Cranky Bastard

The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Contributor: In the Name of Politics: "When government becomes the means of carrying out a religious program, it raises obvious questions under the First Amendment. But even in the absence of constitutional issues, a political party should resist identification with a religious movement. While religions are free to advocate for their own sectarian causes, the work of government and those who engage in it is to hold together as one people a very diverse country. At its best, religion can be a uniting influence, but in practice, nothing is more divisive. For politicians to advance the cause of one religious group is often to oppose the cause of another."

Danforth says exactly the right things. Religion is a freedom, to both have it and be free of it. The religious in our communities have begun to show their hubris, and nothing will make the Conservative Movement fall faster than that. As it relates to the Schiavo case, supporters of both sides have gone far from reasonable. There is no way for the on-looker to have enough information to form a truly appropriate opinion about whether she should be taken off of the feeding tube. She and her former husband are the only people that really know what she said. Secondly, we should not assume that this man is a wife beater or hungry for money, because that has only been alleged as far as I can tell during this debate. They had been dealing with her condition, such as it has been, for the last fifteen years. I understand the Shindler's wanting to keep their daughter alive, but I also understand the husband wanting to do what she requested. I guess it just amazes me that people will write signs, go the hospice, and sit there with the signs day after day when they could not possible know enough about the issue between Terri and her husband to feel that strongly.
I also agree with Danforth as it relates to stem cell research, and moreover, the traditional conservative values. If we could get the Republican Party to go back to addressing the issues that made its constituency vote for it, taxes and security, we might have a chance at winning in the next election. If not, moderates like me might see something in a feminine Clinton run. She has spent the last few years plotting out a moderate run, while my party is obsessed with religious politics. People like me want morals and ethics in government, but not Christianity.