This is Not a Christian Nation

I am an American.

My name is not Jimmy Johnson, it is not Virgil Goode and it is not John McCain. But I am an American. No more, no less than any of these people.

My name is Cenk Uygur. And I am proud of it. It might sound a little different to your ear, but it doesn't make it any less American. That's the whole point of the country. If I wanted to live in a place where your race, ethnicity or religion mattered, there were plenty of other countries to choose from. I chose to be an American because I believed we were all equals in the eyes of the law.

Apparently, 42 United States Congressmen are not so sure. The House passed a resolution today celebrating the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The point of the resolution was to show that we are an open country and that a Muslim-American is equal to any other American. That we are all to be celebrated as Americans. Forty-two representatives couldn't get themselves to agree.

These Congressmen did not vote for the resolution, they voted "present" instead. Is this a silent protest? What are they protesting? Do they disagree that we should celebrate all of the cultures in the country? Do they disagree that we should have Muslims in the country at all?

One of them, Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA) has already said that on the record -- and refuses to apologize. He said we should have less Muslims in Congress and less Muslims in the country at all. His colleagues didn't see fit to correct him. Moveon takes out a newspaper ad questioning one general and Congress goes ballistic. A US Congressman says we should discriminate against a whole group of US citizens and not a peep.

When John McCain said he wanted a Christian president earlier in the week, I didn't pay much attention to it. I think we overemphasize gaffes on the campaign trail. I care how these people are going to lead the country, not how many errors they make while speaking 24/7 on the campaign trail.

By the way, how did a media so obsessed with verbal blunders decide that George W. Bush was the right man for the job - twice? We were told John Kerry misspoke too often. What a topsy-turvy world we live in.

So, I didn't want to get caught up in this game. At this point, I am unfortunately used to people deriding people of the Muslim faith in America anyway. It has become an ugly reality of our country. It's so common that it's taken for granted now.

A couple of days ago, Ann Coulter was on the Today show and she said the real problem with Senator McCain's comment was that he later said he would vote for a Muslim if he agreed with him. How dare he? Doesn't he realize that a patriotic American would never vote for a Muslim? They are the enemy. They are less than other Americans. They are not equal. This is a Christian nation!

You see, that's what bothers me. I am not a religious Muslim at all. In fact, I am agnostic. I don't participate in Ramadan. I don't need a resolution celebrating it. But once you bring it up for a vote, to purposely not vote for it is a clear sign. It is not a slip of the tongue or a miscommunication in the midst of a hectic campaign schedule. It is a deliberate act meant to send a message. And that's what I do care about. It is a sign that we are not welcome.

You think these bigoted, xenophobic Congressmen care whether we practice the tenets of Islam, or how religious we are or what our actual beliefs might be. Of course, not. They just look at us and say those people are not of us.

Well, whether you like it or not, we are Americans. And I will not bow my head. I will not accept being classified as a second class citizen. I will not let you spit on my people and act like we are beneath you because of our ethnicity.

We had Naomi Wolf on our show last week and she was making a point that once the government starts depriving US citizens with names like Yaser Hamdi of their constitutional rights, soon they will come after people with names like Chris Robinson. She meant well by it and she is right. But think about what that says to me. My name is Cenk Uygur. Why shouldn't other Americans be concerned until they come for Chris Robinson? Shouldn't they care if they come for Cenk Uygur, too?

We had Senator John Danforth on the show this week and he said he was disappointed by John McCain's comments. The former Republican Senator and Episcopal priest stated emphatically that we are not a Christian nation. We are a nation that brings all different beliefs together and mixing our government with a specific religion corrupts the government and the religion.

He is right. And think about what it says to all the rest of us when people feel perfectly free to go on television and declare that this is a Christian nation. They are putting out a huge sign saying -- You Are Not Welcome Here. This country is for Christians!

Read the constitution. Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and George Washington did not agree. They were careful to point out that this is not a Christian nation. That unlike every other country in the world at the time, they were going to make America a nation that had free exercise of religion -- any and all religions. They were not going to let any religion rule the country or identify its inhabitants.

Read the constitution. You're wrong. It specifically says that all religions are welcome. The whole point of the country was to escape from religious persecution. No one religion can force its views on all of us, even if that religion is Christianity.

Read the constitution. I am an American. And under no circumstances am I going to let you take that away from me.

This is not a stand to protect me, my religion or my ethnicity. This is a stand to protect the idea of America. This country was supposed to bring all of us together. It was supposed to establish the idea that we are all equals. I still believe in that dream, and I will fight for it. I am an American.

Follow Cenk Uygur on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TheYoungTurks

Comments

[AnotherunhappyDemocrat]

Agree completely. And what's really sad is that those who want to declare this a "Christian nation" aren't real Christians at all. Seriously Ann Coulter is a Christian? If she were alive back in the "good old days", she would have certainly called for the release of Barabbas.

[ESerafina42]

Of course Ann Coulter is a Christian - she wears a big cross! Just like we can tell who's a patriot, because they sport big flag lapel pins. I forget where I read or hear it, but someone said that if you wear your religion (or your patriotism) on your sleeve, there probably isn't a lot left inside.

