Dear Puritans

Dear Puritans & Separatists:

 I simply adore you in spite of the horrible accusations that have been made against you:  small pox blankets, measles, influenza, plague... Wiping out 90% of of the native population of a continent.  Trying to remember why I love you. Hmmm... Oh! Thanksgiving Day. There was a feast and I do love a good feast! And, you were plucky--gotta give you that. But, I digress.

Well, there is just so much talk of separation of church & state lately, you have been on my mind. You get so much credit for coming to North America for the principle of "Religious Freedom." I do love Religious Freedom. For everyone, of course! Not just for myself. I am not selfish with freedom.

Because, I just hate practicing other people's religion--it really gets on my nerves! I have a perfectly good theology of my own--why should I have to practice someone else's? In fact: "Practice religion, don't legislate it" is a motto of mine. I carry a sign reading that at Planned Parenthood & Naral rallies. I digress, again!

Puritans, I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I am questioning your position on Religious Freedom, human rights, voter rights, capital punishment... and a bunch of stuff. Oh... I do so hope I haven't hurt your feelings! 

But, if I have understood history correctly, you did not sail to North America for the "principle" of religious freedom BUT for freedom for yourselves. Because, didn't you immediately set up a little theocracy? Didn't you persecute a few people who just happened not to be in agreement with you -- not to mention alleged witches? Quakers and Baptists didn't fare too well, did they. OMG! Our founding mothers and fathers were THEOCRATS?


Oh... wait... now I am really confusing myself, Dear Puritans and Separatists, weren't you organized as a stock company? A trading company? Don't know much about history, but... OMG! Our founding mother and fathers were CORPORATISTS? And... THEOCRATS?

And, didn't you persecute other religions by denying them the right to vote?  OMG! Our very founding mothers and fathers were engaged in VOTER SUPPRESSION in the Plymouth and the Massachusetts Bay Colonies?

Of course, I am proud that you only hanged people in the town square and didn't burn anyone at the stake. But, still, your record on CAPITAL PUNISHMENT stinks.

Thank goodness there were a few others who came along. Almost had an anxiety attack until I remembered Thomas Jefferson. Whew.

Our great country still has its share of  citizens who want the USA to be a Christian theocracy. We have many citizens support the rights of corporations as people. We actually have political leaders who rig elections and write laws to suppress voting. We have many citizens who strongly support murder by the state: capital punishment. The ideological descendants of Puritans? I will leave that to historians and philosophers but I suspect that is paying them too high a compliment. The Puritans valued education.

Oh, and I just love them all!

Oh, I hope I didn't hurt anyone's feelings!

Your friend,

Vivian