fighting a war with them over such intolerance (and their oil, among other things).

And you can't blame Al Jazeera for this, when at rallies individuals such as this reporter spoke with -- angry, bitter people -- have shouted for the death of Obama. This is a sickness in the country that the Republicans have encouraged because it keeps getting them elected. As one friend of mine remarked of Wednesday night's debate, "I have never seen such a desperate manipulation of American ignorance."

I can just see Mr. and Mrs. Murgatroyd in their livingroom looking at each other, "What is this ACORN?" Here in, Richmond, it's a fine organization involved in the historic preservation of old buildings. They give annual honors to the best work among preservationists, and you can read about them here.

Well, as elections have shown, fear mongering works. Maybe not this time, though. Maybe.