Some time (at least 10 years or more ago) my local Rotary club recognized its international and non-sectarian bases thus being able to eliminate first the prayer before our meeting and then more recently the pledge. We still do good in our town, region and the world.
You raise a great point about the MAGA movement and its antipathy for democracy. The re-election of Trump, it seems, is more about vengeance than about adherence to any higher ideal or aspirational democracy. Voters like Trump b/c he promises to "get back" at the people or groups that piss them off - and he promises to make the world look more like they'd like it - which means not having to see, hear from, or accommodate the existence of the "other." That this movement claims roots in Christianity is particularly disturbing - and seems to ignore nearly all the actual teachings of Jesus.
This is such an important column. I love the concluding paragraph: "Diversity, equity and inclusion are prime among the aspirations that have animated nearly every bit of progress that might make the United States admirable."
Some time (at least 10 years or more ago) my local Rotary club recognized its international and non-sectarian bases thus being able to eliminate first the prayer before our meeting and then more recently the pledge. We still do good in our town, region and the world.
You raise a great point about the MAGA movement and its antipathy for democracy. The re-election of Trump, it seems, is more about vengeance than about adherence to any higher ideal or aspirational democracy. Voters like Trump b/c he promises to "get back" at the people or groups that piss them off - and he promises to make the world look more like they'd like it - which means not having to see, hear from, or accommodate the existence of the "other." That this movement claims roots in Christianity is particularly disturbing - and seems to ignore nearly all the actual teachings of Jesus.
This is such an important column. I love the concluding paragraph: "Diversity, equity and inclusion are prime among the aspirations that have animated nearly every bit of progress that might make the United States admirable."
Great writing on a subject that has been made extremely political. As a retired public school teacher I value the separation of church & state.