Gen. Boykin isn't alone in his views on religion

Re: The general and the devil, editorial, Oct. 24.

Instead of reassigning Lt. Gen. William Boykin, why don't we just burn him at the stake in the town square? Isn't that the traditional way to punish heretics who express their religious beliefs, especially those who flout the cult of political correctness?

What is the general's crime? Expressing in church his belief that his god is bigger than Osama bin Laden's god.

I don't think the general is alone in his beliefs. I believe the general's and my god is not only bigger, he's a wiser and more compassionate god than Osama bin Laden's.

To defend our freedoms of religion and speech from political correctness, I'd be proud to be burned at the stake next to the general's.

There's strength in accepting diversity

Re: God and gaffes in the war on terrorism, by Ellen Goodman, Oct. 23.

One of the things I most appreciate is the fine quality of various opinion writers in your paper. In this column, Ellen Goodman hit the nail on the head by saying "we know that the most important global struggle is not between one religion and another but between fanaticism and tolerance - the two principles that cut across all borders and run through every religion."

She is accurate to say that if Americans are to stand for tolerance, it is more than a strategic error to say my god is bigger than yours. She accurately says, "It's a sacrilege to our civic religion."

Thank you for giving your readers the opportunity to read such a wise analysis that includes her statement that "most Americans recognize that our unity and strength depended on accepting our diversity."

The liberal attack on religion

Why is it that liberals have a problem with people of faith, in particular Christians, espousing their beliefs? Public figures and elected officials cannot even profess their beliefs in church without drawing some left-wing liberal complaints.

Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin is now under liberal attack for attesting to his faith at churches and prayer breakfasts. Having driven the Judeo-Christian value system out of the public square, the classrooms and the Alabama Supreme Court, liberals now want to drive it out of church.

I believe that our country has had quite enough of the liberal philosophy. It is time for their value system, and ideas, to be buried with all other evils.

Melting pot turns into melted pot

Re: General's views are not mine, Bush says, Oct. 23.

It is fascinating that the Pentagon accepts Lt. Gen. William Boykin's very lame apology to the Islamic faith, but the Pentagon nevertheless repeats Boykin's statement that the United States is a "Christian nation."

Are we not also a Jewish nation? A Buddhist one? A Muslim one? Heaven forbid, even an atheist one? Where is the outcry by these, as well as other, faiths? Would it not be much better to call us a "moral nation" which we were not too long ago? We are on a direct path to be reviled by any people not sharing our "Christian" beliefs, as long as we condemn theirs. Are we no longer a melting pot, but are rather a melted pot?

Rise of the religious right

In recent days, there have been three stories that have attracted my attention. It seems that perhaps the move toward the religious right dictating political action is becoming more of a reality every day.

In Terri Schiavo's case, her devoted husband has tried to have her health care decisions carried out and has been upheld by the courts. Some representatives of the religious right persuade the Florida Legislature and governor to misuse a special session and pass legislation that will almost certainly be found unconstitutional. Once again, Florida is seen in a ridiculous light.

Lt. Gen. William Boykin, the deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence, says publicly that the reason we are in Iraq is that we are fighting "Satan." He does not understand the difference between holding religious views and basing public policy on those minority views.

Congress has sent a bill to President Bush totally banning specific late-term abortions, even to save the life of the woman. This is another instance in which a vocal, well-funded minority is foisting their religious beliefs on the rest of us.

As I reflect on the causes of this increased influence of the religious right on public policy, I realize that the fault lies with those of us who disagree with this trend. We need to become more active, more vocal and more effective in blocking the imposition of a particular religious view disguised as law and policy.

Questionable kinds of life

Re: Bill limiting abortion shifts fight, Oct. 22.

According to President Bush, his signing of the bill outlawing so-called "partial-birth" abortions shows we "continue to build a culture of life in America."

He neglected to explain just what kind of life. Is it a life of freely contained options? A life of satisfactory health? A life that pursues happiness? His brother, here in Florida, evidently subscribes to a policy of continuing the "culture of life." And he, too, seems to think that the word "life" entails simple breathing and reflexes.

