I am Jewish. That is a disturbing opening sentence because we were at a point in this country where such identification was becoming irrelevant to one's place in society. I have just reached senior citizen status, which tells you how many years of life experience I am referencing. I am a woman who, in her early twenties, underwent the best kind of doctor-administered illegal and therefore terrifying, abortion with, fortunately for me and my son, no permanent ill effects.
These days I hear a sound like rushing wind, which I have finally identified. It is the breeze caused by the pages of the calendar riffling backwards - like the classic movie convention that conveys moving back in time.
The news is full of the changes in Washington and I am beginning to feel very uncomfortable in this, the country of my birth. I feel once again as I did fifty years ago when I sat through the December school concerts to celebrate the end-of-year holiday cluster. Remember when that meant Christmas, period? But it wasn't my holiday. I always reacted simultaneously on three levels. First, I liked the music for its abstract beauty. Second, I resented the requirement that I participate in someone else's religious celebration without reciprocity or acknowledgement. And, third, I always felt a purpose of reminding me that I was different, maybe even inferior. The message was that, despite being born in the U.S., maybe I shouldn't become too complacent, too confident of my place here.
So I've been having this funny sort of itchy soul feeling lately, and I've started feeling angry. And I've finally figured out why.
Despite constitutional separation of Church and State, I have heard the word and concept "Christian" linked to government more than is comfortable in the last two weeks. Off the top of my head, there's the funds cutoff to international groups that even mention the word abortion. There's government funding for sectarian-sponsored good works and an official White House operation in support. There's John Ashcroft poised to become attorney general. There is also the stated goal of running our government on "Christian" principles. You get the idea?
I am feeling once again like the child and teenager that I was, sitting in that auditorium during a Christmas religious observance masquerading as a school assembly - uncomfortable, unwanted, and excluded. Is this how it is going to be for the next four years? How far are we going down this path?
For those on the sending side of this message to understand the impact on those of us on the receiving side, I suggest a form of role playing that helps distill the essence of the message and brings it into a new and revealing focus. Here is how it works: select one or more of the religion-related adjectives from the following incomplete list and use it to replace the word Christian. It will be particularly instructive if your choices represent groups that are particularly disturbing or even frightening to you. Here's my list in totally random order: Buddhist, Taoist, Zoroastrian, Mormon, Pagan, Muslim, Catholic, Wyccan, Jewish, Shiite, Branch Davidian. So, folks, how do we feel about running our government on Branch Davidian principles?
I was stunned by the image that exploded in my mind a few days ago and was the genesis for this article. It is as if the new Administration is trying to establish a Christian Fundamentalist theocracy with, if you will exclude the mixing of metaphors, George W. Bush as ayatollah and Dick Cheney as prime minister. This does not meet anyone's definition of inclusion and should not be acceptable to any of us.
The above was written by Frances Cohen and may not be reproduced or excerpted in any form without the express permission of Ben Cohen. This permission will probably not be withheld but must be obtained nevertheless. Contact me at ben@tmk.com for this or any other purpose.