by Jesse Lopez
Coming from a Mexican American man's stance, and as someone who leans more to the right in my political beliefs, I have to admit I'm shocked and embarrassed that I ever supported Marco Rubio. At one point, I sincerely looked up to him as a role model and a personal hero. I saw myself in him, a young Mexican man ambitious to change the world. I sent hard-earned money to help fund his campaign, even though I have never lived in the state of Florida. But what I saw in him then, and the person I helped fund into political office, isn't the Marco Rubio of today.
Today's Marco Rubio is no different than a 1940's housewife screaming gossip from the rooftops because the kids are napping, and there's nothing else better to do. The only problem is Rubio is an elected official whose "kids" are the constituents of his district, and they are never asleep all at once so that he gets a break and time to gossip.
For example, on November 24th, 2020, Marco Rubio posted this on his Twitter feed…
"Biden's cabinet picks went to Ivy League schools, have strong resumes, attend all the right conferences & will be polite & orderly caretakers of America's decline. I support American greatness, and I have no interest in returning to the "normal" that left us dependent on China."
How childish. By this statement, Marco Rubio told you and me that he no longer works for everyone in his district. He admitted that putting party politics aside and getting the job done isn't on his agenda. Shouldn't he be working, not Tweeting? Is that what we elect our politicians to do?
You see, even though I have championed Mr. Rubio and considered him a hero; I didn't believe he was perfect. I am an atheist by belief, and Marco claims to be a devoted Christian. I was able to look past that one unattractive character that I personally feel lessens one's intelligence because that is merely a personal opinion. If Marco Rubio chooses to believe in something that I consider a silly mythological creation, so be it.
Our country's founding was on the concept of "we the people" because so many people came to the "New World" with different religious beliefs and ideologies. Today, Puritans, Quakers, Anglicans, Lutherans, and Presbyterians have all turned into corporate Christianity conglomerates due to the "Great Awakening" brought forth by Jonathan Edwards. As a result, these corporate churches have become some of this country's oldest and richest organized money for politicians to go after. As an elected official, Rubio's job is to work with other lawmakers to pass bills that benefit all Americans. Marco has fully converted, showing how under the church's power he now is.
I mean, did you noticed all the talk about evangelicals this past 2020 election cycle? Now that I've explained why it is crucial to obtain evangelical support look at Marco Rubio's Twitter feed. It seems more like Rubio is an angry white pastor upset the "hoax" virus has caused him to shut his tax-free church's doors. So, where does someone like me who doesn't believe in God fit into Marco's newfound love of God's money? It's simple; we don't.
(if you want to learn more about how religious money plays such a massive roll in politics, I'll advise you to read a report titled "Religion in Colonial America: Trends, Regulations, and Beliefs" on facinghistory.org)
I also support American greatness, but this country isn't great because of a higher power. We are America the great because we grew up reading Emma Lazarus' 1883 quote on the Statue of Liberty. "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
Our founders made the separation of church and state because they firmly believed that the government should have no influence or control over your religious freedom. They didn't prevent or possibly even consider that the church could control politics the way they do in today's world.