On November 14th, 2003, Justice Roy Moore was removed from his post as Chief Justice of Alabama by a unanimous decision of the state Court of the Judiciary. The Court found that he had “willfully and publicly” flouted a court order to remove a monument from the state judicial building, placing himself in contempt of the federal court which had ordered the removal, thereby also breaking his oath of office. In the word of the Judiciary Presiding Judge William Thompson, “the chief justice placed himself above the law.”

Whether or not you believe the Ten Commandments should be displayed in a state court house, Roy Moore was clearly wrong in defying the superior court order. But let’s look at the greater issue: (more…)

This election has made me realize just how far outside the mainstream I must be. It is difficult to conceive the majority of Americans supporting Bush this election. Not when the democrats had a good man, weren’t massively outspent and Bush was a known quantity with a lackluster record. So difficult, in fact, that I’m almost willing to suspect some kind of mass-psychosis. But I know it’s not true.

The ideals I grew up with: that ethnic, cultural and religious diversity are good and promote a stronger, healthier society. That the personal freedoms of others take precedence over my beliefs as to how they should live their lives. That a person CAN be moral without having to appeal to the approval of a given religious institution. They just aren’t held by the majority of Americans. It’s not that America was tricked or mislead; the majority, from my current vantage point, just seems to be the same xenophobic, homophobic, illogical, bible/koran-thumping, fear-mongering, reactionary mass as the rest of the world.

And people like me are the one’s who are different. I’m in the minority.

I love this country dearly. But I’m losing faith that America has that something unique. Something intangible that separates us from the rest of this crazy, messed up, hateful, intolerant world. I fear this country has become drunk on its own power and self-righteousness, and is leading down the same path as every other superpower in the history of mankind.

And that there isn’t anything I can do about it.