Thanks to “Ricky” who sent us wonderful news of the House or Reps. recent passing of H.R. 2679, a bill designed to prevent attorneys representing clients in Establishment Clause violation cases from collecting remuneration. This bill, also known as the Public Expression of Religion Act (PERA), was introduced by John Hostettler (Ind-R) and has companion legislation in the Senate via (gasp!) Sam Brownback (Kan-R, fucker). Of course, this bill made it through the House without much discussion or fanfare from the media (I guess they’re a little busy with Anna Nicole Smith’s kid). If it passes the Senate, you can be sure it will be signed into law without much additional bullshit.
The wording of the law is an obvious election year sweetheart deal for the religious right as it extends their right to be obnoxious cocks in general public to protect religious displays that may be funded or featured by government public institutions. So according to this, all you parents that don’t want your children inundated with religious crap when they go to school; all you folks that don’t want to be deluged with religious crap at the courthouse; if you can’t afford a lawyer all on your own, you’d better sit down and STFU. So much for civil rights.
I was telling my mom about this.
Obviously we were winning. As the Atheist Ethicist says, don’t expect the Supreme Court to rule it unconstitutional.
However, I now want to lead a crusade to put some Hindu stuff in government places, Buddhist in public, because there’s nothing the xians can do anymore.
Vindictive? Yes. I had yet another breakdown last night and I’m itching for a fight.
I wondered when this would come up on here. I read about it around 4:30 this morning. But, the Senate sometimes comes through for us. The House passes a lot of shit before the day is through, the Senate wipes their ass and sets it straight pretty regularly. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. :\
I have to go vote today on some Amendments and some local stuff. Nothing remotely religious on the ballot today. Damn…
The “golden rule” is alive and well. Those who have the gold make the rules.
The main problem with the U.S.A. today is the fat, lazy citizen who never takes the time to inform him/herself about the issues, debates, or the machinery of the government. Either they stay at home during an election or what’s worse, they vote for the GOP because their walnut sized brains can only absorb two- word slogans.
This is how shit like the bill above and the torture bill sail through congress.
What a pathetic end to a once great nation.
The thing that worries me the most is how this could possibly open the door for ID to be brought into the schools and not be challenged. Although this bill dosen’t have an immediate impact on ID being taught in public schools it is a wedge opening the door.
If this had been in effect before the Dover trial would ID have been challenged? I believe the attorneys were awarded approx. 1 million dollars for their services.
Rick, I share your concern about the impact of this bill on the issue of Intelligent Design getting a foothold in public school science classes. I don’t know if you noticed in the Jesus Camp movie trailer that the kids were pledging allegiance to the “Christian flag of America”. This bill will make it mucher harder for parents to object to teachers pushing this kind of crap in the classroom. Those deceiptful Republicans will do whatever it takes to get around the US Constitution.
Now is the time to shower the ACLU with as much scratch as you can manage. Meanwhile, the right fragments.
Dick “Barney Fag” Armey;
“To a large extent because Dobson and his gang of thugs are real nasty bullies. I pray devoutly every day, but being a Christian is no excuse for being stupid. There’s a high demagoguery coefficient to issues like prayer in schools. Demagoguery doesn’t work unless it’s dumb . . . These issues are easy for the intellectually lazy and can appeal to a large demographic.”
And Rev. John Danforth;
“These issues, such as abortion, gay marriage and the use of religious displays on government property, are “of little intrinsic importance except as wedges” to energize the base by pitting “people of faith” against their perceived enemies, Danforth says in the book due in stores Tuesday.
“If Christianity is supposed to be a ministry of reconciliation, but has become, instead, a divisive force in American political life, something is terribly wrong and we should correct it,” Danforth writes.”
I now want to lead a crusade to put some Hindu stuff in government places…
Can it be those half-nude dancing goddesses? Mmm…
Danforth has a point, but he’s still completely wrong on the basis of xianity. It’s supposed to divide, not reconcil. Says so right there in the bible.
does this mean ganja is allowed in schools now???
“does this mean ganja is allowed in schools now???”
Only if you promise to keep your woman in a shed out back during her unclean moments, Jimmy Dean- BTW, love your sausage patties and have you ever met Bob Evans?
Don’t tell anyone but we Druids have erected our mighty Oaks in public parks all across the country. It’s got to stay a secret because if Chimpy found out, he’d let his timber baron pals log the shit out of the parks under the establishment clause. Shhhh!
What we may be witnessing is the demise of Religion. Nothing more than the ignorant ranting’s reflecting a frightened and dying religious mentality. The death throes of a losing , unreasoning, insane cult composed of extremely gullible humans who are witnessing the insidious collapse of their doctrines, morals and ethics. This mass delusion is destined to change or die. Given enough time it will self destruct.
Jimmy Dean- BTW, love your sausage patties and have you ever met Bob Evans?
LOLOL!
“Given enough time it will self destruct.”
…And take the whole of civilization along with them, possibly. It still creeps me out, all the ongoing fundie problems at the US AIR FORCE ACADEMY. These f*cks have their trigger finger on THE BOMB for chrissake, as does their Commander-in-Chief, aka “The War President”.
I think my cousin, whose daddy is in the Air Force, recently opted for the Naval Academy instead on account of all those problems…he had been involved in Civil Air Patrol and was really keen on a USAF career, but…anyway, I’m ex-Navy JROTC & NROTC, so I encouraged him and tried to convince him Annapolis is better anyway. He had considered West Point rather strongly at first, which had me sh*tting bricks, worried sick.
Anyway,
If anything seems to be dying, it’s the project of Enlightenment. Unreason runs amok, manipulated by the powerful. Thanks, Leo Strauss (fucker!). Sorry, I just can’t see current developments in an optimistic way like Tony does.
Lynda is right, too—There’s definitely a class-warfare angle on this; Religion is extremely useful for the wealthy as a distraction from the worldly injustice they perpetrate on the rest of us. This tilts things a bit more in their favor…those who would challenge religion in the public sphere now better have deep pockets in addition to being deeply committed to principles. And what lawyer can possibly take on these kinds of cases regularly but completely pro-bono?
The wealthy and their bought-and-paid-for state (legislative and executive) proxies and their religious enablers against the rest of us…again.
Hence my getting the f**k out of this country, if anyone is interested in helping me form a communist country you can contact me through prayer.
I actually think this is a good law.
For example the ACLU sues my county cause it has a cross on the county seal or something like that. Why should my tax dollars go to the ACLU? Frankly I think they run around looking for ridiculous lawsuits just to fill their coffers.
They should focus their efforts on stuff like the National ID that the government is trying to force down people’s throats.
MQM, first of all, if you’d ever been in an ACLU office, you’d never have made the comment regarding their coffers. The ACLU operates on a shoestring and the service they provide to our society is priceless. They get defamed as being somehow “anti-christian” because they fight for everyone’s right against an establishment of religion by our government and, since religion here is predominantly christian, they get a bad rap. Thing is, the ACLU would have fought Judge Roy Moore, for example, if he’d attempted to display an islamic crescent or a six-pointed jewish star, just like they did when it was the ten commandments. They’re not so much anti-religion as they are pro-Constitution. That’s not even to mention them defending Rush Limbaugh and other right leaning folks.
The trouble with this particular ruling is that it violates the 1st Amendment by effectively stifling the opposition to defiance of the establishment clause. The supporters of this bill set out to cripple the underfunded ACLU- trying to clear the path for their dominionist goals.
As for your tax money, it’s your responsibility to elect officials who won’t violate the 1st Amendment- or to put pressure on them when they do. Then they won’t waste your money.