The ghost of Rodney Dangerfield

Does anyone get the respect they deserve? Not in America, where the victim mentality has spread like a virus. Who doesn't feel entitled to some bit of sympathy?

Now if you're a Christian in, say, China, or Afghanistan, I'm feeling your pain. People of faith are persecuted around the world, but in the United States?

Apparently, Christian conservatives believe they've been left out of the national conversation, despite all evidence to the contrary. Now they're fighting back:

The War On Christians And The Values Voter in 2006 Conference will be held March 27-28 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.

This is the first conference to cover every aspect of the cultural war on Christians --- including attacks by Hollywood, the news media, gay activist and leftist groups like the ACLU and Anti-Defamation League.

A new survey showed the majority of Americans think religion is "under attack" and "losing its influence" in American life.

Interesting, when you consider no group flexes its political muscle more routinely, and effectively, than the Christian right (i.e.: the stem cell debate). This is akin to highly paid professional athletes claiming they get no respect ... bad example.

Among the keynote speakers at the conference: embattled former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who's certain to share his own examples of alleged faith-based persecution.

"Unfortunately, for many years many, many years people have been forced into what I call the ghettoes of the church ...," DeLay said. "Christians have been pushed and pushed into that ghetto, and they're told, 'You can go in the church, but if you stick your head out and you say anything that reflects your worldview, we're going to knock your head off.' And they do. And they come after me like you wouldn't believe."