It’s a damn fine country more often than not.  Still, lately the people in control call the people I admire immoral and Godless.  Since I tend to admire people who have qualities I would like to emulate, I suspect that these folks would consider me immoral and Godless in training. 

That's just wrong.  When I’m in a construction zone and the left lane disappears, I let people merge in front of me (in Chicago that makes me Albert Schweitzer, trust me).  In addition, I have never killed 100,000 people or taken a hit out on 100,000 people or in any other way ordered the death of 100,000 people.  This last may go without saying, but just in case, I thought I’d clarify. 

As for Godfulness—isn’t God on judgment watch?  If you believe in a hereafter don’t you buy the idea that God rewards the righteous, and more often than not in the afterlife?  By focusing on the here and now the Christian Right is sending me a mixed message:  “We live by the rules of our all-powerful God who will reward us in heaven and punish you in hell.  Of course, just in case the rewards and punishment differential isn’t great enough, we’re going to take our half out of the middle right now.  After all, the divine, all-powerful being may not get this judgment stuff quite right.”

I realize this whole plan could backfire.  Once we stop huddling together, they can pick us off one by one.  Then they can finally have a real country, a place an American can be proud to call home. 

Well, I guess I'll never know.  Unless someone picks me off on my way to Florida.