COMMENTARY | This year’s presidential hopefuls have just about worn me out with their misguided arguments about how to run our society. I’m not sure I can stand the thought of Santorum or Romney or Gingrich spewing more bologna about how our country is so far away from what our founding fathers planned in order to gain the tea party vote in the 2012 election.
However, the thing I really don’t understand is how people who actually believe this stuff. I’m not going to argue about whether our founding fathers’ religious status, nor am I going to argue about their intent for our nation. These arguments haven’t changed the minds of right-wing tea partiers any more than this commentary is likely to. No, I’m going to write about the reality of our nation during the time of our founding fathers; just as a friendly reminder of what the Tea Parties and their ilk are actually arguing for.
Back in the wonderful, enlightened time of our founding fathers, women couldn’t own property. Yep, women, you were property. And any property you might have possibly owned went to your husband, son, or brother – if you didn’t have any, then it went to you closest male relative.
And let’s not forget about that illegal to divorce your husband part either. So if your man was beating the crap out of you or your kids, you had to stay. You couldn’t leave because it was against the law. Why was it against the law? Because the Bible said so.
Interracial marriage? Nope. Outlawed also.
And you kids who are busy getting an education to further your lives, well, guess what? Unless you were rich, you’d be working in a factory or on a farm. And if you were one of the lucky ones who worked in a factory, you wouldn’t get a lunch. Oh, and that applies to everyone – men and women – who worked in factories. No lunch breaks, or bathroom breaks. No limit on hours. No worker’s compensation for injuries sustained on the job. No maternity leave. And no retirement benefits. And the real kicker? You had to accept your low wages and the horrid working conditions that we now reserve for sweat shops.
Voting rights? Remember, you non-white folks and you women that support a return to our “Christian heritage”, your voice wouldn’t count. Let’s not forget, it wouldn’t count for any white man who was poor because poor people couldn’t own land – so no vote for you either.
Oh, and let’s not forget about the fact that you (non-whites, women, and non-wealthy men) wouldn’t be represented in the government either. Since you couldn’t vote, then you couldn’t choose people who would vote to represent your wishes.
Most importantly, let’s remember that you (particularly, non-whites and women) had no protection under the law or legal recourse if you were beaten, robbed, raped, harassed, assaulted, or discriminated against.
Ah, yes! Can’t understand why one wouldn’t want to live in that “Christian” society.
