Why Is President Obama Keeping a Journalist in Prison in Yemen?

On February 2, 2011, President Obama called Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The two discussed counterterrorism cooperation and the battle against Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. At the end of the call, according to a White House read-out, Obama “expressed concern” over the release of a man named Abdulelah Haider Shaye, whom Obama said “had been sentenced to five years in prison for his association with AQAP.” It turned out that Shaye had not yet been released at the time of the call, but Saleh did have a pardon for him prepared and was ready to sign it. It would not have been unusual for the White House to express concern about Yemen’s allowing AQAP suspects to go free. Suspicious prison breaks of Islamist militants in Yemen had been a regular occurrence over the past decade, and Saleh has been known to exploit the threat of terrorism to leverage counterterrorism dollars from the United States. But this case was different. Abdulelah Haider Shaye is not an Islamist militant or an Al Qaeda operative. He is a journalist. Read the entire story

Source - The Nation

Democracy Now

For atheists of color, ‘coming out’ can be painful

As a child, Alix Jules saw people in church speak in tongues, tremble, fall and have what appeared to be very genuine connections with God.

But not him. “I never tingled,” he said.

By his twenties, Jules was an atheist. But he never told his family, who were deeply rooted in their predominantly black Catholic congregation. They believed he was having a crisis of faith — turned off by organized religion but still a believer. For years, he let them think that.

Then came the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, an event in which religion played a role.

“On September 12, I used the word ‘atheist’ for the first time,” said Jules, who lives in Texas. “It wasn’t too long after that my family stopped returning my phone calls.”

Now, at age 37, Jules has been ostracized by his mother and cousins. His story is typical of many African-American atheists who say that to ‘come out’ as nonbelievers in their community is to risk everything — friends, family, business ties, even their racial and cultural identity.

“There is an idea that it is mandatory for blacks to believe in God,” said Mandisa Thomas, founder of Black Nonbelievers, an Atlanta group.

“We have heard this from preachers who say blacks would not have gotten anywhere without faith. And if you do not believe in God, you are ostracized, targeted by family and friends, accused of trying to be white. There is this idea that if you subscribe to atheism you are betraying your race, you are betraying your culture, you are betraying your history as well.” Read more

Source - Washington post

Commentary:

This is certainly a real and sad narrative that is not only true in the United States of America but is also true in the Caribbean. I, for example, was ostracized in my home community for just questioning the faith I was indoctrinated in, Christianity. In fact, then I had know knowledge about Atheism. I knew not what Atheism was. If asked, I would have described myself as being a “theistic Afro-centric (Afro-centrism)” person. Today, I am a "non-theistic Afrocentric" individual, an Afrocentric Atheist. I still remembered that sermons delivered in the Seventh-day Adventist church my family attended framed me and another friends of mine as being literally mad, evil, devils, and people that must be shun. This was taken very literally by the people in our community. It was indeed traumatic living in a country and a community that is virtually 100% fanatically religious that sees you in such narrow worldview.     

The Tim Tebow Saga; an Argument Against God

For some time now the media airways has been swamped with conversations concerning a controversy surrounding the football player Tom Tebow, a quarter back for the Denver Broncos and a highly religious man who publicly displays his religious conviction at every football game. His most famous antic is to engage in sideline prayers before each game, and, as a result of his success in the game, especially during this football season, these prayer antics are magnified and promoted as the casual factor behind his achievement. His supporters have credited his success solely to his God answering the prayers he offers before each game. However, is there a God who is really responsible for Tim Tebow’s success? Is this God a fan of the Denver Broncos? According to Tim Tebow, the answer is yes. As he said, “he’s not doing it—God is doing it through him” (The American), as if he is “highly favored”. Indeed, to Tim Tebow and his evangelical religious fans, God is certainly on his side. Thus, he has become proof of the existence of a living God; a God that listens to prayers, at least, Tim Tebow’s.

Of course, this public display of his religion has not gone unchallenged.  Many critics have commented on Tebow’s use of a secular sport as a means to promote his religion, Christianity, which, they argued, divides the fans that are there just to enjoy the game. On the other hand, others think that Tim Tebow’s action is an act of free speech. He is not praying for anyone but himself. Nor is he asking others to join hand in prayer. To this I agree. He is not stopping the game, to engage in his prayer antics. So, should we care that Tim Tebow engage in sideline prayers before every game? I don’t. The fact is, highly religious sports players always display some form of their religious conviction just before start of a game. Soccer players, for example, are often seen making the sign of the cross and looking up at the sky. God please help be win this game!! Is this public show of faith supposed to better their chances of winning the game? Not by a long shot. Often the team will get its ass thrash, regardless, and Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos is no exception.

