Five Questions from Terrance by tgirsch

Looks like I get to answer another slate of five questions, this time from Terrance. Here goes:

1. One question I asked Lauren is worthy of a repeat. If you could permanently change one thing about the U.S. right now, what would it be, and why?

A tough one right out of the gate. I initially misread the question as changing one thing about the US government, and for that, I would have answered that I’d slap an additional amendment on the Constitution guaranteeing absolute government neutrality on religion: that government at all levels would be prohibiting from either advancing or discouraging religion, in particular or in general, and that tax dollars are absolutely prohibited to be given to religious groups.

But since we’re talking about the US in general and not the government in particular, I’d broaden this and say that I’d permanently change US attitudes toward religion and government, such that the prevailing wisdom agreed with my view that any time religion and government mix, it’s disastrously bad for both.

Why would this by my change? Because in my view, the most divisive debates in this country (abortion, gay marriage, right-to-die, ESC research, etc. — even racial issues) are far more religious than political in nature. They are only political to the extend that people (in particular, conservative Christians) feel that their religious views ought to be endorsed by the government, irrespective of how many other Americans actually share those religious views.

2. If you could appoint absolutely anyone to the office of U.S. President right now, replacing the current President, who would it be, and why?

That’s easy: George W. Bush! He can’t possibly be as bad as our current President Cheney! *ducks*

But seriously, that’s a tough one again. My gut response is still Howard Dean. Red-faced Iowa rant aside, I still believe that on policy he was the best candidate the Dems fielded in 2004. For all the work given to painting him as a far-left liberal, that’s hard to square with his A-rating from the NRA and his having balanced the Vermont state budget as governor. He and I agree about most of the policy issues I consider important, and he’s not afraid to deviate from the party line, either.

Runner up: Russ Feingold. Again, he’s not afraid to deviate from the party line (as he did in voting against the renewal of the AWB), nor is he afraid to take political risks to make an important statement (as he did in being the lone US Senator to vote against USA PATRIOT). His name recognition is mostly for his co-authorship of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform package, which has gotten mixed reviews from both ends of the political spectrum. In any case, in three years I may get to find out whether or not he’s truly presidential material.

3. If you’re married, what do you appreciate most about your spouse and why?

Her boobs. Ahahahaha! Sorry, after my “Wonder Woman” rant, I couldn’t resist. But seriously, it’s hard to pick just one thing. If pressed, I’d have to say it’s that we still can and do have fun together. I think being able to have fun is at least as important as being in love. In over twelve years together (over seven and a half of them married), we’ve never lost that ability.

There’s also the fact that she’s willing to put up with a tremendous amount of my shit (like the above boob joke), which cannot be understated.

4. If you had to adopt a religious faith other than the one you currently belong to (if you belogn to one at all), which would you pick, and why?

I’m an atheist, but if pushed, I’d have to say the United Church of Christ. I say this because I agree with one of their central tenets: “In essentials unity, in non-essentials diversity, in all things charity.” They embrace Christ’s message of inclusion, and from what I’ve seen at a local congregation here, they teach that how you act is at least as important as what you believe. In short, they align very closely with the stuff I liked about my Catholic upgrading, while rejecting most of the stuff I didn’t like.

If I knew more about them, a nontheistic Eastern religion would probably be a better fit, but because you have to “go with what you know,” I’d say UCC.

If you could go back in time and witness one historical event, but not alter the outcome, which would you choose, and why?

If the stories concerning it are true, then I’d say the freeing of my friend George’s slave ancestors by Union soldiers. As the story goes, they worked for a particularly abusive (even by the standards of slavery) family called the Zieglers, and when the Union soldiers rode in to ensure their release, George’s great^x-grandfather asked the nearest soldier for his name. “Robinson,” the soldier responded. “Then Robinson will be our name, too.”

Did it really happen that way? Who knows. It almost certainly grew with the telling, but it’s a great story, and I’d have loved to see it happen. Particularly when you introduce the bittersweet knowledge that the fight for equality wasn’t over, and that it was just beginning.

If we’re talking about well-known historical events, that’s tougher. Probably the dedication of the Statue of Liberty. Why? Because it’s cool.