Pen-Elayne on the Web

Divided by a Common

Via Jenny (link at sidebar), Guardian writer Gary Younge tries to figure out this whole church-state separation thing from across the pond. I can sympathize with his dilemma, as Robin occasionally finds it peculiar as well. Yeah, our country can be a little bipolar, if you look at it as the one big homogenous mess that it isn't. But you see, it make sense to wonder what the fuss is about if you're Christian to begin with. If you're a Jew who's grown up with getting eggs thrown at your house when you put up Chanukah decorations, or feeling totally left out of school holiday singalongs because the songs are all about Jesus or Saint Nick, or just plain wanting equal treatment and respect and not to be beaten up because you have different beliefs-- well, it's a bigger deal to outsiders. I'm not sure what recourse non-Christians have to be given equal consideration in Christian countries like the UK. (Budgie, care to speak on that? Update: Thanks Budgie!) But I do know it was really nice to have the law on our side when my mom fought for Jewish kids' rights in my elementary school.