Indeed, with all the hype surrounding Tebow and his religious convictions, “the person we're all talking about has faded away”. The focus is now on the supernatural as opposed to the person that is actually responsible for the achievement, Tim Tebow. Atheist David Silverman is correct when he asserts that Tim Tebow is denying himself credit for the hard work and years of practice that he took upon himself in order to become the great football player that he is today. Since this is the case, should we be concerned as to whom Tim Tebow and his fans want to attribute his success to. I do not know about you, but I am not.

Nevertheless, despite believing that Mr. Tebow and his evangelical religious fans are engaged in wishful thinking, let’s, on the other hand, give them the benefit of the doubt.  Thus, here is what I really think about the Tim Tebow issue. If Tim Tebow and these evangelicals’ assertions are correct, in that God (what ever that means to Tim Tebow) is answering his prayer and is responsible for him winnings these football games, then this is a very strong case for why I am an Atheist. What do I mean? My atheism is not only based on one issue, the inability for those who assent to the God claim to prove his existence. The fact is, even if God, as the Christians describe him, exists, then the way they claim he works makes him, in my humble opinion, a candidate not worthy of worshiped. I don’t want God to work in mysterious ways, but instead in sensible practical ways. The question is, since God can and is interested in making a successful football player even more successful, can he fix the suffering conditions for the rest of humanity. Can he or would he change the condition for the many human beings who are being oppress, as we speak. Can he do these things but choose not to. Can he descends from his “loftiness”, create a direct connection so that he can heal the children whose parents faith is so great that they prefer to engage faith healing. Can he, but instead choose no to. Of course, faith healing parents’ display of faith, on the face of it, vastly surpasses that of Tim Tebow’s. Yet God refuse to intervene on their behalf. What about the starving children in Africa and other third world countries. Are they not worthy of God’s “grace”? So tell me, why God takes time out of his busy schedule to help a football player win football games and refuse to take the time out to heal innocent children. Why does he not take time out to help those children who have lost their parents and cannot find food to eat? Yes, you tell me. We can indeed create a never-ending list of important and ethical things God should have been doing with his time, instead of fixing football games. The fact is the Tim Tebow saga proves nothing of a God, and those who insists that it does will have to deal with this dilemma. The Tim Tebow saga is an argument against a kind and loving God. Certainly, if God exist and is indeed working through Tim Tebow, religious people can keep him. If that’s the way God truly operates, he deserves not an iota of worship.

Obama's Secret Drone War is killing Children

To many in America and the Caribbean, the war on "terror" is finding and kill the bad guys, and to most, if not all, there is no innocent people being killed. All the people that killed are bad people. Of course, our views on what is going on in these far away land, on the so-called war on terror is shaped by the CNN, the FOX and the MSMBCs of the world, and these "news medias" has no interests in telling us the facts. They have no interests in letting us know that innocent people are being killed on a daily bases. Instead, these people rationalize the use of this secret drone war, some referring to is as the "Obama Doctrine". Men who seats in an air conditioned comfort room, remotely flying well armed unarmed plains, killing indiscriminately. Indeed, not only innocent adults are being killed, many children are being killed on a daily bases by these drone attacks too. Adults and children are being killed without even knowing who they are. Read this report: The Drone Mentality. This is the "Obama doctrine". Sad indeed.....

Circumcision Should be a Choice an Adult Makes for Himself

There are many religious people and religious organization that are actively working to keep what is clearly inhumane acts of religion alive. Circumcision, for instance, is one of these inhumane acts. The state of California, for example, has just banned local authorities from outlawing male Circumcision. “Religious groups applauded Governor Jerry Brown’s signature Sunday of a bill, which prevents cities and counties from interfering with parents wishing to circumcise their sons.”

“Matthew Hess, an activist behind the attempted ban in San Francisco, said Sunday that California had “taken a big step backward. … Circumcision is elective surgery that an adult should be allowed to choose for himself.”
In this video proponents of Circumcision gives reasons why this inhumane acts should continue.

