BY SHARON MARTIN

The state Legislature in Michigan recently passed a law that requires schools to have an anti-bullying plan in place. Matt’s Safe School Law was named for Matt Eppling, a 14-year-old who killed himself in 2002 after being bullied at school. Matt’s father, Kevin Eppling, pushed for passage of the law, but he wasn’t happy with the final product.

It’s a “bullying is OK in Michigan law,” he wrote to legislators, adding that he was ashamed of the bill that bears his son’s name.

Lawmakers said they were only protecting free speech when they added the provision that says a person cannot be punished for bullying if they do so because of a “sincerely held belief or moral conviction.”

Yes, in Michigan it’s all right to bully in the name of God.

Bullying is not a Christian act.

In Nazi Germany, Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, and the disabled were murdered. The government promoted hatred of anyone who didn’t fit into their ideology.

There’s nothing patriotic about intolerance.

In a recent ad, Rick Perry showed his intolerance when he said, “ … There’s something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas … ”

Christians have gone underground? Like early Romans had to worship in secret? They way slaves in the pre-war south had to hide their church services?

With Perry’s poll numbers low, it appears he has to stir up resentment. But intolerance doesn’t make him a good Christian or even a good conservative.

The Crusades pitted Christians against Muslims. The Florida Family Association still promotes this fear and hatred. They pressured companies to pull their ads from a TLC show called All-American Muslim. Some companies, including Lowe’s, complied.

“The show profiles only Muslims that appear to be ordinary folks,” Florida Family Association told its members, “while excluding many Islamic believers whose agenda poses a clear and present danger to the liberties and traditional values that the majority of Americans cherish.”

Traditional values like freedom of religion? Isn’t this the freedom they would deny non-Christians in America if they could?

In the land of the free, no one has the right to be a bully, even in the name of God. Anyone, including children and politicians can choose whether or not to celebrate Christmas or worship God without fear. Lowe’s has the right to pull its ads from any show. Citizens have the right to boycott Lowe’s. And we can still vote for the candidate of our choice, including the bigots.

Happy Holy Days to everyone!

– Sharon Martin lives in Oilton, OK and is a regular contributor to The Oklahoma Observer