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"America was founded as a Christian nation"
The scope and magnitude to which today's radical and extremist Republican Party have managed to pervert the very essence of what it means to be American, is vulgar as it is dangerous. Consider one of the primary reasons for British colonists coming to and settling in America: It wasn't just the freedom to practice their religion, but, too, freedom from the oppressive state-sponsored religion found in Britain. The State-sponsored Protestant religion was often brutal toward other Christian faiths. Understanding the dangers inherent in having a synergistic relationship between the clergy and government, the Founding Fathers took great care to; as Jefferson wrote regarding the First Amendment, construct "a wall of separation between church and State."
James Madison, the primary author of America's beloved Constitution, said of mixing government and religion:
"If Religion be not within the cognizance of Civil Government how can its legal establishment be necessary to Civil Government? What influence in fact have ecclesiastical establishments had on Civil Society?
"In some instances they have been seen to erect a spiritual tyranny on the ruins of the Civil authority; in many instances they have been seen upholding the thrones of political tyranny: in no instance have they been seen the guardians of the liberties of the people. Rulers who wished to subvert the public liberty, may have found an established Clergy convenient auxiliaries.
"A just Government instituted to secure and perpetuate it needs them not."
And yet, today's radicalized Republican Party is quick to pervert the words and intent of America's Founding Fathers' and their perspective on the role of religion in government. Still, the distortion between church and State is not the only manner in which Republicans pervert the very essence of what it means to be American.
This past President's Day, Mister Bush claimed George Washington would have supported his fools' folly in Iraq. The President insisted that Washington had dreamed America would mount its war horse and "spread the gifts of liberty" across the globe.
" 'As we work to advance the cause of freedom around the world,' Mister Bush said, 'we remember that the father of our country believed that the freedoms we secured in our revolution were not meant for Americans alone."
"He once wrote, 'My best wishes are irresistibly excited whensoever in any country I see an oppressed nation unfurl the banners of freedom.' "
The words are Washington's, but the context is truly radicalized and extremist contemporary Republican Party perversion. General George Washington did hope that all nations would one day adopt an American-like form of Constitutional government; however, it was his desire that they choose liberty's blessings for themselves and only after observing the behavior and actions displayed by benevolent Americans. George Washington never envisioned America's military being deployed across the globe in a fool's errand of trying to impose "liberty" at the tip of our cruise missiles and smart bombs.
Indeed, George Washington felt America could best avoid war by steering clear of foreign entanglements. As for foreign involvement Washington said, "The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible."
Toppling one government and replacing it with another is hardly exercising "as little political connection as possible." The act perverts the very meaning of freedom and liberty. But then, it just wouldn't be Republican if it didn't pervert the very essence of what it means to be American.
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