Thank You Pat Robertson!

The news media was in a frenzy yesterday as televangelist Pat Robertson called for the assassination of the democratically elected president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez. While everyone was busy responding to this latest outrage from the so called "Christian right", I sat back, chuckling and sent a prayer of thanks heavenward.

This is not the first time Robertson has made controversial statements. On his television program, the 700 Club, Roberts prayed for more "vacancies" on the Supreme Court which presumably would lead to more conservatives appointees from his hero, President Bush. (FYI for those who did not pay attention in civics: Supreme Court vacancies occur when a judge dies or retires). So indirectly, Roberts has prayed for the death of Supreme Court judges; or their retirement. Either one will suit him. Roberts is also on record for blaming 9/11 on pagans, gays and abortions rather than blaming the Islamic extremists who were piloting the planes. He seems to have overlooked the fact that one of the people who helped crash one of the planes in Pennsylvania (thus keeping it from smacking a 4th building) just so happened to be a gay man. Maybe he recognized the face of religious extremism when he saw it and did not like the similarity to his own reflection.

I thanked whatever supreme intelligence runs the universe for Robertson finally exposing the ugly face of the Christian right-wing extremists that have taken over the GOP. They (the GOP) were bad enough in the good old days of laissez-faire, less government involvement and destroying the environment. However, now that they have convinced themselves that they have God on their side, they have persistently tried to control the lives and moralities of Americans and those they see fit in the rest of the world. From the Terri Schiavo fiasco and the proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage to invading a sovereign nation on lies and fabrication without properly preparing our troops or making sure we had substantial allies, the GOP has made it their mission to force their religious views on us. This makes them no better than the Taliban, al Qaeda or any of the other religious extremists we find ourselves fighting today.

Being such a staunch supporter of the GOP and especially Bush, I also pray that in 2006 people will remember Robertson's comments and pay careful attention to whom he gives campaign funds. The country needs to wake up out of this religious stupor and get back to reality.

Finally, let me end this with a prayer. Let us hold hands, brothers and sisters, bow our heads and pray for non-death related GOP vacancies in not only the House and Senate but in state governments as well. Amen.