Commentary:

Indeed, to mutilate one’s penis is a choice an adult individual should choose for himself. A child should not have to endure this.  It certainly does not matter if one is following “TRADITION” or some directive given by a God, child circumcision should not be allowed. There is no health benefit enjoyed by a circumcised boy over one who is not. This assertion that there are health benefits is false. Here is some simple facts about what circumcision denies individuals. It takes away 15-square inches of skin that helps protects the male pines against abrasion, drying, and contaminants of all sorts. It takes away lubricating glands, which protect both male and female sexual organs during intercourse. Circumcision  has no benefit to the individuals, not as a child nor as adults.
Indeed, the adults who are carrying out this act are more interested in fulfilling their religious fantasy. The idea, as put forth in the video above, that putting a child through this traumatic ordeal is so that he knows that the community accepts him is asinine and certainly insane. Will you not accept your child into you community if he is not circumcise. I doubt that you will

Moreover, the idea that this sadistic act should be allow because it is “TRADATION” and/or of God’s command is ludicrous. We have done many things in the past that was part of tradition and/or commands of God; however, we have chosen to abandon many of these acts and for good reasons. No longer, for example, do we stone people to death. No longer do we force raped women to marry the perpetrators of the crime. Why, the answer is simply, these acts are antithetical to a moral society.

As claimed by religious people, the call to band child circumcision and make it something an adult chose for himself is not about infringing upon a parent’s “right to decide”. Parents do decide for their children and they should always have that right, but some parents’ decisions are very detrimental to their children’s well-being. Should we then just stand aside and say, it is the parents’ child; thus, they can do whatever they want, even when their decision is clearly harming the child. I think not.

This is about protecting human beings who otherwise cannot protect themselves. I recently ask a Christian friend of mine this question. Do you think that parents should be allowed to engage in “FAITH HEALING”, denying their child medical attention in hopes that God do the healing instead?  The answer I received astonished me. She said that she is aware that almost all of these children die because of the lack of medical attention, which, if allowed, would have saved their lives, but, she insisted, God had a better plan for these children. My question then becomes, why allow these children to be born in the first place, only to die a painful death. Is this how God works? My point here, however, is not to compare faith healing with Circumcision, they are two very different things. However, look at how my friend evaded the real issue. She side step the children well-being and make tries to rationalize the parents neglect. She is trying to justify why these children should be allowed to die and not give an opportunity to live a fruitful life, all by invoking the supernatural. I strongly doubt the children will share the same view; he or she will certainly want to live.  Indeed, “FAITH HEALERS” are parents exercising their “right to decide”. Sadly, however, it is to their children demise. Circumcision too is hazardous to these children, and, like faith healing parents, circumcision parents convince themselves that their children somehow agree with them. These parents and rabbis do not care about the pain and trauma these young children suffers. It is all about their faith in a supernatural being, and Rabbi Brad Hirschfield, in the video, is speaking as if the children is enjoying ever minute of having their penis cut. Are you kidding? Research has shown that the pain experienced by infants alters the entire lifetime pattern of response to pain. Why then are you putting these helpless children through the trauma. Please, stop cutting the little ones. Let God cut his own penis.

What Amanda Knox Received and Troy Davis did not?

Amanda Knox, the American exchange student to Italy, is free after spending four years in an Italian prison. Over the years, especially in America, Amanda Knox was seen as been given an unfair trial, in which she was found guilt for murdering the British exchange student, Meredith Kercher. Today, however, Ms. Knox was set free. Her convection overturned, found not guilt after appealing her conviction and granted a new trial.

As I sit and watch the well-anticipated new jury result on television, statements made by many of American television personalities and so-called law experts took me aback, so I decide to juxtapose the two case and shine some light on the two Judicial Systems.

What strikes me most are how these “supper” Americans television personalities cry down the Italian judicial system while, at the same time, claiming that in America no one would have gone through the injustice Amanda Knox supposedly went through for four years. As I listen to these people pontificate on the case, my mind flashes back to another recent case. The Troy Davis’ case, where he was found guilty for killing Mark MacPhai, an off-duty Savannah police office.

Indeed, like Amanda Knox, Troy Davis original conviction was riddled with questions that speak to him possible being an innocent man. However, even though Amanda Knox’s DNA was found on the handle of the knife that is believed to have been used in the murder. Even when she contradicted herself when questioned by police and wrongly point to her former boss, Patrick Lumumba, as the killer, Ms. Knox was given an opportunity of a new trial. A trial that found that the DNA sample was contaminated and eventually finding her not guilty. Indeed, despite these Americans painting the Italian Judicial system as unfair, Amanda Knox was given another chance in court to prove her innocence.

