Okay, yes, I've been upset about the outcome of the election. And yes, I've been guilty of forwarding around various silly anti-Bush e-mails... like the one that portrays all the red states as "Jesusland" and Canada and the blue states as "The United States of Canada." Quite frankly, I'm using humor to try and mask the fear and sadness that I'm feeling over the direction this country has taken. As I posted before here, this election for me was not about Bush being a vile, demonic despot who was running around launching bombs like a cartoon Texan fires his six-shooter into the air. This election for me was about accountability (thanks, Fran) and about getting someone into the White House who I felt had a better sense of this country's best interests and could execute them more effectively. As I wrote on Monday night, I just have too many unanswered questions about what exactly is going on regarding our country's policies and actions politically, fiscally and security-wise. And while Skits posted (and then took down) a rant regarding all the Christian-bashing that's going on right now, I feel that the issue needs to be brought to light. Look, the number one issue that influenced voters was "morality". And that, to me, is a very scary thing because it brings religion into the equation of politics, which should never happen. We are a major power in the world who incorporates religion into our government, it is extremely prevalent in our everyday lives, and it's such a divisive and exclusionary arena for many many people. I mean, you can't buy liquor on Sundays in most New England states because of religious reasons! What about those of us who don't subscribe to the Christian beliefs and morals that were the impetus for these kinds of rules? Why are you people forcing your morals on me? What happened to our separation of church and state? I heard way too much about God during the presidential election. "God bless America" and "may God bless us and keep us safe..." Personally, I don't believe God keeps me safe. I think a good security policy and intelligence services like the FBI and the CIA keep me safe (when they're being competent), and it scares me that we have a leader who believes that he can invoke divine protection to keep us safe rather than give adequate funding to Homeland Security. I come from a semi-unique perspective as I'm not Christian. I'm also not all that religious and I question the existence of God, which makes me Enemy No. 1 of all those religious conservatives who swung the vote. And yes, I have been approached by those who wish to "save" me or convert me. Of all the religions, Christianity proselytizes the most, and a lot of their methods disgust me. But what scares me the most is that this is supposed to be a land of freedom and diversity, but when our leader is elected on the basis of his religious beliefs and morals, that becomes exclusionary. From Reuters (in case you didn't click on the article): Religion was a bellwether. Weekly churchgoers voted for Bush by close to 2-1 margin, and Protestants who attend church regularly voted for Bush by 70-29 margin. MSNBC found that 78 percent of "white, evangelical, born-again Christians" voted for Bush, and those that described themselves as "white religious conservatives" gave him 96 percent of their votes.