re: #95 HappyWarrior

Yep. Really because of some of the crap my Catholic ancestors experienced, it makes me no doubt about it more sensitive to bigotry and religious intolerance whether the person be not religious at all, Muslim, Jewish, or whatever. I love the idea of freedom of religion- that one can practice their religious freely or equally better not practice a religion. That’s what is supposed to make America great.

What amazes me is how little empathy formerly persecuted groups seem to have for the current bogeyman of the week. While Catholics never faced the discrimination of blacks or Jews in this country, they were viewed as outsiders who were trendy to hate for a time (hence the rise of the Know-Nothings.) Now, I go to church and see cars with bumper stickers that say things like “One Big Mistake America” in the parking lot. Some of my church’s members attend TP rallies and blather on about it to me, because I keep my politics to myself and I guess they assume I care about theirs (I don’t.)

Most Catholics voted for Obama and still support him, albeit by a narrow margin. But there is a sizable conservative element that is extremely hostile to gays, Muslims, and those who are pro-choice. I’m pro-life myself, but some of the rhetoric is waaay over the top. I was in Catholic elementary school during the election of 2000, and our teacher told us she was voting for Bush, because Gore wanted to kill babies. I went home crying, thinking that Al Gore was going to kill my baby sister. Shades of Jesus Camp.