Opposite to that, Troy Davis was not. In Mr. Davis’, case there was absolutely no evidence that connected him to the crime. There was no gun, no DNA, no forensic evidence, etc. In fact, seven of the nine witnesses recanted their statement and there was even police coercion of the witnesses. Yet, with the share mountain of doubt that surrounded Troy Davis' case, he was not given that same opportunity as Amanda Knox, a second chance to prove his innocence. Thus, when I look at both cases, I cannot but be  appalled by the statements of these TV personalities and so-called law experts. I guess they were out of the country during the nations’ call for Troy Davis to receive a stay in his execution and be granted a new trial, instead of going ahead and kill a most possible innocent man. I understand the need to call for justice and Amanda Knox certainly deserved justice but so to was Troy Davis, and he received none. In fact, during the lead-up to Troy's execution, not one of these so-called law experts was seen on television exposing the injustice Troy received by the American Justice System. These television personalities and so-called judicial law expert was nowhere to be seen speaking on behalf of this possible innocent man. Indeed, from the way things appears, it seems that Troy Davis would have had a better chance to prove his innocence and received  real justice by the hands of Italian Judicial System, instead of the racist American judicial system he encountered in Georgia.

Moreover, I assume that when these television personalities claimed that the American Justice system does not deal an unjust hand to anybody, the people they are speaking of are white Americans because Troy Davis, a black man, certainly did not receive a fear trial. In fact, many black people and other minorities in America continues to receive unfair treatment by the hands of American Justice System, period.

The World Will End on October 21, 2011

Harold Camping, of Family Radio, in Oakland, California made an announcement to the world some months ago that claimed that on May 21, 2011 the world was going to end. Moses pet pterodactyl El El, oh, my bad, God/Jesus was going to come, initiating the beginning of Judgment day. Of course, Harold Camping was wrong, just as Santa Claus (El El’s cousin), Moses' pet pterodactyl El El never showed up.

"I misinterpreted the Bible", Harold Camping said afterwards, but don’t worry, he assured, I know exactly when it will happen now, he claims, it will be on October 21, 2011; I can see it clear, the world has been warned. Sadly, as his previous announcement of the end of the world, many people will believe this nut case and suffer because of Camping’s prediction. But, don’t worry, Harold Camping claim is balderdash, Moses' pet pterodactyl  El El, Harold Camping’s imaginary friend is not unlike the big fat guy in the red and white suit who lives in the north pole and supposedly comes into you house with a huge bag of goodies, through a narrow chimney, every December.  You know; I know you do… so, grab a couple of beers, and, on October 21, 2001 let’s party. Oh, October 21 is my birthday by the way, let's celebrate.  

Standing With Troy Davis

Yesterday many of us witnessed the action, taken by the state of Georgia, that some describe as a “legal lynching.” I am speaking of the action to execute, by lethal injection, Troy Davis. He was convicted, and sentenced to death for the killing of Mark MacPhail, an off-duty Savannah police office, but was Davis guilty of the crime? Over the years, and as Davis made his way to the death chamber, Davis had not only maintained his innocence but spoke, as he prepared to take his last breath, to the family, of the deceased police officer, informed them that he did not kill Mr. Mark MacPhail.

Indeed, there are good reasons to believe that Mr. Troy Davis was indeed innocent. There was serious questions surrounding Davis’ guilt. From the recantation of seven of the nine witnesses, police coercion of the witnesses to no physical evidence connecting Mr. Davis to the crime. Certainly, we will like to believe that our justice system will not condemn someone to death with such a large amount of reasonable doubt surrounding his guilt, but it surely did.

I certainly feel for Mr. Mark MacPhail’s family loss. However, is killing Troy Davis, with all the doubt surrounding his guilt, justice? It isn’t. I am not a supporter of this type of punishment, but to condemn someone to death, being 100% sure that he or she is guilt is paramount. Thus, Troy Davis should not have been murdered.

This is not justice. This murdering of an overwhelmingly, probably innocent man appears to be centered on revenge. It is, as some described it, a “legal lynching.” It is a crime against humanity. We are all Troy Davis.

