WWJD (What Would Jefferson Do?)

Politics and religion? I'm about as fair and balanced as Bill O'Reilly and Pat Robertson. But apart from my bleeding heart liberal, know nothing about worshipping, but still spiritual, self, I believe in our laws. Jefferson and the rest of the gang added the separation of church and state for a reason. As Americans we have all agreed to abide by that. It's one of the best things about this country. If the government can tell somebody not to pray, not to build a church or a temple or a mosque, then something has gone wrong. I am as horrified by the events on 9/11 as the next guy. I watched in total shock as the World Trade Center towers came down. I listened to my sister describe walking to work that morning and hearing a bang, how she saw the second plane go in with her own eyes, felt the heat, smelled the smoke, saw the people, couldn't breathe. She told me in first-hand detail the devastation that followed for the rest of the year. I cried for months. But what was more horrifying, really, was discovering everything else later. All of the warnings that were missed, all of the mistakes that were made. Isn't it our fault if we let some suicidal illegal maniacs attend our schools, work in our cities, hop on our planes in Boston? Haven't we failed if we don't protect our borders? Look the other way? Buy all of that oil? And what about starting a couple of wars, killing more Americans than lost their lives on 9/11, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of others by our hands, making things worse, bankrupting our country in the process?

I once stood on the highest floor of one of those towers and looked down on that beautiful city. Yes, it is sacred ground. Is it offensive to build a mosque there? To some. Illegal? No. While America will never be an all-for-one, hand-holding kumbaya country, especially with our current deep religious and political divisions, our only hope is to start with a government that can protect it's citizens and our rights, stand strong against our enemies, punish those who break the law and keep the crazies out. If we don't have that, then no amount of praying will help.

My blond-haired, blue-eyed daughter just got a government job. State of Arizona, here she comes. She called from Tucson. Mom, they won't hire me without my passport. Will you send it?

Yes, happily. Good job, Uncle Sam.