American Taliban

[GoRimbaud]

I was asked to write 100 words for a magazine in France
about what I "feel, think, hope for" following the recent 
presidential debacle here in the United States. I share it below:

"Numb to the core is how I felt when waking to the news that Bush and regime 
remained in power. My stomach churned and tightened, my heart knotted into a 
fist of pain. Despair took hold of my throat and I could not speak the whole 
day. I also felt this way on September 11, while watching the Towers aflame from 
my rooftop. The horror enveloped my whole being with frozen numbness, bathed 
in nausea. Now we have our own American Taliban: a faith-based president 
controlled by the Christian Right dictating their fascist way. I fear for our 
democracy's future."

I really do feel that we are in a Talibanic state here in the
United States where the Christian Right has taken hold of
our government and, now, totally, our lives as free citizens
of a Democracy. We are in a frightening situation, to say the
least. We need more than prayers and "talking with god" to
resolve this mess and the mess that lies ahead. 

Regarding the religious right, an evangelical friend of mine
from high school recently sent me a short note via e-mail
in response to my words to him for my not voting for Bush.
Here are his words:

"I still fail to see why you hate the United States and our freedom so 
much.   And why you are so willing to betray our country and all that 
it stands for -- It makes little sense."

He signed off with this:

"God and the soldier we adore, In time 
of danger, not before! The danger 
passed, and all things righted, God is 
forgotten and the soldier slighted."

Also, I remember receiving an e-mail form my high schoo librarian 
a couple days following 9/11. Her reaction was so definitively evangelical.
She was basically tapdancing for the end of the world or Armageddon. 
It was frightening then and doubly frightening now with the current 
political situation here in this "land of the free."

May all the Gods look over us and protect us from these disparaging 
years ahead! Blessed Be the World!

Remember Love. Remember Peace.
GoRimbaud