A Canadian looks at America

America is going stark raving bananas. That's the point of view expressed by Michael Harris in an article entitled, "Changing from Republican to radical" which is published in the Ottowa Sun. Here's an excerpt:

The truth is America is bouncing off the walls at home in the name of a religious extremism that makes a mockery of true American and Christian values.

This week the Washington Post reported that a growing number of pharmacists are refusing to fill legal prescriptions for birth control or morning after pills in the United States. Several states have already passed so-called "conscience" legislation that permits doctors and health care workers to refuse various procedures to patients that conflict with their personal beliefs. And in a survey by the National Teachers Association, 31% of respondents felt obligated to present creationism as an equal "theory" to evolution in U.S. schools. Is it any wonder that Judge George Greer, the principal judge in the Schiavo case, now needs armed guards?

With the president chastened by a humiliating rejection of his Schiavo gambit, Americans may make a greater effort to inform themselves on other policies of this Administration abroad which are every bit as hypocritical as Terri's Law. Who in their right mind would sell 24 F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan, a country that self-admittedly sold nuclear technology to rogue states, is run by a tyrant, remains a hotbed of terrorism and regularly threatens its nuclear neighbor, India?

There's nothing in the article we don't already know but it's quite a rant and gives us a good indication of how we look to our neighbors in the north.