At last, the day Donald Trump was no longer in office had finally arrived. I happily watched the Biden and Harris Inauguration, for it was the return of some class, decency, and democracy to the White House. Unfortunately, some of the things that took place during the Inauguration were wrong, so, naturally, they rubbed me the wrong way.
Although I have several quibbles, what most grinds my gears is that atheists and religious minorities were discriminated against during the Inauguration.
For starters, the Inauguration was kicked off with a Catholic priest saying a prayer. So, riddle me this: how is a country supposed to heal and do unity when atheist, agnostic, Sikh, Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Muslim, Jew, Satanic, Pastafari, and other religious minorities taxpayers’ money is being wasted in the promotion of the private beliefs of (some) Christians?
Personal beliefs belong in private settings, and for all intents and purposes, a President’s Inauguration is public. Funnily enough, that was kind of one of the messages of Biden’s speech:
Chief Justice Roberts, Vice President Harris. Speaker Pelosi, Leaders Schumer, McConnell, Vice President Pence, my distinguished guests and my fellow Americans, this is America’s day.
This is democracy’s day. A day of history and hope of renewal and resolve through a crucible for the ages. America has been tested anew and America has risen to the challenge. Today, we celebrate the triumph not of a candidate, but of a cause, the cause of democracy.
[…]
And I pledge this to you: I will be a president for all Americans. All Americans.
So if this wasn’t Biden’s victory but America’s, how come it was his faith the one that ended up all over the place during the Inauguration?
Oh, yes, the priest was only the beginning. His speech was also seasoned with “god this” and “god that“, and, for crying out loud, he even invoked to have “one nation under god”, and finished with “May god bless America and may god protect our troops“. There was also a second prayer.
Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th US President by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts on a thick Bible that has been in Biden’s family since 1893. That Bible was also used each time Biden was sworn in as Senator — so he is a serial offender in this regard.
In general, I don’t mind heads of State having a religion, although I prefer them to be atheists since the fewer supernatural beliefs anyone in a position of power has, the greater the chance that they will have a better grasp of reality. At any rate: their decision-making process while in Office should not be influenced in any way by their religious belief.
Sadly, if the Inauguration is any indication, the Biden Presidency will be for all Americans, but more for Catholic and evangelical Americans.
So much for unity!
(pic: Global News)
