Sister Simone Campbell

I am an atheist, but that does not mean there are no religious people that I respect. There are many that I respect for their work to make life better for their fellow human beings. I don't need to agree with their religious views to recognize the wonderful work they are doing. One of the groups I have recently come to respect are the catholic nuns who criss-crossed this country in an effort to highlight the fact that the proposed Republican budget (backed by the Ryan/Romney ticket) would be devastating to the lives of millions of hurting Americans.

These wonderful ladies are not really campaigning for or against any candidate or party. They are simply working for government policies that will help instead of hurt those people who struggle to survive at the margins of our society. In short, they are just following what I was brought up to believe the christian message was all about -- that we are our brother's keeper. And while I doubt their religious beliefs, that message is one we should all support (regardless of what religion we practice, and even those of us who practice no religion at all).

A couple of days ago, One of the leaders of the Nuns On The Bus tour, Sister Simone Campbell, spoke out about Willard Mitt Romney's verbal disdain for nearly half of all Americans. This is what she said:

 I mean, it was shocking to me that a person who says he wants to be the leader of our nation believes that 47 percent of our country is basically lazy or dependent or indolent. That was shocking to me. But then, it broke my heart that he would be so out of touch, that he would so not know the truth of folks at the margins of our society who work so hard. And he obviously doesn’t know that if you work a minimum wage job, if you’re a child care, if you’re providing janitorial services, or if you’re a day laborer, if you work for minimum wage, you’re still in poverty. He has no idea how hard it is at the margins of our society.

She's right. Willard simply doesn't understand the problems facing millions of Americans in this poor economy. And personally, I think that should disqualify him from becoming president.