Why do we Americans allow ourselves to be distracted so easily? I know, with an iPhone, 2 computers and a million cable channels, I’m as guilty as most. But the distractions that concern me the most are the political sideshows created by nut-jobs like Donald Trump and Glenn Beck. We can’t seem to get enough of political Kabuki theater.

Take the Donald Trump birtherism non-issue. Here we have a billionaire (maybe) gasbag who needs to promote a reality show that has long ago ceased to be interesting. Since there’s a Presidential campaign coming up next year, he sees his opportunity to stay relevant. I’d say it’s actually more of an attempt to stay in the current news cycle. He plays up the the whole Obama-isn’t-a-real-American story. It feeds right in to the collective fear of our nation that someone, anyone, is responsible for the economic and social malaise that has hovered over us for the better part of 3 and a half years.

The problem with this is it’s simply not true. Obama is a natural born American citizen. It’s as simple as that. Can we please move on to topics that are actually important. You know…topics like job creation, immigration reform and reducing fossil fuel based energy dependence. There’s also important issues like confronting discrimination and bigotry of any kind: racial, religious or sexual orientation.

None of our problems are easy. Neither are the problems of the rest of world. However, we can’t possibly solve our problems if we don’t stop allowing ourselves to be distracted by absurdities like birtherism. Obama is not the the bogeyman, conservatives. He’s also not the second coming of Christ, progressives. Let’s move past this ridiculous debate, and get this country going in the right direction.

Yesterday, we saw history being made in Nashville, TN. No, contrary to what the rest of the hockey world may think, we didn’t just see the first automobile drive down our roads. We saw our Nashville Predators advance past the first round. I don’t care that teams like Detroit, Montreal and Toronto have seen this before. It means a whole lot around here.

I remember that inaugural season when I followed intently from my college dorm room, via AOL’s Stats, Inc. page, our first game (we lost 1 nil to the Florida Panthers). I also remember when, later that season, I was able to attend my first NHL game with my then girlfriend. We weren’t very good then, but once a goal was scored, the place would erupt. I remember a certain magical feeling walking into our town’s new arena that housed our first professional sports team.

Then, I remember coming home to my wife (not the then girlfriend), and telling her what I had heard on the radio. Owner Craig Leopold had had enough of trying to connect with the business community here. He was selling the team to Canadian Blackberry tycoon, Jim Balsillie. With Balsillie’s previous flirtations with trying to move the Pittsburgh Penguins, we were very wary of this man. We weren’t going to lose our team to some carpetbagger from Hamilton, Ontario. Andrea Conte, the former first lady of Tennessee, even held up a sign saying, “Get your damn hands off our team!”

I can’t possibly tell this tale without mentioning the playoff futility. It was excruciating. Year after year, we could not get past the first round. The ’07-’08 team was actually in contention for the President’s Cup (the best record in the NHL), but we ended up losing to the San Jose Sharks in the first round. Through all of this, we had two rocks to lean on: Barry Trotz and David Poile. The commitment of Trotz to the Predator way, and the calm, steady leadership of Poile kept the ship sailing through some very rough waters.

Then, last year, the Predators seemed poised to take the next step. They even won their first ever road game in Chicago. Then Game 5 happened. The Blackhawks scored late in regulation, and then again in OT. They proceeded to finish us off in game 6 here in Nashville. Then, almost as if the cosmos was adding insult to injury, the May 2010 flood happened. If the Preds had advanced past Chicago, the flood would have thrown games in Nashville into doubt.

Fast forward to April 24, 2011. It’s Easter Sunday, and Bridgestone Arena is packed to the gills. This time, the Preds do not falter. They look the high flying Anaheim Ducks in the eye, and they do not blink. The joy of the crowd and the city at large is genuine. We love hockey down here in the south. Here in Smashville, we definitely love our Predators!

I really love the NHL playoffs. I love the Nashville Predators in the NHL playoffs even more. It would seem the NHL does too!

What’s with the right-wing, Glenn Beck-types, and their fixation with the non-existant threat of Islamic Sharia law in the United States? In fact, I feel quite sure that it is not fear of this so-called threat, as much as it is simple, naked bigotry. Islam is a religion that has been around nearly as long as Christianity. And, contrary to what the dis-honerable Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey says (full disclosure: I am a Tennessean, but this man does not represent me.), Islam is not a cult.

Bills being put forth in state legislatures across the country are Islamaphobia, pure and simple. Islamaphobia’s suffix is defined as (courtesy of Wikipedia) “a persistent fear of an object or situation in which the sufferer commits to great lengths in avoiding despite the fear, typically disproportional to the actual danger posed, often being recognized as irrational.” Either these elected officials have an irrational, disproportionate fear of Islam, or they are simply fear mongering.

For my money, fear mongering seems to be the more likely truth. Even worse, it plays on the worst in us. Rather than stand up for the marginalized people in our society, we allow our fears to be stoked by these snake oil salesmen cloaked as elected officials.

If we as Americans believe our nation to be founded on Christian principles (and that is debatable), then we should be treating all people just like Christ did. He commanded his followers to love everyone unconditionally. Not once in the New Testament did Jesus say, “Love only those who follow me.”

I call on all of us to stop this religious bigotry. Don’t listen to people like Ron Ramsey, Peter King and the host of other politicians screaming about Sharia law. Love those around you who disagree with you. As for me, I must do the same.

Okay Ron Ramsey…Gimme a hug!

I’m a typical dog fan, but I still like cats. Especially when they have as much personality as this little guy does…

This is a great performance on WBUR’s On Point with Tom Ashbrook.