We as a nation are proud of our scientific advances. We are proud of our space projects, our continued search for cures of diseases. But when we get down to the "nitty gritty" we sink back into a kind of pathetic primitivism, brushing aside all critical thought, all painfully acquired knowledge of medical processes. Instead we rely on an imagined higher power, priding ourselves on doing his will by allowing a badly deformed fetus come into the world. And we cheer over disregarding laws to "save" a woman for a "life" of mindless existence.

In all this "saving" is there a whiff of political opportunism? Those on the religious right vote, of course. But as they rejoice in the victories brought them by the Brothers Bush, they should pause to remember one cold, hard fact. Neither fetus nor woman will ever know happiness - nor have the chance to pursue it.

Votes to remember

Re: Bill limiting abortion shifts fight, Oct. 22.

Readers should keep in mind for the next elections that our two U.S. senators voted in favor of partial-birth abortion.

Pledge vs. reality

I think we should just forget the whole idea of saying the Pledge of Allegiance in school. There is something about all those little children in government-supported schools standing at attention, hand over heart, reciting a loyalty oath that strikes me as a little bit creepy. At 6 or 7 years old, they can't even pronounce the words correctly, much less know what they're saying or why they're saying it. I know it makes a lot grown-ups feel all warm and safe and patriotic, but that's not our children's job.

Besides that, "under God" isn't the only iffy part of the pledge. We have a tendency to muck up the "liberty and justice for all" part regularly. And anyone who thinks we're "indivisible" has been living in cave. We're divided all the time, about everything. Maybe we adults should bring reality in line with the pledge, before we insist that our kids recite it.

A description too cute

Re: Rally revives fervor for state to ratify the ERA, Oct. 13.

This lead paragraph is a bit too cute. Is it really quaint for participants to wear buttons? The umbrellas were quite necessary as there had been a heavy downpour just before the rally started at the auditorium. And do sugar cookies with icing and "ERA" written on them sold to raise a few bucks really undermine our political strength? They are an appetizer to the sweetness of victory, after all.

You missed the real lead, that Illinois state Rep. Lou Lang predicted Illinois ratification by the Illinois Senate (after all, the senate president is a co-sponsor of the resolution, he said) in weeks. That should certainly break the log jam in Florida and other states where ERA ratification up to now has been largely academic. Only two more states will be needed after Illinois.

Florida NOW will be staging another ERA rally again this March at the Capitol. Watch www.flnow.org for details. With a more moderate and reasonable House speaker and a fairly moderate Senate president in Allan Bense and Tom Lee, respectively, this could be the last year to have to do this.

Kobe's case is court's decision

Re: Kobe case shouldn't stand trial, Oct. 23.

Here we go again. The alleged rape victim went to Kobe Bryant's room, she didn't follow rape rules A, B or C and therefore she should "very nicely" be told what? She deserved what she got? It's her fault? Rape is rape no matter how you dress it. I say let the court decide.

In need of some lessons

Re: 8-year-old bicyclist gets ticket for causing accident, Oct. 25.

Let me get this straight. This child is in second grade, is allowed to ride a bicycle (and in the street), hits a car and causes considerable damage, gets a ticket because he was in the wrong, and the parents aren't going to pay it because "He's an 8-year-old child. He does not understand what the right of way is."

Please tell me what's wrong with the parents in this country. If that child is allowed to ride a bicycle, and in the roadway, then his parents had better sit him down and make him understand. I thought that right and wrong, and rules, were taught to all children from the time they could first understand words. Rules of the road apply to everyone, period! Perhaps he would learn a little faster if he did have to take his allowance to pay the ticket and not be able to get the battery-operated miniature truck he wants.

Not letter perfect

Re: Mensa mini-quiz, Oct. 23.

The sample Mensa questions were very interesting. I'd like to point out though, that I think the answer to question 10 is incorrect. The question read, "Counting from zero, what is the first number that contains the letter "a'?"

Numbers don't contain letters, but number names do.

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