Tuesday, November 09, 2004

Changing the Cultural Landscape

ith the election of George Bush, we could see a dramatic change in the cultural landscape. Who will be affected? Women, gays, and racial minorities. You see, if we are not with them, we will be viewed by the powers that be of being against them. And as a result, we will be marginalized. And believe me, we will be marginalized when Bush II gets his opportunity to appoint a supreme court justice. Or justices, plural. Certainly Justice Renquist will be going out as he has cancer. And the buzz is that three more may retire in the next four years.

If Bush appoints someone who reflects his ideals and those who support him--the religious right and other hardcore conservatives--then you can be sure that the first thing on the block will be Roe v. Wade. They will likely overturn it, as many religious conservatives have scremed for, and women will no longer have the freedom to determine what is right for their own health, physical, psychological, whatever. Whether I am for abortion or not is not the issue. I believe that every women has the right to control her own body and mind when she feels it necessary. For example, if she is raped and impregnated, she should have the right to abort. Overturning Roe v. Wade will likely take away that right.

Perhaps you think that Bush wouldn't actually appoint such a judge? Well, we all know that religious conservatives supported Bsuh strongly and faithfully. You should be aware that they have high expectations of Bush responding to their demands. This is what the Reverend Jerry Falwell said on Anderson Coopers' "360 Degrees" on CNN on Nov. 3, the day after the election.

COOPER: I know you think, no doubt, a lot of Republicans are saying the president has a mandate a clear victory. What happens now? Are you hoping to overturn Roe V. Wade? How -- where does President Bush go with his mandate? Where do you want him to see him go?

FALWELL: Well, there has never been a question about pro life people, if they're genuinely pro life, that we do want to overturn Roe V. Wade. That can only happen by the appointment of Supreme Court justices that are committed to the sanctity of life, born and unborn, and the strict interpretation of the Constitution...

We are hopeful that in these next 4 years, the president may get two, three, four appointments to the court and we believe -- we all trust George Bush. We believe in George Bush. I personally think he's the most overtly and open Christian that's been in the White House in my lifetime. I thank God for almost everybody who's been in the White House since I've been alive in 71 years has been a Christian, but this guy openly shares his faith unashamedly and he does it all over the world.

When Falwell said "we all trust George Bush," what do you think he meant? Does it mean that he trusts him to appoint justices who "want to overturn Roe v. Wade"? Sure sounds like it to me. And do you think Bush--who has already endorsed a federal ammendment that would ban same-sex marriage--will not try to satisfy Falwell? He already acts as if he has a mandate and has even stated that he has accumulated political capital that he plans to spend...

Are some of you as nervous as I am. I swear, I'm truly worried about how this new gardener will mow down our cultural landscape. If you voted for Bush, I hope you realize how your vote may affect not only the next 4 years of our lives, but for the lifetime of any new supreme court justices he appoints.

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