If our forefathers were to see what is happening in
America they would shake their head and shed tears for the death of the nation
they tried to protect. If they could feel what has become of American freedom they
would cringe of shame and nauseate at the betrayal of the words they penned to
protect the people. The uncontrollable slander and damnation would flow,
deeming us too ignorant, lazy, complacent, and unworthy, to consider us truly
American. American’s have been legitimately
raped of their given rights by their captors, their courts, their legislators,
their lawmakers, but the ignorantly arrogant still believe in the entitlement
of freedoms that never did exist. Laws enacted to promote religious
condemnation clearly defy American freedom. Hence, another example of the wicked
deflowering of our basic rights: Michigan House Bill 5958, also known as the
Michigan Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Lawmakers have
taken the crux of Americanism and twisted the values to fit a select few. The
Michigan Religious Freedom Restoration Act is a perfect example of the twist on
law and religion. Defiant to the founders, HB
5958 gives very limited power to the government in religious
discrimination. The first paragraph states:
“The bill would create the
"Michigan Religious Freedom Restoration Act" to prohibit government
from substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion, even if the
burden resulted from a rule of general applicability. ("Exercise of
religion" would mean "the practice or observance of religion,
including an act or refusal to act,
that is substantially motivated by a sincerely held religious belief, whether
or not compelled by or central to a system or religious belief".)”
Who is the God all Americans worship? What religion is the National religion? Since being American grants us the freedom to choose, should everyone be held accountable by the biblical laws of a select religion or the secular belief of one? Should those who don’t worship in the same manner or believe in the same book receive any form of persecution? Does allowing any discrimination via religion create the dogmatic derogation of another?
The founders framed religious freedom on ones right to choose which dogma, if any, they decided to follow. It did not give credence to use that dogma to discriminate against those who made different choices. The non pork eaters had no right to treat someone differently on the basis of the consummation of pork. One who worships Christ has no right to condemn one who doesn’t. Those that abstain from tea and coffee have no right to put any tea or coffee drinker in a place of penance due to their choice of drink.
The United States Constitution protects the right of religious choice under the premise that we are responsible for our own beliefs and our choice bears no permission to persecute those who choose otherwise. Freedom of Religion was based on the observation of those who fled from The Church of England, because of the death and violence they suffered due to their religious beliefs.
They fled imprisonment and tortuous decapitation if they believed differently than the Church of England under King James. The only bible allowed was the King James Version, after his personal translation. The founders lived at a time in the New World when they watched the same religious war begin between the Catholics and those that fled the Church of England Christians. They watched the Christians, after teaching the practice of scalping to the American Indians; pay the Indians per Catholic scalp. Insidious behaviors were noted and abhorred in the free world. The founders etched a higher quality of privilege and humanity for their new land.
Being American is being free enough to believe and praise religion, but it is also to keep your neighbor free from being chastised and condemned for not believing in the same manner. No laws should be enacted to force any American under the guise of “freedom” to discriminate against anyone for any reason. It should never, ever be allowed in the name of Jesus. What a slap in the face to the man who taught anti hate, love, acceptance, and died for your sins.
HB 5958
gives the religious believers too much power to enact, with very little rebuttal
from the government, discrimination. The Christians are chomping at the bit
over the possibility of passing House Bill 5958. There is absolutely no purpose
for this law in a free country, a country with many diverse people, all colors,
religions, races, sexual orientations, and genders. When did it become possible,
much less legal, in America for a Christian to have the right to refuse anyone
anything based on any reason aside from violence?
America is
a diverse country filled with immigrants from all over the world. Immigrants
bring along their religious beliefs. We are not a Christian nation. We are
Mormons, Catholics, Christians, Muslims, Jewish, Hindus, Buddhists, Scientologists,
and Atheists. There is not one simple “good book” there are many scrolls of
sacred beliefs. What will happen when HB 5958 backfires and the Christians find
themselves in the hands of the non Jesus believing religions? Can those
religions then damn them as heretics and crucify them based on their holy book in
the name of their God? Will the religious right then fight for a religious war
on our soil because they can’t accept what they themselves have imposed on
others?
The
question we should be asking ourselves is why this is allowed to continue to
happen in America. Why have Americans voted for politicians that would have
such little respect for the real meaning of the constitution of the land they
swore to protect. It’s treasonous to change the meaning of the laws to fit an
agenda, and you can bet your last dollar there is an agenda. Americans have
fallen prey to their rapists.
Christians
back these laws in the name of Jesus, but in reality the laws aren’t about God,
religion, Christ, Buddha, or any other sect, it is purely greed, power, and
money. There is not a National religion in America; we are still free to choose
where, if at all, we worship. God is not worshipped by all Americans, nor
should those who don’t worship God, or any other entity, be punished by the
beliefs of another. When the door to religious persecution is opened in America
we have failed the crux of our freedom; the simple freedom to choose. With
accepting any discrimination, in the name of God, or in any other premise, we
have allowed the ultimate abortion, not of one, but of a nation of millions,
allowing feticide of American rights and freedoms.
I’ve been sexually
raped. I’ve been physically forced to do things I didn’t want to do. I’ve been
beaten. But, I can’t ever remember crying uncle and just giving up or giving
in, because it was easier. If I would have done that I would still be there. I
was just fighting for myself. Now I feel I’m fighting for my children, my
grandchildren, and many American generations to come. Unlike half of America, I
will never embrace my rapist; I will never kiss the ass of the politicians that
are bribed to make the laws that rape my people of their freedom. I will never
side with politicians that manipulate people through their God or their
religious dogma and I will continue to fight them until I can’t fight any more.
Too much blood has been shed to keep our freedom, I’m not going quietly.
I’m going
to leave this article with a quote from Lyndon B. Johnson:
"If you can convince the lowest white man that he is better than
the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket.
Hell, give him somebody to look down on and he'll empty his pockets
for you." (Said in 1960.)
Obviously, President Johnson was right.
Till the next time…
Pam
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