Prayers Not Required

Yesterday I was at Charleston's Blue Jamboree, where too few Democrats turned out to hear some very exciting candidates.  One young man was particularly stirring.  He is smart and heartfelt, and it would do us proud to elect him in November.  But he ended his remarks by asking us ALL to pray for him.  Well, I plan on doing my part, but praying is not included.  Many of you know that I am an atheist.  Over the years, as I have felt more and more bombarded with Christian "goodwill" I have felt it incumbent to let others know how they can stop treating us as nonentities.

So when he was done, I went to the young candidate and waited to speak.  He turned to me and went to hug me, a little, round white haired lady who surely wanted a hug.  I said to him, "I think you're great, and I hope you get elected, but I want you to know this:  I am a good person and a strong Democrat, but I am an atheist, so I won't be praying for you.  I hope you'll remember that next time you speak."  He recovered nicely and I patted his arm, and walked away.

I felt really good about speaking up for myself, and for those of us who are of the atheist "persuasion."  But when I got home, I began to feel... guilty.  I'm sure I put him on the spot, and I'm sure he misunderstood, and I could have just not said anything....

But here's the thing.  Even well meaning Christians, and you know who you are, often forget that the rest of us (non-Christian and non-religious alike) are out there.  Here in the south, I've gone to town meetings where they skipped the Pledge of Allegiance, but said The Lord's Prayer.  I know those blowhards in the Supreme Court believe they have gotten where they are through God's grace (How else would idiots like Clarence Thomas and Sammy Alito have gotten on the bench without a miracle?), but I maintain that I can get through a day without being blessed by the person at the Dollar Store checkout counter.

What atheists have that religious folk should aspire to is an awareness of our boundaries, and a respect for the feelings of others.  That tends to be our strength and our weakness.  Because of all things, I would feel guilty about informing this young politician that I don't pray.  And yet, had he not emphasized that he wanted ALL our prayers, I may well not have said anything.
But the fact that we atheists do not believe in god or gods does not mean we don't "believe" or "have faith."  I was disgruntled when President Obama, in a rather lame attempt to reach out to his atheist supporters referred to us as "non-believers."  We believed in democracy and in his goodness enough to get out and vote for him.  We had faith that once elected he would mostly work to do the right thing.

I am frankly tired of being silent while Christians assume we should have school prayer, and offer prayers at public meetings.  Praying doesn't indicate a good person any more than wearing a flag pin defines a good American.  We tolerate all the references to Christianity throughout our lives, and at the same time all the whining about how Christians feel left out.  But that minimizes us. Atheists should not accept being minimized by our teachers, our employers, our candidates, our government. 

Women and minorities are minimized in much the same way; our beliefs and needs are not seen as being equal.  When we confront those who neglect or control us, we are told we are overreacting.  We are not.

So with all due respect, you politicians need to find a different way to ask for our support than "pray for me."  I respect that prayer is an important part of your life, but it is not a part of mine.  That does not make me irrelevant or wrong.

When I first moved to the South, I was really thrown by people who end an interaction by saying, "Have a blessed day."  It made me angry that they would just assume I would want them to bless me.  Later, I tried to toss it off by thinking that I should reply, "Wow.  I didn't know you had that power."  But now I just try to ignore it, because I don't want to waste that emotional energy being outraged at someone who doesn't know any better.  But there are some who need to know, because in the end, they will make decisions that affect me.

So it comes down to the fact that I had to speak out and to this candidate I say:  I hope you are the person I think you are, and that my comment will give you a little insight into others who think differently about life than you.  And that you will recognize that we are all here, trying to do the best that we can.

A Heavy Heart

We liberals continue to be defeated by our own in the Democratic Party.  We are unable to stand up for those who we say we represent.

Harry Reid had not only the ability to change the course of the Senate when he had the power to stop the silent filibuster, he had the backing of the American people.  Instead, he made a deal with Mitch McConnell.  Of course, McConnell interpreted the "deal" as Reid backing down, and the Senate republicans continue to batter us -- the American people -- with impunity.

And then there are the Democrats who have never found a cause that is worth standing together on.

Health care?  Gun control?  Taxation?  Whether it's closing loopholes for pharmaceutical companies, gun shows or Exxon Mobil, you will always find a Democrat willing to stand up for the powerful.

There are always good reasons, too.  Mostly, it has to do with risking losing the next election.  This is why the big donors give to both parties.  And why the right wing and fat cats have been able to pick off any liberal that is willing to take a stand against the powerful.

If only.  If only we had the courage of our convictions that the right wing of the Republican Party has.  If we had people that care about the poor, the disenfranchised, those who are unable to fight with millions of dollars and highly paid lobbyists, like for example, elected Democrats, we would be able to get our country back on the right track.

Which leads to the subject of sequestration.  Let's not even talk about whatever possessed Obama to buy into this nonsense.  It sounded reasonable at the time, but in retrospect, we know we are dealing with unreasonable people.  While the poor and the sick are being denied services, the Tea Partiers in our Congress are taking victory laps.  They alone have saved us from our deficit.  And, it turns out, done it without ever having to inconvenience the wealthy and powerful.

It shamed me that our Congressional "leaders" voted to override the cuts to air traffic control in order to cater to those with the clout to be heard.  Oh, and themselves.  And shame on the Democrats who voted in large numbers to undermine the little bit of power the sequestration actually had.

What's it going to take for us to stop spiraling into self-absorbed obscurity?  Money only being spent to make more money for those who already have it; cutting jobs and government services, trains and teachers, bridges and health care.  Strangling regulators who have not in decades had the power to protect us from bad food, bad water, bad air, unsafe airplanes, Wall Street and corporate fraud.  Defunding research that would lead to better lives for ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren.

And while the right wing is taking that victory lap, the moderates are clutching tightly to their own purses afraid of losing their own job security.

So today I am saddened.  Yet I hope there will be a liberal backlash.  I imagine that like the courageous fast food workers, more of the weak in our country will risk everything to stand up to the powerful.  Perhaps mayors and moms will become as powerful an influence on our legislators as the NRA.  And maybe the real small business folks who have been fooled by the right wing into thinking they are being represented will realize that they have been sold out to corporate power.

Maybe President Obama will find his spine on all these issues, as he seems to have done with gun control.

But the bottom line really is -- and the Republican right wing know this -- if we don't care enough to stand together, we are lost.

The Ironic Cherry on the Icky Political Sundae

Yesterday at the blog that keeps me from going postal at my day job I described the suspension of Keith Olbermann as "the ironic cherry on the icky campaign sundae" that was the 2010 election season.

I liked that.  My first thought was, "ironic cherry" -- Dave Barry would think that was a cool name for a band.  On the other hand, I had been thinking for months about what I would name my new blog.  I planned on retiring my 2010 election season blog when Alvin Greene retired his political career and went back home to Manning with whatever golden parachute he had been promised when he agreed to "run".

So after the band idea, it occurred to me that "The Ironic Cherry" would be a great name for a blog.

Too much irony in politics goes unnoticed and unanswered.  So maybe I'll spend some time ruminating on the odd lies and contradictions that we breathe in every time a politician or a CEO exhales.

Can't hurt.