It seems Mariano Grinbank thinks Democrats are worse than Republicans for trying to be their equals at shaping the discussion (“marching orders” 1/6/05). Sure, there are Democrats who believe winning requires adopting Republican tactics. Not that Democrats are quick to obey orders.
Christianity and other religions are not the problem. Your faith should govern how you encounter the world, it should not be used to govern how others live. America has a system of compromises designed to protect the minority from the majority, to make certain that those who have power can’t abuse it for long. If you are doing god’s will, you don’t have any reason to compromise. In this respect, bin Laden is far more conservative than Bush, though both let their faith dictate everything they do.
Progressives have to stay true to the long trend of our nation towards more liberty, equality and opportunity for every person. There is no reason a Christian can’t be a progressive. It’s not the Ten Commandments that are missing from the public forum — it’s the Golden Rule.
The Radical Right has created a truly unholy alliance, wrapping itself in the flag and the bible. This could easily become America’s form of fascism. Your god is not mine. Live your faith, but leave me in freedom and peace. mjh
Read Grinback’s letter….
alibi . january 6 – 12, 2005
P.C. for J.C.
Dear Alibi,
[RE: “Ortiz y Pino” Dec. 30-Jan]. In your opinion piece you besmirch Christian Family Radio for motivating their contingency, “with marching orders … all laid out neatly for the obedient flock to set into motion.” I’ll have you know that after every Presidential (and the vice-presidential) debate the DNC sent me, and thousands of others, e-mails complete with hyperlinks to newspaper websites telling us to vote that Kerry (and Edwards) won the debates. They told us to call radio shows, write to newspapers, and contact politicians. They told us exactly what issues to raise and how to state them. These were the marching orders all laid out neatly for the obedient Democrats to set into motion. This was, as you put it, “a blatant call to arms designed to manipulate public policy.” You besmirch FLR for raising the issue of gay marriage while not mentioning health care, minimum wage, etc. Yet, you admit that all your ranting is based on a radio spot that was a whole “five minutes long.”
Sir, surely you know that those mean and nasty Christians are not the only people who are against gay marriage. I therefore, triple dog dare you, or anyone at the Alibi, to write even one single sentence that besmirches any other religion that is against it as well. Or will you follow that first commandment of the politically correct movement, “Thou shall only bash Christianity?”
Mariano Grinbank
Albuquerque