Hurricanes and Gay Marriage

My favorite line from the HBO Show "The Newsroom":

“I’m a registered Republican. I only seem liberal because I believe hurricanes are caused by high barometric pressure and not by gay marriage.” - Will McEvoy

I worry about political extremism in this country. Every day, my Facebook news feed features indignant posts by people who think they have all the answers. They're outraged by anyone who disagrees with them, and blame them for all the country's problems.

I guess you could call me a Liberal and a Progressive. I believe that as as long as no one is victimized or hurt by what you're doing, you should be able to live your life by your own moral compass. If you want to marry someone of your own gender, fine. If you don't, fine. But don't presume to tell someone else that they have to live by your values.

There's a lot to like about the Republican party. Fiscal solvency would certainly be great for the country. Smaller government and lower taxes - woo-hoo!! If they would only stop there.

Unfortunately, the Republican party insists on aligning itself with the Christian right. They claim that our country was founded by Christians, with Christian values. Here's a few quotes from some of our founding fathers, you be the judge:

James Madison:

"Religious bondage shackles and debilitates the mind and unfits it for every noble enterprise." 

"The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe in blood for centuries." 

John Adams:

"Have you considered that system of holy lies and pious frauds that has raged and triumphed for 1,500 years?"

"This would be the best of all possible worlds, if there were no religion in it." 

Thomas Jefferson

"And the day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the supreme being as his father in the womb of a virgin will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter."

"No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever." -Virginia Act for Religious Freedom 

Just think, if we could truly separate church and state, and toss out all the soapbox issues of the Christian right like gay marriage, abortion, and the like, maybe we could finally get down to the business of running the country. And I could seriously consider supporting a Republican candidate.