Power Mad, Opportunistic Bigotry

RACISM at its worse, when desperation is at its greatest. It’s time to stand up.

SAN FRANCISCO — The bigotry and fear being heaped upon Muslims around the world turns the stomach of any decent person. It is absolutely appalling to think that our nation would close its mind and its doors — based on the ravings of opportunistic politicians and bigots — to people in such dreadful need.

The need now is dire. Innocent children, women, the elderly and men are being ruthlessly terrorized, tortured and murdered in their home countries. Willing to put their lives at risk, many are desperately and literally walking to new nations, with only the faintest of hopes for a better life. In many circumstances, their faint hope is kept alive solely by their faith, something many in America resent… unless it’s THEIR faith.

Terrorists, insane politicians and religious bigots cannot be allowed to sway us. To keep all Muslims at bay, is to keep anyone at bay. Yesterday’s dreadful vote in the US House of Representatives is but one example.

And watch out, the virus is spreading locally. Roanoke, Virginia mayor David Bowers has written an official directive stating Syrian refugees are no longer welcome in his part of Virginia.

He writes, “President Franklin D. Roosevelt felt compelled to sequester Japanese foreign nationals after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and it appears that the threat of harm to America from Isis now is as real and serious as that from our enemies. It seems to me better to be safe than sorry.”

Donald Trump, unsurprisingly, is suggesting unwarranted searches of any Syrian at any time, and there is escalating talk of relocation camps for all people of Muslim faith.

The Church of Satan, on the other hand, is demonstrating far more Christ-like behavior by offering protective escorts to any Syrian or Muslim for free. Shame on the Christian church.

If we succumb to this kind of narrow-minded, bigoted logic, if we continue to be silent, then all Americans must prepare to leave the USA. Because the threat of our own home-grown terrorists and the steady diet of our own self-produced mass murderers demands it. So say the zealots in your own backyard.

Of course, no one would ever propose such a thing… yet here we are. Proposing all sorts of things.

America, for all its shortcomings, has been admired worldwide for something that’s gone missing in this lopsided, fear-based debate: her heart.

I don’t think it’s preposterous to say it’s time for some open heart surgery. Open hearts mean we must stand up to the pressure to conform to scare tactics, solely designed to feed addictions. Stand up. Lead with your heart. And stare down power-mad, unbalanced bigots who want to get elected, sell books & buildings, promote divisiveness & selfishness, and gain fame and power. Over you.

UPDATE, 8/25/17, screenshot: