You’ve probably seen the ubiquitous Co-Exist bumper sticker that includes symbols of all the major religions. Right? Megan has one on her car. So does one of our neighbors. I’ve always thought it was one of the better bumper stickers because it doesn’t attack anyone.
But Florida Rep. Allen West has other ideas. It seems that West, who happens to represent the district where we live, thinks co-existing is bad news.
Take a look at what he says about the sticker. What’s particularly jarring is that West is black and co-existing is what blacks have been trying to do in this country for 300 years. Shame on Allen West. He should know better.
Here he is in his own words:
“Because as I was driving up here today, I saw that bumper sticker that absolutely incenses me. It’s not the Obama bumper sticker. But it’s the bumper sticker that says, ‘Co-exist.’ And it has all the little religious symbols on it. And the reason why I get upset, and every time I see one of those bumper stickers, I look at the person inside that is driving. Because that person represents something that would give away our country. Would give away who we are, our rights and freedoms and liberties because they are afraid to stand up and confront that which is the antithesis, anathema of who we are. The liberties that we want to enjoy.”
So apparently, according to West, in order to enjoy our freedom and liberty, we need to repress those who are different from us. What a guy. I’m voting against him…again in 2012.
A very disturbing sychcro occurred in my family within a day or two of this post. My 13-year-old granddaughter, who comes to our home with her two sisters after school every day until their Dad gets off work and picks them up, was upset when she arrived. She told me that the dean of her middle school student body, Mr. X, approached her and demanded she remove her quite small pentacle pendant necklace, calling it “inappropriate”. When she asked him why it was inapropriate, he refused to answer and reiterated his demand that she remove it. No Jewish student was required to remove the Star of David; no Catholic the crucifix; no Christian the cross or the WWJD bracelets, etc. Just my granddaughter. I immediately sent an email to Mr. X, reminding him of the Constitution’s First Amendment that gives us freedom of religion….ALL religions, and also printed the addendum that has been attached which requires public schools to honor and respect the religious affiliation of each student’s religion, or None. I haven’t had a response from this dean yet, but did tell him in a second brief note that if he does not resolve this issue in a timely manner I will contact the Director of our county’s Board of Education, and if no resolution is forthcoming, I will then contact the media, making the public aware that my granddaughter’s school and its faculty are guilty of unconscionable and unacceptable religious prejudice. The Constitution clearly states “All or None”. I’m waiting for the resolution. As an aside, my granddaughter is a very quiet child; a solitary Capricorn who does not involve herself in quarrels or conflicts, and having been born into and raised in a Wiccan home, she understands and practices the concept of tolerance and acceptance of others’ spiritual paths and does not discuss ours. So it wasn’t as if she were spreading her beliefs or even having conversations about them. She did neither. I’m appalled, (furious), at the action of this school adult authority against a child’s personal religion. My maternal claws are showing.
The story is troubling, math.
Tsk tsk! I see an an image of Madame DeFarge sitting by the guillotine knitting silently, grinning her evil grin each time a head rolls towards her feet. How far have we come from that scene? Not very, it seems. Synchronistically, yesterday I saw the second half of the movie PAY IT FORWARD on TV. I own the movie, but watched it anyway because its message is so positive and so current. That little child, young, wise beyond his years….sacrificing his very life as he carried out the very premise of his philosophy. I wept yet again at its end, wondering WHY we can’t live his way.
I can’t figure out the term at the moment, but we have one of those questionnaires about population that happen once in a decade or so taking place in Serbia. One of the questions is about religious beliefs and I am in the same basket with atheists. It’s not quite popular to question one’s own faith all the time. It doesn’t mean that you can’t make your own mind, but that the subject is (the most) complicated.
One of my favourite Australian magazines “Veritas” (which means truth I’m told) sells a similar pendant called the Unity pendant.
https://theveritasstore.com/Unity-Pendant.html
It has a quote from the Dali Lama saying ,
“When there is peace among the religions, there will be peace in the world.”
No wonder the Chinese government are trying to catch that dirty Co-existist .-)
I wasn’t going to get one,but now I will,just to tick this wanker off.
Viva La Co-existists !!! .-)
The inquisition is alive and well.
His slant and his rhetoric is soooo the French Revolution. He could be one (untaxed) noble talking to another.
How antiquated.
Dinosaurs, inquisitors, the French Revolution….Maybe he can use all those phrases for his campaign slogans.
These pols are quickly beginning to look like dinosaurs. Relics of the last century.
Dinosaurs. Snort!
ditto!!!
SYNCHRONICITY!!!! Kenny put that very same bumper sticker on his vehicle two weeks ago! For me it says, without words, “Freedom of religion means ALL religions”!
I love it and think all of us who have the tolerance and acceptance of the rights of people to worship as they are led, should have shirts made with it, people who get tattoos should have it tattooed, (Kenny is going to have a very small one done by a tattoo artist here who is wonderful, altho I’m too old to be into tattoos), and everywhere else we can display it. Those flags people fly at Christmas, Halloween, 4th of July? Why not a flag with those symbols on it? C O E X I S T. Until we can sincerely do this, war will always be a way of life. I disagree vehemently with Allen West…but that’s his wrong-minded thinking and we must peacefully object to it by not voting for him. Shameful thinking. Simply shameful. And disgusting. But, it IS his opinion. So, vote him right out of office and perhaps he may get the message.
Probably not. Bigotry is bigotry is bigotry by any name.
Good synchro, math!
if i didn’t know better, i would think you were kidding!!! but – are you KIDDING me!!!
No kidding, sadly enough!
scary, even!