The Nappy Cat Chronicles

Throughout the past 18 years, the Republicans have thoroughly succeeded in embracing three issues: abortion, flag burning, and Christianity. These three issues are supported by three fervently passionate groups who share a common theme of being disfranchised by the Supreme Court. Abortion is considered a privacy issue. Flag burning is protected by the First Amendment. School sponsored prayer and prayer in school have been eradicated.

Because of the Supreme Court decisions, these three groups view themselves as marginalized do-gooders. They are ideologically similar in that each group believes that America is currently on the wrong path and that their legislation is the Pepto for the ills of the nation. This passion unites the membership within these groups. On the other hand, their counterparts do not exist at the same level. There is no fervent “pro-abortion” group (pro-choice is hardly the same), no fervent pro-flag burning group, and no atheistic anti-Christian conspiracy (atheists account for only 3% of the population).

The passion and the unbalance make these issues politically “no lose” platforms. This November, Republican senators will run on anti-abortion, anti-flag burning, and anti-gay marriage platforms and legions of anti-whatever voters will show up and vote Republican. It does not matter if the anti-whatever measure comes to fruition. The Republican senators are nearly assured reelection and “judicial activists” are to blame.

These once marginalized groups (and healthy doses of gerrymandering) have enabled Republicans to retain control of the government for the past six years. Unfortunately, this has led to constant attacks on what we once considered freedoms. For example, Terri Schiavo exercising her state-granted right to die is considered murder. (I will never forget watching coverage of the Schiavo spectacle and witnessing an interview with a young woman who claimed “I have tons of friends in persistent vegetative states.”) The free press has been labeled treasonous. Liberal beliefs have been demonized. Nearly everyday, democrats are called godless terrorist sympathizers and have their deaths advocated. Republican senator (and former doctor) Bill Frist has lied about the effectiveness of contraception on national television.

There are two themes present in the above examples: (1) It is the republicans who encourage and maintain these attacks. (2) In doing so, the republicans control the language that surrounds any debate on these issues. Murderous. Treasonous. Godless. Terrorist. Unworthy to live. This excoriating vocabulary was once considered “fringe” and maintained only by self-loathing politicians. With the advent of the saturating-media and the embracement of the three aforementioned groups, this vocabulary is now commonplace. Republicans have succeeded in conferring mainstream status to fringe and uncompromising elements. The power and the “above the law” lifestyle that Republican politicians currently enjoy is infinitely more important the personal freedoms of the citizenry.

I believe that the freedoms that are readily dismissed by the three aforementioned groups are the core of humanity:

1. Adults have authority over their bodies.
2. Adults may express their feelings using nonviolent means.
3. Adults must be free of laws that preference the orthodoxies of one religion so they may worship any god and practice any religion their soul desires.

Freedom, independence, and autonomy are rights upon which America was founded. So, please, stay out of my sock drawer and have a happy 4th.