American Divide: War of the Filters

We all have filters to block out the huge amounts of irrelevant crap that gets hurled at us each day, in spam (refinance now!!!, hot stock tip!!!, hot teens!!!) or TV (Drive this and be sexy!!!, eat this and be sexy!!!, ask your doctor about this and be sexy!!!). For example, some of us tune out anything starting with the phrase "Bush lied" as 'silly' or 'childish' whining from the nattering nabob set. Others tune out any mention of the president that doesn't include the word "liar" as more nonsense from the right-wing echo chamber.

I don't think adding to this left-right debate (which really predates America itself) is a good use of anyone's time.

I feel that religious humanitarianism is something that the political-left should pay more attention to. Tikkun.org is one (Jewish-flavored) element; there's also FCNL.org (Quaker-flavored) and the Sojourners movement (Evangelical, no less, at www.sojo.net). These are just a few examples of existing organizations with a strong spirit-based positions that don't get bogged down in religion.

That last comment relies on a distinction between "religion" and "spirituality" which is itself a distinction both the fundamentalists and the social progressives often fail to appreciate. I think that may be why the "religious left" has been ignored.

Here's a link to the Friend's Committee on National Legislation, if you'd like to check them out.