I wish someone would ask McCain to point out exactly where in the Constitution it establishes a Christian nation. I don't care what religion the President practices (including none), but he or she had darn well better know their Constitution. That means you're disqualified, Sen. McCain.

[ihavenobias]

It doesn't say that in the constitution, you're right.

Here's a very interesting (and brief) overview of the issue of the so called "Christian Nation"

nobeliefs.­com/Tripol­i.htm

[itmaybetoolate]

So Cenk, just HOW do we fight? I am sure you have read this:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,2064157,00.html

So, how do stop it? I read and read and read the warnings, the analyzes, the predictions but what do we DO about it?

I am truly frightened for myself and my loved ones.

[TWJ]

This is becoming a nation both of a wider variety of belief and of NO belief. The American Religious Identity Survey (ARIS), the largest and best recent survey of religious belief in the United States found that 18.5% of Americans defined themselves as Secular/No­nreligious­/Agnostic/­Atheist. This is more than the number who defined themselves as Baptist (16.3%), but less than the number of Roman Catholics, the largest denomination in the U.S.

It's time that the changes were recognized. Thank you for doing your bit.

[ihavenobias]

Beautifully written Cenk. After reading this, I just might have to check out your show.

Just kidding.

I already listen to (and love) your show.

PS---Interesting interview with Alan Greenspan last week.

theyoungtu­rks.com/st­ory/2007/9­/24/10550/­3002

[TheOtherMaven]

I looked up the voting record. My local Representative (Frank Wolf, (R)VA-10) voted "Aye" on this measure. BUT he voted "Nay" on the S-CHIP resolution. So I'm still going to try to turn him out in 2008.

[anon004]

Thankfully, the Jews who belonged to the synagogue never had to use the hiding place; it became a stop on the Underground Railroad in the 19th century. That's My America, the place where we celebrate and protect each other, not where we exclude those who are "different." I can't believe how much I used to respect John McCain. He's gotten to the point where he'll say or do anything, no matter how vile, just to get attention, let alone votes. Do he and the "Virgil Goodes" in Congress understand how they are feeding people's ignorance and fear of the unknown? In a word, it's disgusting.

[anon004]

Let's try again:
Another great post!!! Everyone who wants to declare the U.S. a Christian nation should go to the Touro synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island. George Washington went there and gave a speech recognizing freedom of religion for all Americans. The synagogue has a hiding place in the floor, which was built because the Jews who came to Newport were escaping the Inquisition, and were especially concerned about it in the New World (the Inquisition continued in the Spanish colonies for 200 years after it was over in Spain). Thankfully, the Jews who belonged to the synagogue never had to use the hiding place; it became a stop on the Underground Railroad in the 19th century. That's My America, the place where we celebrate and protect each other, not where we exclude those who are "different." I can't believe how much I used to respect John McCain. He's gotten to the point where he'll say or do anything, no matter how vile, just to get attention, let alone votes. Do he and the "Virgil Goodes" in Congress understand how they are feeding people's ignorance and fear of the unknown? In a word, it's disgusting.

[GoodwithWood]

That’s cool. Do you have any links to that history? I’d like to study it.

GWW

[ESerafina42]

And here is a quote from a letter written to the Jews of Newport by George Washington. If only the present George W and his ilk would read it:

"The citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy—a policy worthy of imitation. ALL (my emphasis) possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship.

It is now no more that toleration is spoken of as if it were the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights, for, happily, the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens in giving it on all occasions their effectual support."

Amen.

[Poboy]

Cenk,

Yours is a courageous stance.

[SamThornton]

McCain is going to remove some great moments of hooting and guffawing when he finally runs out steam and withdraws. Hopefully, he'll become a regular as a Fox News consultant so the merriment can continue.

[The Impartial]

Right on the ...!
The Founding Fathers left the Old Continent just for that cause: The Freedom of Belief, and they put it in writing in The Constitution.
The word "GOD" has a much, much, much broader meaning.

[locanicole]

Unfortunately we seem to be a country of bullies...we require a bogeyman...be it chinese, irish, japanese, or muslim (whatever the original nationality).

Not everyone in the country is a bully of course...you have the people who keep their heads down and dont attract attention, the smug people who think it will never be them, and the the smallest minority, those who speak out...the hardest position to take...

Thanks for speaking up...I try to teach my children not to follow the crowd and to do the right thing...not littering, respecting other people and not standing by when your 'friends' are picking on someone who is different...we could use a little more of that in this country...that's not a christian thing...its a human thing...

[GoodwithWood]

Disturbing thing is, is that “Liberal” is the new bogeyman. If you say it with just the right tone and innuendo you can use the power of hate to unite idiots against a common enemy.

GWW

[Davis Sweet - Huffpost Blogger]

Don't forget the Rooskies. They're why my rural, conservative high school had a Russian History course. They only offered Physics every other year, and you couldn't get into an Ivy League school or a military college because they only offered two years of a foreign language, but Russian History was important enough to have on the rotation all the time. It would protect us from the coming Red Dawn.