This killing, however, speaks to more than just Troy Davis. It speaks to all of us. We can all be Troy Davis in a nation that seems to continue to harbor racism and white supremacy. Blacks and Hispanics living in the United States, where the system upholds and continues to expand the socioeconomic disparities between themselves and the white population, are always been targets. They are described in the mainstream media as deviant criminals who deserve no respect, and, as a result, Blacks and Hispanics are more frequently viewed as suspects and are more frequently pulled over and targeted by raids. In fact, as I write this, we are seeing the expansion of the US prison industrial complex system whose cells are mostly populated with Blacks and Hispanic men, creating millions of dollars for the private owners of these prisons. Blacks, for example, make up 13% of the United States population, but make up almost 50% of the prison population. Indeed, we are still fighting against racism; institutionalize racism, and, it is very likely that if Troy Davis was a white inmate whose guilt was surrounded with such reasonable doubt, a stay of execution most certainly would have been granted. However, despite this disappointment, our work does not end with this injustice.  We must continue to fight to bring to an end this barbaric act of execution. Appealing to God, which we saw especially in the past several weeks leading up to Mr. Troy Davis’ murder, to handout justice was a waste of time. Only the human being, homo sapien sapien can see to it that justice is justly handed out, and, in the words of Sikivu Hutchison, “it should be clear that true justice has no faith and no religion.”

I AM TROY DAVIS   

Is it Just a “T-Shaped” Piece of Steal or, is it, a Christian Cross

Remember the big uproar made by American conservative Christians claiming that the Islamic community center that was proposed to be built near ground zero was defiling the sacredness of the location. Their objection was indeed religiously based. We the Christians could not have an Islamic religious building (although it was not) near ground zero because the crime committed at that site was done by Muslims. So goes the reason for the objection, even though the people proposing the building had nothing to do with the criminals who committed the crime. These same Christians, however, are now calling to erect a piece of steal that certainly has religious significance to them on the World Trade Center Memorial and, somehow they do not see that as violating that sacredness of ground zero, a place where, not only Christians, but also the lives of Muslims and people of other faiths were lost on that tragic day. What am I speaking about here? I am speaking about a giant piece of “T-Joint” shape steal that remained standing after Muslim extremists maliciously destroyed the world trade center.

There are objection to the erection of this “T-Joint” piece of steal, however.  According to those who oppose, this "T-Joint" piece of steal is viewed as a Christian symbol; a Christian cross, they argued. But, is that really so. Does the public really view that “T-Joint” piece of steal as a cross, or, do they see it as just a piece of steal that reminds us of the lives lost in that horrific act on 9/11? According to the American Atheists President David Silverman, this “T-Joint” is view as a cross by the American public who are calling for it to be erected.  "They have this T-joint that looks like a cross, and essentially deified it. They made it into a Christian icon." Sure, said the NY Post columnist Andrea Peyser, this “T-Joint” is a cross. In fact, Peyser describe it as the “famous September 11 Cross.”

I have mixed feeling about this “T-Joint” issue, but, if it is seen as a cross, then, I believe, that it should not be erected, because, in that sense, the Government will be violating the church/state separation. Moreover, this piece of steal, I am sure, was not the only piece of steal that remained on that tragic day, then why not use another. Why spent so much attention on this particular piece. Is it the shape? I believe it is. One cannot deny that the shape of this piece of steal is what is driving its significance. In my view, it is undoubtedly that the appealing factor behind the passion to erect this “T-Joint” piece of steal at ground zero is because of its shape; it speaks to the Christian ethos , that is where the appeal lies.

Go Back to Your Country and Die!

The United States resumed the deportation of Haitians back to Haiti in January even as the country remains ravaged by an earthquake and cholera epidemic. In February, one of 27 Haitians deported and sent directly to a Haitian detention center died of cholera-like symptoms. Citing inhumane conditions, the Center for Constitutional Rights has called for the Obama administration to extend the Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants in the United States. Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman recently spoke with CCR’s Laura Raymond in Port-au-Prince. “The walls of the detention center here were covered in feces and vomit, and the bathrooms weren’t working, so men had to go to the bathroom in trash bags. And these conditions, during a cholera epidemic, are literally deadly,” Raymond says. (Source- Democracy Now)

On the Spike Lee, Tyler Perry Issue

There is a ferocious back and fourth, teeth for thought argument between two major African American personalities. Both deem by their supporters to be great successful entrepreneurs and entertainers. I have listen to and read the many comments made by fans of them both. However, but not surprisingly, I have found that Spike Lee to be the one receiving most of the negative comments, which appears to be farmed around the idea of jealousy. According to the Tyler Perry’s fans, Spike Lee is jealous of Tyler Perry because Perry is making more money than he is, etc. Others claim that Spike Lee should not criticize Perry’s work because people of other race do not criticize their own. Tyler Perry himself believes that assertion to be essential, and, as a result, thinks that it is out of place for Spike Lee to criticize his work. Hence, his claim that Spike Lee should go to hell.

