I won't bore you with it all, so here is the first notable quote:
This nation was founded on Christianity, or God wouldn't have been in all those things in the first place. So far, Christian churches in America still outnumber those of other religions. But for how long?Though in some instances simplicity may be bliss, in this case it most certainly is not. The writer is just flat out wrong to say that our nation was founded on Christianity. Our nation was founded on the basisof religious freedom, not Christianity. Believe you me, the pilgrims got an all-you-can-pray buffet of Christianity, back in England... And that's why they left. And regardless of whether "god" refers to a Judeo–Christian god or the mere existence of a higher being, the first amendment to the Constitution still guarantees the freedom of speech and religion to all. The simplistic argument of the word "god" being placed on coins and in the Pledge of Allegiance doesn't serve as a basis as to why we should be intolerant of other religions.
The writer, Helen A. De Kam also pays attribute to Pastor Terry Jones' plan to burn a Quran on September 11th when she writes:
Recently, Muslims did not want a Florida pastor to burn the Quran even though the right exists to do that. And I agree. It should not be burned, but they should show us the same respect.
America not only is facing a physical war but a spiritual one, too. I won't forget a video I saw of some Muslims stomping on our flag and tearing it up. They yelled at their friends, "It's OK. We can do this. This is America." Sad.
She was right to say that Jones did have the right to burn the Quran even though it was cited as a serious threat to national security, but is wrong to say that Muslims were the only ones who did not want him him to not do so. In fact, there were many Christians here and abroad crying out for him to not do so. But finally, it was the Pentagon who finally talked him down from burning the Muslim holy book. So, as to the issue of showing "us" the same respect, there is no "they." There were not any confines based on religion or nation in the group of people calling for the Quran not to be burned.
It is far too often that we pursuit issues as "white vs. black" or "us vs. them," but there is no "us" there is no "them." I don't know the video to which she was referring to, but how do you identify someone as Muslim? I would suggest that these people may have just been upset with the war-driven foreign policies of the United States, and certainly not Christianity. For if it were an issue of religion, would they have not torn apart and stomped on a copy of The Bible? I'm not a god and America-hating individual, I do agree, both acts are disgusting and deplorable, but there is no "us" and there is no "them" for us to call upon to attribute blame or fault.
But on a far more bigoted note she writes that if you "want to be an American" you must:
"Speak our language" - The U.S. has no official language...
"...respect our laws" - Sounds fair.
"...pay our taxes" - Is anyone else thinking of an ironic way to substantially boost our IRS revenue right about now?
and finally
"...love our country."
And to leave it on more of an anti-immigrant sentiment, she offers an alternative...
"OR LEAVE."
YESYESYES
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