YAY Britannia

People ask me quite often, "Why are you such an Anglophile, Tuckmac?" "What, don't you love your country?"

Yes, folks... I DO love my country. I don't actually like my country very much, but I have a deep love for it, one can't help that. If you're born somewhere, and spend much of your 'growing up' years in a place, it's bound to grow on ya.

That being said... I AM an Anglophile. I love Britain. The entire kit and kaboodle that IS the British Isles. I love the people, life-style, socialised health-care, pensions (even though they're in trouble), the BBC, Sunday roasts, well... Everything.

Politics. These are things that I also appreciate in Britain, compared to my home. I like the politics there. They have the same sorts of issues that WE have, a few 'warring parties' conservatives versus liberals, etc, et al... However, although they have many of the same issues that we have over here in the States, they also seem to have one thing that doesn't creep into their policy-making.

One thing... The one thing that tends to really f-up MY COUNTRIES political system... You know what I'm talking about here?

Religion.

See, although the States claim to have separation between church and state, we actually DON'T. All sorts of weird ideas that have been simmering in an ancient and dusty tome, written by a bunch of dry old silly men who actually thought that living in and fighting over a DESERT was a great idea (and continue to do so), claims that most modern people would find reprehensible, these ideas creep continuously into each and every facet of law and 'order' that the United States exists within.

One of these annoying ideas, of course is Roe v. Wade (abortion). See, in 1973, abortion was made legal in the U.S. and for 34 years now, we've had crack-pots running up and down yelling about how a cluster of cells is a "baby" and frankly more interested in giving rights to UN-born beings than the people that are ALREADY born.

It's a "life" they say... Folks, it's a ZYGOTE, okay? It's not life yet. It just isn't. But because the religious people in my country control the politics so well... Well, it constantly rankles people.

Fine.
You know, this whole Pro-life/Pro-choice thing actually HAS a bit of moral-ambiguity about it... I mean, hell I'M uncomfortable about abortion, and I think any non-religious, secular-minded person SHOULD be a bit worried about the idea.

But you know the one place that REALLY yanks my chain, when it comes to some weird "religious philosophy" interfering with U.S. Law?

Gays.

Homosexual rights.

People "playing" for the other team... Whatever you call it...

This issue REALLY chaps my hide.

Gays getting married? Oh no... That's the destruction of our moral western society!

Yeah, right.

Gays having children? Oh no... That's ALSO the destruction of our moral western society!

Gah.

Well... Here's where my love of Britain pops up, (and I get to my original point, after rambling for a half an hour), Cabinet rejects exemption on gay adoptions. They've decided against the Catholic Church in Britain descriminating against adoption services for gay families. And you know what I have to say to that one? "Alleluia!"

See... Nothing like a good: Stick it up your robe-wearin' bum you weird religious-ers!

Sorry... I'm regressing to some sort of silly anti-religious nut job here, aren't I?

Well, I'm still nothing like Richard Dawkins.

Okay, I've had my fun... Smiles readers!

-- TUCKMAC