The "show me" State

Recently the “show me” state of Missouri offered a glimpse of intolerance and ignorance which are becoming the new American values replacing some old American values like tolerance regardless of race, color, or greed and sexual preference for those more removed from bias.

INTOLERANCE

In Savannah Mo the book “And Tango Make Three” was moved to the nonfiction section of the public library branches after “parents complained it had homosexual undertones.” The book is based on a true story about two male penguins, Roy and Silo, who adopted an abandoned egg in New York’s Central Park Zoo in the late 90s.

In the end the library director confirmed what experts knew i.e. adoptions aren’t unusual in the penguin world. Indeed one need only watch the recent documentary “March of the Penguins”. However, the book was moved to the nonfiction section in order to decrease the chance that it would “blindside” readers i.e. young people with beginner’s minds.

Apparently the book rested in the nonfiction section where it was more likely to be picked up by children thus threatening the new American value of intolerance as practiced by the preachers and politicians of the religious right.

IGNORANCE

Meanwhile Missouri legislators in Jefferson City considered a bill introduced by state representative David Sater of Cassville that would name Christianity the state's official "majority" religion.

House Concurrent Resolution 13 would recognize “a Christian god”. It would not protect minority religions but would “protect the majority’s right to express their religious beliefs. The resolution would also recognize that “a great power exists” and only Christianity receives “justified recognition”.

Article I in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the United States clearly states “congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;….”

If Congress can not establish religion David Sater and his supporters who believe the state of Missouri can establish Christianity as the official state religion are basing their beliefs on an ignorance that breeds the new American value of intolerance which includes but is not limited to anything which contains “homosexual undertones”.