Monday, November 3, 2008

A Curmudgeon's View

Yes, I have been silent for several days now, enjoying Sarah Palin's and John McCain's comedy(?) routines during their SNL appearances. I just loved Ben Affleck's brilliant send-up of MSNBC's Keith Olbermann. Bill Maher's Real Time on HBO has been hilarious, not to mention Comedy Central's Chocolate News, Colbert Report and The Daily Show. Glenn Beck is off CNN and onto Fox (where he is one of their more centrist voices) and Lou Dobbs is still off his rocker. But what has fueled my indignation is the fact that 23% of Texans believe that Barack Obama is a Muslim. I am sure that many other states can boast(?) of similar ignorance, but Texas has often bragged of its education system and its enlightened stances on a myriad of subjects. Note that I have written the word "ignorance", not stupidity. Texans, as a whole, are far from stupid and those that I met in my four years there were anything but stupid. My point is not that something is incredibly wrong when this many folks believe fiction to be fact. The point is, what is wrong with being a Muslim? In my jaundiced view, being a Muslim is no different than being a believer in any of the many major or minor organized religions. So, I am appalled that someones actual or supposed religious beliefs are relevant or that it needs to be asked. A civilized society should be past superstition and myth and wholly focused on issues. Who one votes for should be a function of rationale thought, not ignorance, myths, fear or how many Joe the Plumbers or Ralph the Bus Drivers we have as our role models.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

You know us Texans are not to smart. What is that 23 percent thing? Does that mean that there are 23 for every penny? So does it take 2300 of them to make a dollar? I got to make a trip up there one day and get me an education!!

I am eating a steak for you this week in Mike!

Reagan

Rhode Island Yankee said...

Reagan:

Stake are good!