There are right wing heads flipping over this. I say good for him.
His statement which is quite sensible, with a misleading headline by
the Politico (as usual)."This country is not a theocracy," Dean said, according to JTA. "There are fundamental differences between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party believes that everybody in this room ought to be comfortable being an American Jew, not just an American; that there are no bars to heaven for anybody; that we are not a one-religion nation; and that no child or member of a football team ought to be able to cringe at the last line of a prayer before going onto the field."
His statement came after this statement by a coach:
The report said Dean’s comments followed an address by the University of Tennessee's head basketball coach, Bruce Pearl, who told the crowd that as a Jewish student in public schools, he always felt uncomfortable when he was playing sports and his team's pre-game prayers would end with an invocation to Jesus.
I very much appreciate Josh Marshall's tongue in cheek, rather irreverent take on this.
Breaking!Breaking!
A headline that sort of captures where we are.
And how is it we got here exactly?
..."It is a risky move, isn't it? As long as Democrats are trying to court people of faith, it would probably be the wiser course of action to note the probable damnation of the Jews.
Later update:
"Even Later Update: I actually found it even more shocking that more than a few readers read this post apparently just after having their irony and sarcasm surgically removed."
--Josh Marshall
You really need to read some of the comments at the Politico. There are a few which are just very perceptive...but others show total lack of comprehension.
Here is a perceptive one:
Pray tell, how on earth this can be a controversial statement, or how can this statement stir debate among the evangelicals Christians? I am, for once, glad to know that I still have a chance to good old heaven. Now that might put some high and mighty evangelical tatas in a twist, but who cares. That we are still engage in this unproductive, ananlly retentive, moronic, and medieval argument in the 21st century is mindbogling.
And one more:
Well of course Gov. Dean is completely correct. I am a Christian and I believe that the Kingdom of God is open to all who wish to live in God's good graces. Jesus in his ministry taught us about tolerance and inclusion and I am glad that as chairman of the Democratic Party Gov. Dean is attempting to emulate that spirit.
There are those on the right who insist that the United States is a strictly Christian nation and that that was the intent of the founding fathers. This of course is the exact opposite of the truth. The United States was set up as an entirely secular institution, the only interest that the U.S. government should have in religion is to guarantee freedom of practice and demonstrate absolutely no favor toward any one religious denomination.
Interesting comments, very true, that we have no right to judge who goes to heaven, if there be the traditional concept of one...and who does not.
I'm with Josh Marshall...how did we get here.
Governor Dean, better drag out some attack proof vests or something when more people find out what you said.
But good for you for having the courage to say it, to say something real and not contrived.
DU Donor
