It almost seems too soon to be discussing some of the secondary stories from the tragedy that occurred one week ago, but some things shouldn?t be left unnoticed. As volunteers continue to sort through the wreckage in lower Manhattan, our nation begins to ask questions: ?How could this happen?? ?How will our lives be different?? And probably the most common query of them all, ?Why??

Well, some of our country?s most popular religious leaders have an answer for you. We can apparently assess the blame for the most tragic act of war over the last century on the pagans, feminists, and most importantly, the American Civil Liberties Union.

Thursday morning on the 700 Club show, Pat Robertson was joined by fellow televangelist Jerry Falwell. The topic of discussion was the horrible terrorist acts then only 48 hours old. At a time of national crisis, many people turn to religious leaders of all faiths looking for guidance and understanding.

Those turning to Falwell and Robertson heard the following:

?God continues to lift the curtain and allow the enemies of America to give us probably what we deserve.?

?They (the ACLU) have got to take a lot of blame for this.?

?The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad. I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way ? all of them who have tried to secularize America ? I point the finger in their face and say, ?You helped this happen.??

When later asked to clarify his statements, Falwell did so with the following:

?(America?s) secular and anti-Christian environment left us open to our Lord?s (decision) not to protect. When a nation deserts God and expels God from the culture … the result is not good.?

Apparently, we should blame everyone who isn?t straight, God-fearing and conservative. So I think the point Falwell and Robertson are trying to get across is the following: that God isn?t going to protect us anymore because we have too many gays, liberals, abortionists ? you know, heathens.

The just and loving God that both Falwell and Robertson have raised tens of millions of dollars to ensure his will is done here on Earth decided that people who worship a different God than they do (anti-Christians) will be allowed to kill 5,000-6,000 mostly straight, mostly God-fearing and, one would assume, mostly conservative residents of the World Trade Center.

The fact that hundreds of people still trapped in the rubble are from other countries must be ?collateral damage,? to use military speak, in God?s unending effort to show Americans that we?re doing it all wrong.

If Falwell and Robertson are right, I guess we should look to becoming more homogenized as a people. Maybe there was a time for America to be the land of opportunity for the disenfranchised and impoverished from across the globe, but possibly that time is passed. After all, celebrating diversity can apparently be lethal.

Maybe we should look to become a nation of people who ostracize those who don?t think and look like the majority. We should look to other nations, not states but places of uniformity like nations, to see how God wants it done. Afghanistan, perhaps?

Collin Sherwin is a junior majoring political science.usfcollin@yahoo.com