Indeed, I believe there is a certain level of frustration within Spike Lee’s criticism of Tyler Perry in terms of the profit issue. However, I refuse to believe that this is the essence of Spike Lee’s disapproval. In my view, Spike Lee was interested in a more fundamental point. However, I think, by doing it the way he did, may have been wrong.

Nonetheless, the fundamental point I deduced from Spike’s criticism speaks more to the point that since Tyler Perry has been successful and well establish with a substantial amount of money in his bank account, why then continue to make these buffoonery moves that, in my view, reinforces black stereotypes. Of course, as others have pointed out, Spike Lee’s movies are not void of aspects that can be criticized. According to Keith Josef Adkins, for example, Spike Lee has cast “lighter-skinned Black and/or Latina women as his black lead's love interests.”  Despite this fact, [which should not, in anyway, be minimized], Spike Lee’s, unlike Perry, has made and continue to make moves that addresses the real social issues plaguing the black community.

The African American community is suffering from many serious issues. According to Michelle Alexander, author of “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness” more “African American men are in prison or jail, on probation or parole than were enslaved in 1850,” a sure sign of major problem plaguing our young men. In addition, the socioeconomic disparity between African American and White Americans is an appalling problem, and continues to grow. Yet, Tyler Perry keep producing movies that, instead of tackling real social issues, shows a gun toting enthusiast, loudmouth grandmother ready to put others’ life in danger at the drop of a hat. Indeed, I believe, Mr. Perry has the right to make the movies he likes and to sell them to whomever he wants. However, Mr. Perry and those who support him is wrong to think that he should be immune to criticism.  

Yes, some of Tyler Perry’s moves, at list those I have viewed, do highlights the problem of domestic violence, a problem that continues plaguing black families. However, Mr. Perry’s movies, I believe, simplified the solution by giving the impression that by just accepting God/Jesus in your life everything will be OK, a fairytale ending that always seems to conclude Tyler’s movie. In fact, closer look at these movies show that they endorse a fallacious idea promoted by Stave Harvey that nonbelievers do not have morals since the script seems to have willfully excluded God from the early part of the movies, which is often, plague with fights and dysfunctional families.  Introducing the presence God to the very end where all the broken pieces are placed together again with God as the glue holding them together. This method no doubt promotes the idea that to have a good respectable relationship, God/Jesus must always be the most important part of one’s personal and social relationship, and this is the bottom line to Tyler Perry’s message.

However, this message is not a real solution to the problems facing black communities. In fact, some argued that the church is part of the problem. As I conclude, I will ask Tyler Perry to go to the make-believe hell he and his fans believe exist.  You can and should be criticized. On one hand, I hope, Dr. Cornel West is correct, in that Mr. Perry can mature into someone that produces materials that will address in a fundamental way the issues that is problematic to the black community, but, on the other, I doubt that he can. I believe Tyler Perry has found his niche in proselytize black people. He is unlike the black “prosperity doctrine” preachers, swindling money out from the pocket of these black people [especially black women] by selling a false hope to a people who are looking for a way out of the unpleasant state of black communities.

Your thoughts

USA: Only Christians are my brothers and sisters!

Hector Avalos, a professor of Religious Studies at Iowa State University, masterfully argue in the book, Fighting Words – The Origin of Religious Violence, that religion is inherently violent. A view I totally agree with. In the book, one of the mechanism Avalos identifies as a way in which violence is channeled through religion is by creating scarce resources. Creating in-groups and out-groups; us vs. them, and if you are on the outside or are the “them”, resources will not be forthcoming. Now, imagine allowing religions and their “holy” books become the medium by which politicians (who are almost always staunchly religious) rule and make decisions. Resources will definitely be scarce for those not part of the decider’s or deciders’ religious cipher
That is what Alabama’s Governor, Robert Bentley, is doing; he is creating scarce resources; creating us vs. them.

“Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley told a church crowd just moment into his new administration that those who have not accepted Jesus as their savior are not his brothers and sisters.” "Anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister… Bentley said Monday his inauguration day”. He went on to say that “anyone who isn't a Christian doesn't have that same relationship to him”, but, Governor Robert Bentley assures the crowd, guess what “I want to be your brother, too”.

But what if there are people who do not what to accept Robert Bentley's Jesus? What will happen to them? How will they be treated? Robert Bentley is definitely suggesting that if there are people in Alabama not down with the Jesus guy, they are certainly no friend of Robert Bentley. That most certianly  put them in the out-group. So, how are they going to be treated since they will not be counted among Governor Robert Bentley’s family? Well, let's see.