Why is it that Religious people never realize that The Political World is not an honorable place for "God" to hang out?
One of the saddest things about this presidential race is that religion isn't being put in it's proper place by the Dems, after years of Rovian Abuse, but rather it is simply being brought under the tent. I'm pleased to see in the media a Christianity more in keeping with what I remember from my days as a believer. But I'd be a lot more pleased if that picture were not being painted by people who want to become 'the most powerful person in the free world'
David Domke and Kevin Coe in The Seattle Times:
The omnipresence of "God bless America" as a political slogan is an entirely recent phenomenon. We know because we've run the numbers. Analysis of more than 15,000 public communications by political leaders from Franklin Roosevelt's election in 1932 — the beginning of the modern presidency — through six years of George W. Bush's administration revealed that prior to Ronald Reagan taking office in 1981, the phrase had passed a modern president's lips only once in a major address: Richard Nixon used it to conclude an April 30, 1973, speech about Watergate.
But Reagan brought "God bless America" into the mainstream by regularly using it to conclude his speeches. Since then, presidents and other politicians have used it nearly to death. Like Nike's "Just Do It" or any other ubiquitous catchphrase, the words eventually lose their meaning. "God bless America" has become the Pennsylvania Avenue equivalent to consumerized Madison Avenue staples.... If a willingness to profess one's faith and patriotism and to conclude speeches with "God bless America" were accurate indicators of presidential prowess, Bush family members would have long ago secured their places among the nation's greatest leaders. Both George H.W. and George W. used it to conclude more than 80 percent of their major addresses, with the son often offering this important twist: "May God continue to bless America."
No comments:
Post a Comment