President or Religious Leader - Soap box alert

I've noticed Bush is trying to rally support and he's pointing the finger at the Democrats accusing them of being irresponsible for suggesting we pull out of Iraq. I wonder if while our President is expressing his indignation he notices there is a very empty complacent response to his plea. I would like to share my feelings and perhaps shed some light on what I think the problem is.

When he was elected President in 2000, I was elated. When 911 hit, I couldn't get enough of him. President Bush was my hero. But now, I don't care. I feel betrayed. I don't feel betrayed about our being in Iraq. I get it. I understand why we are there and I see the problem with an immediate pull out.

My feeling is that Bush has abused his position at President and has used his role to promote his religious convictions. Wait, let me restate that, not promote his religious convictions, impose his religious convictions.

A few examples: He is standing in the way of science's attempt at pursuing stem cell research, even when that research no longer entails the use of aborted embryos. He has enfluenced the FDA away from approving the availability of Plan B, the day after birth control pill, as an over-the-counter drug. He has openly expressed that he believes that it is unconstitutional for a woman to choose to terminate a pregnancy. And lately, he was speaking in China where he believed one of the freedoms the people of China should be afforded is the right to read the Bible (and other sacred text).

I think, relating to the last statement, it is rather audacious for him to go to China and state that their country should be open to allowing their people to pracice a western religion. What is he trying to do here, pave the way for the Christian Coalition to go in and set up missionaries. Western religion could actually tear apart their very ancient culture.

President Bush is a walking example of blatant disrespect for the separation of Church and State. He is sending signals left and right that, as President, he is going to do everything in his power to pave the way for the Religious Right to impose their agendas on the rest of us.

This week, on NPR, I heard Pat Robertson state that "should the little town of Dover(PA) be a victim of natural disaster they should not turn to God for help because they turned their backs on God". Why did he make this hateful statement? Because the school system there decided that creationism should be taught in philosophy and not in a science class. That, in Mr. Robertson's opinion, is "turning their backs on God". He doesn't care about the integrety of Science, he wants people to be forced to learn about God and wants the subject to be given equal respect as science. As if God were an exact science. (You can hear the report here)

I have never heard a religious leader stand up and speak out against the murdering of doctors who perform abortions or against those who practice blowing up clinics. Both are blatent examples of terrorism. The Religious Right is mowing over as many people as they possibly can because they believe that the Leader of the Free World is actually one of them.

The irony of it is that while Bush is paving the way for them, they are not in return rallying support for him. No. They are focusing their energy on promoting their own power agenda.

So my feeling is this. I can't openly support Bush anymore because in doing so, I would be supporting the agenda of the Religious Right. I can't bring myself to send the rights of women back 30 years. Religion is constantly being forced down our throats.

I don't know if the rest of America feels as I do. But I do believe that people are frustrated by his policies and feel as I do that by supporting him in his efforts in Iraq, they are abandonning the things that are important to themselves. Bush has not earned our support. And whats worse is that he has good people such as Condi Rice and Dick Cheney working very hard to get things right in the Mid-East; but Bush's focus on this other crap is making him ineffective as a leader.

If Bush wants to know where the irresponsibility lies, he need only look in the mirror.