Our team will prevail and after much conflict, we will win, win, WIN! Because we are geared up and we are tough and strong, and above all WE ARE #1.

Oh, I’ve just been informed that today is Super bowl Sunday for that silly football diversion, but that is not what I was referring to. What I meant was that very long game that never seems to end: Christianity vs. all others. Currently we are crusading against Islam - though part of our brilliant plan is to not really let them know we’re crusading against them. We tell them we must weed out only the “fanatical” ones, the ones that make Islam look bad. Clever, huh?

Following the last war the U.S. engaged in for the cause of humanitarian good, it was Christianity vs. Communism. These times are known by Conservatives as the Good Ol’ Days; back when women, blacks, browns and colors in between knew their place in the world, where gay people only existed in closets, and when men worked respectable jobs without over-bearing Unions interfering or the Government telling them to stop dumping chemicals and such into the water supplies. “Ah the Good Ol’ Days……..”, they lament.

Back then it was Communism that kept these men on their toes and to be suspicious of their neighbor. Why, he could be one of those Godless communists, especially if he worked in Hollywood, belonged to a Union or, even worse, was a Catholic. Every home had a bomb shelter and every child could duck and cover under their school desk at a moments notice.

Having conquered Fascism around the world we were then faced with something much more sinister as a young Billy Graham would warn us: “Communism is creeping inexorably into these destitute lands……and unless the Christian religion rescues these nations from the clutch of the unbelieving, America will stand alone and isolated in the world”. Sound familiar? Change “communism” for Islamic fanatics and we have the same policy.

Sixty years later, his prediction has come true, we stand alone and isolated in the world. Our status as world leader, as the country that others wanted to emulate, is severely damaged. How did this happen and what can be done to change it?

The republicans plan is to restore that which Ronald Reagan preached, peace through overwhelming strength. In other words, bully to the world. Make more bombs, point those bombs at other nations, build up the military, cut social programs and earmark that money to the military (this also ensures more foot soldiers for the military as well), endless defense contracts, etc. In return, we’ll be told that we should ignore global climate change and our dependence on fossil fuels. After all, we’ll have to focus on being # 1.


So, as I understand the Republican/Reagan plan, we (Christian Americans) should bulk up our military industrial machine so that we can boss others around and have them bend to our will, all so we can be safe here at home. Even so, we’ll be constantly reminded that we are not safe, so we can continue to battle the communists, er, Islamists. We will ignore the destruction of the planet and the suffering of the poor and the abused (unless they are fortunate enough to live in close proximity to a valuable product we want), we’ll continue to deprive our own with a decent standard of living all in the name of free trade policies, always putting the dollar first. We will “rescue these nations from the clutch of the unbelieving” no matter what the cost. At the same time, we’ll bemoan the destruction of the family and the millions of babies killed by abortionists. We’ll demand that you “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” even though you might not be wearing boots. And, we’ll chant to the rest of the world: We’re #1.

And then we’ll be safer.

I’m I missing something here?

I don’t know anyone who does not agree that we must defeat “those that want to do us harm”, as George Bush is fond of saying. Its just that some of us don’t believe that being the worlds bully is the answer. Some of us also believe that we have more to fear than only Islamic fanatics or, what may lie ahead of them.

Don’t get me wrong, I am most certainly NOT anti-Christian. I think that most every person, on some level, believes in God, Higher Power, Great Spirit, Allah, whatever you want to call Him, Her or It. And I am convinced that it is that belief that can, ultimately, hold mankind together, so why do so many people want to use it to tear us apart?

Its one of the reasons that I originally liked Dennis Kucinich for President and later came to greatly admire John Edwards. I don’t recall ever hearing either of them talk about what God wants America to do, rather they spoke about what they believe America should be. While neither of them spoke at length about God, I assumed they are both spiritual.

I have always believed that weak men only talk about God, while great men express Godliness through their actions. Its what I saw in my parents, and that is what I want in my leaders.

I want my leaders, both current and future, to talk less about what they think God wants and spend some time listening to God. Because I think what they’ll hear if they really, really listen is “keep your eye on the ball”. What is really important? What is it that makes other’s so angry at us? What can we do to change it? To make peace? Is bloodshed the only answer? Are we making more people angry at us by our actions?

While America was fighting communism in the Good Ol‘ Days of the 40‘s and 50‘s, the roots of Islamic radicalism were taking shape. Sayyid Qutb was busy writing his book Milestones, a book which would later fuel the Islamic radical movement, and inspire weak minded men like Osama bin Laden. At the same time, Arabs everywhere were angry at America for taking sides with Israel in their cause for a Jewish State.

We had our eye off the ball then and we weren’t listening. How about now?