My (Your Deity Here)-Given Right

I’m so tired of this campaign nonsense.

The bitter snipping and snapping between the parties – and the people who support them.

And, of course, it continued Wednesday. The GOP crying foul that the Democrats were keeping out of their official platform the phrase “God-given” and the official stamp of approval of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

OK, I see the importance of the latter – although, I’m guessing that no one ever dares question the fact, or seriously call it into debate. Israel’s an important ally in the region and yada, yada, yada. No one denies it, so stating it seems like overkill.

No, it’s the former that’s bothersome. With all our problems, we’re worried about something being a “God-given” whatever?

Oy, vey.

Look, I get it. Obama’s a secret Muslim and them keeping the phrase out (combined with the Israel item) just proves it, right? That’s what you’re going for?

Or, or … you can’t forget God and all the glory he provides in our lives. And the help he gives us to be successful in our business ventures. But, wait; God didn’t build that, did He? Because that would mean that you did get help building that business, and you didn’t pull up your own bootstraps, because God might’ve been carrying you.

OK, I’ll stop the cynical sniping. It’s not productive, and just goes to further divide us.

So, let’s just boil the whole thing down to this:

Keep your God out of my government.

It’s not a new thought. I’ve touched upon it multiple times before ( and ). And it works for both sides, when you think about it.

You don’t want secret Muslims making changes based on Sharia law? Good, neither do I. Just the same, I don’t want some whack-job extremist going in and making changes that send the United States’ belief structure back 300 years.

That’s why I don’t care that Mitt Romney’s a Mormon. He’s free to practice whatever religion he wishes – as long as he leaves his beliefs at church and governs with the best interests of the country in mind (which is where I worry).

Yes, your faith teaches you that this is wrong and that is worse. And it’s yours to believe. Live your life following that faith. That’s your right.

But that doesn’t mean that the rest of us heathens aren’t allowed to practice that “wrong” as long as we’re not hurting any one else while doing so. It’s our right, same as yours, after all. Right at the top of the Constitution: Freedom of Religion, and that includes the Freedom from Religion.

So, for all the talk of personal responsibility and personal freedom, why couldn't members of the Religious Right let the ultimate personal life decision go? Why is it that big of a deal? Why is it not an Allah-given right? Or a Zeus-given right? In the end, it's an AMERICAN-GIVEN RIGHT, whether a deity signed off on it or not.

Heavy sigh.

Look, I’m just tired of this whole thing. We’ve been campaigning non-stop for how long now? Seems like forever.

Let’s just get to the Democrats convention done, and get into the home stretch. I’d like to see everyone stop the name-calling and generalities and start talking about specifics and facts (yes, facts, please).

Unfortunately, I don’t have high hopes for it getting better any time soon.