America would fight force-fed Islam
Osama bin Laden has invited the United States to avoid death at the hands of his followers by converting to Islam. That's an interesting concept. Let's explore it for a moment.
If America were to accept bin Laden's invitation, our laws would immediately become unenforceable. Deeply rooted in our constitutional government are the cultural and religious traditions that provide our unique societal cohesion. Without this spirit behind the document, our laws would mean nothing.
In their place would be a kind of barbaric tribe mentality, like that we still see in some parts of the Middle East today. This would leave the door open for dictators who would rule with absolute power in the tradition of the Saudi royal family, Syria's Bashir Assad and the recently hanged Saddam Hussein.
Our newfound faith would return us to the days when women, racial minorities and gays were not treated as fairly as they are in modern times. Only this time, there would be no chance for these citizens to become full-fledged members of society, because at the very core of the imposed theocracy would be the concept of a permanent underclass.
For any Americans who refused to convert and bow to the oppression of an intransigent ruling class, there would be certain death.
Finally, what would become of our economy? It would crash, of course.
The backbone of our prosperity is the work ethic that drives it. Our focus would be changed from bettering ourselves through hard work and dedication, to worrying about who is wearing what article of clothing and in front of whom they are wearing it. Besides, you can't get much work done when you're running back and forth to the local mosque five times a day.
Convert to Islam? I don't think so. Most of us would rather stand and fight.
Jackson Rodgers
Gilberts