Cartoon 657: The Same Coin

Nothing causes a vehement reaction like politics or religion. Yet both are the keys to understanding a society.  The observations of outsiders or irreverent insiders can provide an insight lacking to the acolyte or devout.

The history of any great civilization is written by other civilizations that follow. Their perspective is often at odds with those of the people at the time in the culture. America will be no exception. We live in a culture that firmly believes in the morality of its actions. That morality is justified by its dominant religion.  Looking from the outside, American evangelist insist their followers are the chosen referenced in the Bible. As such, they are sanctioned in their believed righteous actions by god.

This religiosity had denied family planning services through restricting United Nations funding to nations that would limit birth. The result has been enhanced poverty, death and political strife in the world. They are blocking emerging nations in the name of their religion. The result is millions in poverty and death that could be relieved. The other travesty is the active support of the disentrancement of the Palestinians. This is possible because of the merger of church and State in America. Just like the actions of the Taliban was a synthesis of religion and State.

When the American story is written, it may not be the glorious or benign tome that Americans believe will be written.

"The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones."- William Shakespeare, from Julius Caesar

So too with the wilds of nations.

Nazi Germany created some great things in science, technology and understandings that have given birth to whole industries and endeavors today. Yet all that is remembered is the evil.