Tired of the same old..?

Republican. Jihad. Christian Coalition. Conservative. Terrorist. Liberal. Religious. Fanatic. Moral Majority. Democrat. American Civil Liberties Union. These elicit anything from discomfort to downright nausea in me. Why you ask? Because they all represent extremism. I can no more stand watching the American flag burned in the streets of Tehran than listen to Alan Keyes, Republican Candidate for Illinois Senate, make the audacious claim, in 2004, that Jesus Christ would not vote for Barack Obama. Does it concern anyone else that president-elect of a major religious right lobbying group, Rev. Joel C. Hunter, chose to step down because the group resisted his proposal? Sounds petty and immature like a grown-up I'm-gonna-take-my-ball-and-go-home. It shouldn't. Rev. Hunter left because the Christian Coalition didn't want to broaden its agenda to include reducing poverty and fighting global warming. Let me say that again. The Christian Coalition did not want to add helping poor people and taking care of the Earth to its lobbying platform. Is the fight against gay rights and legalized abortion so precious and important that we cannot add a cause as worthy as feeding and clothing the needy people of our own country or making sure that our grandchildren aren't buying SPF 200 suntan lotion? Wait, I almost forgot it's almost been a year since they boycotted any lingere stores or atheist-themed children's movies. They have a lot on their plate, don't they? Speaking of screwed-up agendas, the ACLU, in the midst of its valiant effort to strip religious organizations of their tax-exempt status, has managed to fight FOR the rights of a coven of witches in Providence, RI. Now how would the very busy ACLU get enough money to fight a court battle over some Rhode Island witches' tax shelter? Do you know who pays for the ACLU's attorneys' fees? See for yourself Title 42 Chapter 21 Subchapter I § 1988(b). In case you couldn't tell, the "such officer shall not be held liable for the costs" part is the moneymaker. That means that you as a taxpaying American are paying the lawyers that fight to take away the tax-exempt status of churches AND a cool $42,700 in legal fees and court costs for a lawsuit that got a 16th century replica painting of Jesus off a Slidell [LA] City Courthouse wall. Whew! I wasn't going to be able to sleep tonight if we didn't get that thing down. Hey, while we're talking about Louisiana, it would seem a shame not to mention the instrumental role that the ACLU proudly played in having the Supreme Court rule in favor of the Petitioner in Kennedy vs. Louisiana effectively striking down the ability for states to administer the death penalty for child rapists. Worthy cause. Where's my checkbook?