By Denis Campbell

Obama’s election aside, looking back over 2008’s three most underreported story lines jumped from pages and airwaves as the brazen religious-based socially engineered hate crimes they are. Disguised by the televangelists as Biblical ‘tough love,’ folks awakened in this election and what they saw turned stomachs in its straight-faced and ignorant delivery.

Being gay made one subject to open, vicious religious hatred and, God forbid, you wanted as a gay man or lesbian woman to marry, then the Mormon and other Christian churches mobilised millions of dollars and thousands of people to make sure you would not have that right, even if, as in the state of California with Proposition 8, you already could. 

The myth of one-person one vote was sadly thwarted by partisan election officials hacking vote machines across the nation. Just be grateful that the Obama turnout and margin of victory Obama was more than enough to stop their methods. 

Finally, Creationsim is back across the USA with a fancy new name, Intelligent Design. And 30% of the teachers here in Wales want to see it taught in school science classes! Oh my Gawd…

So as we say goodbye and good riddance to much of 2008, these three issues will continue to fester and grow for year to come unless sanity somehow rules.

Myth 1: Being Gay Can be Cured
The religious seeds to fight battle this were planted during the Reagan Administration and nurtured by his Right Wing hate machine acolytes, led by Newt Gingrich and the Republican Congress. During the 14-years Republicans controlled Congress, we saw a Fundamental ‘Christianisation’ of the White House and federal government. It began quietly under Bush 41, was expanded by Clinton and by the time Bush 43 turned up, government openly embraced the rapidly growing Evangelical Movement while the rest of us… slumbered or were in state of catatonic shock. 

It reached its zenith during Bush 43. His years as a born again dry-drunk President led the nation into a religious crusade, the Iraq War, and gays rightfully felt under attack as Clinton’s ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy disintegrated. Everyone in the Administration talked of our ‘Christian forefathers’ (who, by the way, deliberately left religion out of the equation), wrapped themselves in the American flag, dismissed anyone who disagreed with them and used anthems and songs like the prayer ‘God Bless America’ more as a demand than prayer. 

America was more and more described as a ‘Christian nation,’ much to the uncomfortable chagrin of those of Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and other faiths who were regularly told by their fundamentalist Christian overlords that they were “going to hell no matter” what for not embracing Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. 

Then today Pope Benedict, the iron fisted clergy supervisor/leader, enabler and coverer-up-in-chief of a global 40+ year priest paedophilia ring during the reign of his predecessor today said “curing homosexuality was as important as saving the rain forest.” As one who grew up and experienced that awful period firsthand, it was doubly sickening. 

Finally the blow-back for Barack Obama on the selection of fundamentalist pastor Rick Warren to lead the Invocation at his Inauguration ceremony next month has upset his base (and, ironically, Warren’s) and led the pastor to clean up his act a bit as he brazenly compared homosexuality to incest and paedophilia in a live NBC Dateline interview. The blogosphere caught him and he removed the most blatant anti-gay language from his church’s website. Could Obama’s selection get Pastor Rick on the openness and inclusiveness straight and narrow? Unlikely.

With the negligent, quiet and tacit support of three Administrations, the far right spawned two decades of hate and intolerance throughout the political system. Now, that same fundamentalism is beginning to, sadly, take root here in the EU resulting in a growth of ignorance and spiritual myth in every aspect of life. 

Myth 2: Your Vote Counts and Every Ballot is Secure
Charley James contributed the lead Politics article today on GOP attempts to steal the 2008 election. They fell short because of the massive turnout for Obama. Charley shows how nearly 7 million votes belonging to Obama were manipulated for McCain in key battleground states and it was not enough to sway the election. 

I wrote several stories this year about ballot security which fell on deaf ears in the MSM during the election. I followed a group of true patriots for most of the spring and summer. Now AUDIT AZ faces a daunting task in getting the system ready for the 2010 and 2012 elections without the support of the state’s governor, Janet Napolitano, who will move to Washington to head the Cabinet Department of Homeland Security. Staying behind and automatically appointed governor under the AZ system is State Secretary Jan Brewer, the woman who has fought the changes tooth and nail. My articles can be found on the main page as year-end reprise articles.

Myth 3: Evolution and Intelligent Design can be taught side-by-side as Science 
I just re-listened to a debate where I was sure the University of Cardiff professor was about to choke on his own spittle in outrage at listener statements on BBC Radio Wales. When one caller was quizzed by the guest host on his credentials, his reply was “I read a lot on the subject” caused an audible groan from the professor, even with his microphone turned off.

30% of school teachers in Wales want it taught as part of the science curriculum. The professor had no problem with it as a part of the religious studies program and even then anything that diminishes scientific curiosity and exploration amongst students is dangerous. The Church in Wales controls many primary and comprehensive schools and the danger is those studying science would not do what scientist do which is ask lots of questions and not accept anything because someone “said it is so,” rather they choose to see for themselves as scientist have done since before Galileo.

It was where this camel’s back snapped. The show was walking on an electrified high wire and it is good to see solid progressive questioning and reasoning making a comeback. 28-days, I am confident we will make it.

A truly Happy New Year will be when these top real open and honest agenda-free discussion list vs. pop stars and their paparazzi moments.