What if?

Newsweek ran an article entitled "So What If He Were Muslim?", which pointed out the religious bias and prejudice that runs through, as this article concentrates on, the political arena. The article also pointed out briefly the political run of Mitt Romney, a Mormon, and the fact that there hasn't been a Roman Catholic in the White House since JFK. So, religious bias has been muddying the political waters long before this election, yet not as strongly as today.

So many people have tried very hard to color Barack Obama with the Muslim-laden paint brush from the very beginning of his political run, based on mass emails, and opinions of my DH's co-workers, from what he tells me, although I doubt his workplace is of the exception.

"I'm not votin' for no Muslim!" seems to be the daily rally cry in the break room, when it has been made very clear that Obama is not a Muslim (as if that should really matter). And there is nothing one can say to these people to sway their opinion, which makes me wonder what is the real issue here.

When I read the above mentioned article, I started thinking, "What if Barack Obama's name was 'John Smith', and he was a long time Protestant, who just happened to have a father who wasn't a Caucasian...a black man?"

What if 9/11 never happened? What if Muslims weren't thought of as "Enemy No.1" by many as the Japanese were after Pearl Harbor?

What if no one could label Barack Obama with anything besides the obvious?

I think the real issue would come to light, and I wonder how many would be as eager to voice their racial prejudice as easily as their religious/cultural prejudice? I wonder what the mass e-mails would look like then?

I bet if you rip off the label of the Muslim paint can, you will find the original label underneath.

It's all racism, no matter how one paints it.

2.10

It seems one can't go anywhere on the Internet without seeing a news blurb or a blog post about "Anonymous" these days. It's been interesting for me to watch this groundswell unfold (or bubble up, I guess), because I've been aware of the critic community and the Church of Many Copyrights for about 10 years now. After reading (or trying to, I don't even think the aid of a dictionary would have helped) Dianetics, I started looking at both sides. I looked at the official website for the "church", and right off the bat was put off by all the glitz and hyperbole...it reminded me of something I would see on Trinity Broadcasting. "Look how shiny and golden everything is here! You want to live in a golden world, come join us!"...that just makes me run in the other direction. Also, I found a lot of ambiguousness, which lead me to believe if I wanted to know more, I would have to find an "org", or buy a book. Or books. Or sessions, as suggested.

Then, I found the critics' side. Websites, newsgroups, blogs. The more I read, the more I leaned towards the critic end of the spectrum. Stories of disconnection and breaking up of families, of people taking out mortgages so they can learn more and reach higher planes or levels. Being a "science of the mind" one day, and a "religion" the next, just for the tax status. The way the "church" suppresses information. The way people who confront the orginization are bullied, and worse. Thier "if you're not with us, you're against us" mentality. The idea that it's a "crime" to seek out psychiatric help.

Enlightenment should be free to everyone. I know when I went to church, there was an offering box at the door, but I never had to hand over a twenty through the confessional screen. To know God, or god, or gods shouldn't come with a bill for services rendered. I don't care if that god looks like an elephant, a man, or E.T. It's not about the tales that created the religion...it's about the action of the people running the show...that is what causes shivers to run up and down my spine.

I can walk into most doctor offices and find a Bible, I even found a copy of the Qura'an one day. I could read them. Freely, and for free, if I choose. Try that with any of the many tomes of The Church of Many Copyrights. Those puppies aren't cheap. And, you must buy more and more to become more and more enlightened. And here is the rub...you never get there. "There" always moves, or changes, or is re-written.

So, on 2.10, a new set of critics will emerge and make thier voices known in real life. Anonymous will be across the globe, picketing. When the first video messages came out, I was skeptical, them being in it "for the lulz" and all. For years, I've read about pickets put on by ex-members. I understood why they felt the need. I read thier stories. To be honest, I felt that Anonymous was just a bunch of shit-stirrers, nothing more. But they have quickly materialized into a group that wants to make a stand, make a point, that it's not okay for any organization to supress information, to deny freedom of speech, to punish people for changing thier minds, for breaking up families, for not seeing themseles as they truly are...a copywrited business that smells like a pryamid scheme. If you say you're a church, then act like a church.

So, I hope 2.10 passes peacefully. I hope they listened to the Old Dogs. The ones who came before, the ones who are still out there. I hope they don't get all wrapped up in pointing fingers at the funny alien and lulzing about the wacky origins. Like I said, it's how the show is run. There is where the story lies. Would I picket if there was an "org" in my town? I would probably show my support in some way. Maybe I'd bring cookies. Maybe I'll write some more blog posts, but that's pretty safe, considering no one reads my blogs.

And to clarify something...because of how "the show is run", I don't practice organized religion. So far, no one has declaired me a bad person because of it. Well, that I know of.

I know there is many atrocities, many "causes", many fights to be fought...this just happens to be the one I've been following.