How far will you let it go?

From the Guardian newspaper:

What should we do with US classics like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof or The Color Purple? "Dig a hole," Gerald Allen recommends, "and dump them in it." Don't laugh. Gerald Allen's book-burying opinions are not a joke.

Earlier this week, Allen got a call from Washington. He will be meeting with President Bush on Monday. I asked him if this was his first invitation to the White House. "Oh no," he laughs. "It's my fifth meeting with Mr Bush."

First: stop buying gay books for the libraries.
Second: remove all art created by gay people from the museums and call it entartet, which means unnatural.
Third: make homosexuals wear armbands that clearly identify them.
Fourth: if all else fails - round 'em up.

Sound familiar?

It would mean you can't borrow Memoirs of Hadrian from a Public Library for example. In fact a lot of books on Romans and Greeks would have to be burned.

And you thought the Constitution would protect you from religious fanaticism...

This kind of news hits me really hard. Themes like this one were discussed endlessly in school when I was growing up. It may never be allowed to happen again we were told.

I was shaking after reading the article, then sobbing... and then I realize this:

Religious fundamentalists have more in common with one another than with the rest of us. Never ever elect a man to public office because of his faith - only for his political abilities. In fact, even if you like his politics, but he exhibits ANY religious intolerance - do not elect him.

Intolerant fundamentalism of any color is evil. I have friends who are very serious Christians. They never preach, they are never intolerant to a different life-style. They live by example, not by attacking others.

Fundamentalist thinking is nothing new - why do you think the Founding Fathers insisted on separating church and state!!

Fear creates intolerance. Then and now. It's a Hoberman sphere shoved into a tight tight ball. No air, no space. Hell. posted by ottmar on March 3, 2005 09:56 AM | in