Political Emetics

emetics
e·met·ic

(ĭ-mět'ĭk) adj.  Causing vomiting. n.  An agent that causes vomiting.

There are rules in my workplace about having "heated" political discussions. Does wanting to puke during such discussions count as "heated?" I have exchanges, in which I usually successfully maintain my bland exterior, because I seem to have this unyielding and unexplained need to understand what makes people so blind to topics that seem so patently obvious to me. But inside I'm tearing the hair from my head and retching on my shoes.

Apparently, I profess political beliefs as a "progressive" that "intend to destroy the United States." Whoa. I find plenty of fault with the way this country is run, but that does NOT mean I wish it destroyed. This destruction is presumed to be a fundamental changing of this country from a "christian nation" to something more like (secular) Europe. (I fail to understand the objection to improving our stats to match some of the stellar ones that Europe exhibits around education, health care, teen pregnancy and gun safety/crime.) But given the fascist mindset of the average American "patriot," such a "fundamental" change from their nationalistic, decidedly religious, way of wanting the country run (where god is intrinsic to how things get decided) is viewed as "death" for the country.

It seems to me these folks don't know who they worship, or perhaps they just get country all mixed up with god and their little black bible books. Given that their god is very up front about being jealous and prohibiting idolatry, I am pretty convinced that sin lines are crossed with the bible or country as front-and-center. And obviously this is not something they seem to notice.

But I digress from my being accused of wanting the destruction of the U.S. Herein lies the judgment for them -- this view of me makes me in a league with Muslim terrorists. Isn't that a tidy tie-in for them? I become as worthy of death by the sword as Bin Laden, because I don't think W Bush hung the stars and moon (because patriots should support the prez in times of war, don't you know) and because I think the U.S. has room for (lots of) improvement. It is this feverish patriotism that scares me. It seems most virulent in the "faithful," too. Maybe because they spend so much of their mental time "suspending disbelief" and not questioning anything, much less their own faith, that it's not much of a stretch to never question the President. To never question the country.

I close with two final points:

1) Fascism requires fertile soil in which to grow. How many of the following are true of the "glorious" U S of A? A shocking majority are eerily accurate. 14 Fascism Indicators

2) Thomas Jefferson had this to say about government plus religious belief:"The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as areinjurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to saythere are twenty gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaksmy leg."
 
Oh, my. But how very far we have drifted from Jefferson's notions.No wonder I feel so left out.Do you suppose that matters to the christian fascists? No. I am quite certain it matters not at all. But then, that is part of what fascism is.

Jesus would be proud, presumably.