Letters to the Editor
-
Where is the comdemnation?
I'd really like to see more politicians (especially Democratic politicians) begin to condemn the hate speech of Rod Parsley. He's a demagogue in the tradition of Huey Long and Father Coughlin, and I do believe he will cross a line at some point and lose support--but another man (and it's always a man) will take his place.
It's time that our leaders--any of them--appeal to Christians themselves, bypassing these "leaders" altogether. Protestantism is, in part, a religion of protest against hierarchy; to political and social leaders of all stripes, I beg of you: appeal to the common sense and compassion within people and ask them to make their own decisions. It is easy to get swept up in passionate speech at events such as this "War on Christians" conference, but I believe (and I see every day) that folks are generally NOT this radical. Many feel threatened by secularism and liberalism, but those terms have been defined as threats by blowhards like Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, and Rod Parsley.
It's time to engage in theological debate with fundamentalist Christians, appeal to the rank-and-file Christians to make up their own minds about their beliefs, and stop pandering to hateful demagogues like Parsley. The Republicans love to cling to conservative Christians because it gives them the "values voters" constituency; the Democrats don't want to alienate those same "values voters," but don't know how to address the issues that Parsley, et al. speak about.
To my politicial leaders,
Here is the beginning of your new assault on fundamentalists and their anti-historical, anti-American rhetoric: America exists to preserve diversity, and Rod Parsley, Jerry Falwell, and politicians who pander to their audiences serve only to limit this diversity. Christianity is not being marginalized--Christianity is a hegemonizing force that defines much of American tradition. It's time to live by the Jesus' admonition to love your neighbor as yourself--talk to your neighbor, with whom you probably disagree. Volunteer in a homeless shelter so you know how other people live. Visit a variety of churches to see how other Americans worship. The greatest blessing of America is its wonderous variety, and I will not see that stifled by simplistic appeals to the "War on Christmas." I am not ashamed by America's diversity. Tolerance is on the march, and that is the force that will not stop.