WTF

By Bob McKeon
Reader Contributor

As I approach 68 years old, the amount of history (some prefer to call this “Critical Race Theory”) that I’ve seen is extensive: Sputnik, Mercury, Gemini and Apollo; the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy; the Civil Rights Movement; the racism of the South; the Vietnam War; the Kent State student murders; Nixon; 9/11; war after war; the Berlin Wall; Woodstock; the overdose deaths of Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and so many more whose music is still relevant today; the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on our democracy; and on and on…

Due to all this, I feel as though I am entitled to my opinion. If you don’t want to hear my opinion, I would suggest you skip this article. To me, this shitshow we are now witnessing on a federal and state level dwarfs all of these events as the most historically significant event I’ve witnessed. These events will be recorded and that knowledge will be out there for anyone who wishes to see it. 

“Separation of church and state” — does anyone remember that phrase? As the son of a Catholic father and a Mormon mother, I am neither. Anyone who claims to “talk to God” or says God told them this or that belongs in a straightjacket in a padded room. The people who are posing as Christians in politics today are the most un-Christian. If you think God supports any politician, you are whacked — endless wars, genocide, abuse scandals, death, graveyards unmarked and deaths “unrecorded” in “Christian” schoolyards of victims whose culture and beliefs were literally beaten out of them, and on and on…

Do not use one penny of my money to fund private religious schools while our public schools are left to rot. The people who believe in sending their kids to these schools can pay for it themselves. If your religion is so good, people would seek you out and you wouldn’t have to cram it down our throats. If your religion is so good, why has it and why does it continue to cause so much harm? 

What happened to “love thy neighbor,” “care for the needy,” “turn the other cheek,” “do unto others,” etc…. ? 

All of this bullshit about what flags can be displayed in schools by people who stand in front of Confederate flags while running for public office — was it hard to spend all of your time and our money trying to figure this out so that the all-inclusive rainbow flag was excluded but your twisted flags of hatred and racism could still be included? What a tough job you have. 

What we are seeing today is a reverse Robin Hood: The rich are robbing the poor with ideas like, “Let’s deal with homelessness by making it illegal”; “Let’s whittle away at programs that help the mentally ill, veterans, the hungry and needy, the suffering.” 

Are these “Christian values”? I’ll believe it when I see it. 

In this age when so many are one medical bill away from homelessness, the reverse-Robin Hoods say, “Let’s strip all of their benefits and the programs that help the people who need help the most.” Are those your Christian values? 

Meanwhile, let’s keep flogging the dead horse on voter initiatives by saying, “Oh, the voters are confused.” Let’s give the governor the power to veto any initiative put forth by a majority of the voters because the voters are so naïve and don’t understand “our” values. Let’s keep putting targets on the backs of our caregivers, teachers, librarians and anyone who speaks to inclusion, knowledge, fairness, etc. 

Let’s give our poor, struggling judges a 30% wage increase and keep on refusing to raise the minimum wage. Oh, and hey, let’s make cannibalism illegal and why not make racism mandatory? 

WTF? 

Let’s make sure cannabis remains illegal because we can’t use $1 million dollars a day in taxes on its sale for the good of our public schools or the people in need. Oh, but let’s all ignore the hypocrisy of the state-controlled liquor stores. 

Here’s a thought: If there are books or videos that you find offensive, don’t read or view them. If you don’t believe in abortion, don’t get one. If you don’t believe in legalized cannabis, don’t buy any. If you don’t see the value of public schools, homeschool or pay for private ones. If you don’t want your kids to have access to certain materials, then start with their electronic devices.

Forcing your twisted ideologies on others is not Christian in any way. Do I sound pissed off? Yeah.

Bob McKeon is an opinionated old fart who has seen over four decades of politics in Idaho.