Some Site Notes

So, some may have noticed some goings on, including an offensive diary that has been removed and some comments directed at one particular site participant who seems to think he has more of idea of how things should be done around here than those of us who put far more time into it than he. So it is worth once again to mention some standards.

This is a progressive blog. That means several things. It means we welcome a wide variety of viewpoints, even some non-progressive ones if they are well argued. It means we do our best to give voice to minorities and to openly discuss issues of race, gender, ethnicity and just about anything else even if it makes some white liberals in my neighborhood of Park Slope uncomfortable. And, for the record, we have gotten some praise for being one of the most welcoming blog when it comes to discussing race issues. It also means religion is an open topic of discussion and we welcome points of views that include just about everything from atheism through agnosticism, gnosticism, Manichaeism, Arianism, Unitarianism, Shi'a, Sunni, Sufi, Hassid, Reconstructionist, Mitnagdim, Mahayana, Ch'an, Zen, Wicca, Satanism, Catholicism, Protestantism and good old fashioned morality unconnected with the concept of a deity. What we really are not interested in is advocacy of a deity unconnected with morality. Jihadists, Crusaders of the traditional "kill the unbelievers" variety and people who claim god wants to kill people so a particular candidate can be president are NOT WELCOME HERE. These are things that need to be discussed with your therapist (if you want help), or with Osama bin Laden and Pat Robertson (if you want agreement), not people on a progressive site.

Such a Jihadist diary was posted on this site, much to the discomfort of the campaign being advocated by that diarist. We discussed several options regarding the diary, including banning of the Jihad advocate, leaving the diary up with our unanimous editorial condemnation, leaving the diary up for the campaign being advocated to express THEIR condemnation of the Jihadist, or simply removing of the offensive diary. In the end the last is what we have done for the moment, particularly considering the overwhelming expression of nausea our readers sent to us regarding the Jihadist.

Interestingly, this same Jihadist is now lecturing progressives on needing to embrace unifying of church and state, a concept that is contrary to the Constitution, the law of the land. Since, as progressives, we believe in the Constitution and the beliefs of the Enlightenment and reject Jihadism and Crusading religious extremism, I just want to say we refuse to embrace the unification of church and state. Pat Robertson and other Jihadist/Crusaders and their interest in creating an American Taliban theocracy are counter to everything progressives and America stand for. This is not a racial issue. This is not an issue of religion. This is an issue of democracy and freedom.

So let me take this opportunity to urge our readers to support the organization Americans United for Separation of Church and State which leads the fight to keep American democracy from being co-opted by theocratic Jihadists like Pat Robertson and those who agree with him. Their board of trustees include a Pastor with the UMC Church of the Deaf, a General Counsel with the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, a Herman Brown Professor at Texas Christian University, a Rabbi of Congregation Or Atid, and a Reverent of the Unitarian Universalist Association. You see, many religious individuals recognize that separation of church and state is fundamental in a free society. We agree with these individuals, not with the Jihadist/Crusaders. And if you don't like that, that is your right. But don't be surprised when we delete your diaries calling for the deaths of individuals just so your annointed candidate can win.

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