Just what exactly is "government endorsement of religion"?

The Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the ACLU are filing suit again.  This time, the case involves a painting that has been hanging in Bridgeport High School (WVa) for 30 years.  It is called “The Head of Christ“. 

Using the tried (or rather tired) argument that the mere presence of a religious symbol implies an endorsement of an ‘official’ religion, the ACLU and the Americans United are determined to see the painting removed.

My thoughts on the matter:

If a picture of Jesus in the hallway is endorsement of Christianity, then are condoms in the nurse’s office endorsement of teenage sex?

If a picture of Jesus in the hallway is endorsement of Christianity, then is the meatloaf surprise served in the cafeteria an endorsement of anti-vegetarianism?  Where is PETA on this one?

If a picture of Jesus in the hallway is endorsement of Christianity, then would hanging the school superintendent’s picture in the main office be equally offensive?  A picture of the president?  Aren’t thos endorsements?

If a picture of Jesus in the hallway is endorsement of Christianity, then is encouraging 5 year old kindergartners to act out scenarios between AIDS patients and their doctors an endorsement of homosexuality?  IV drug abuse?  Promiscuity?

If a picture of Jesus in the hallway is endorsement of Christianity, then is a picture of Lincoln an endorsement of the GOP or a picture of FDR an endorsement of the welfare state?

Many people approach sexuality, vegetarianism and politics with religious zeal and the argument could easily be made that for many these ideologies have assumed godlike proportions.  There is also room for the argument that some proponents of these ideologies are far more organized than most religions.  If anything, Christianity is a ‘dis’organized religion with sects attacking each other with just as much fervor as they argue for their own cause.  Hardly the horrifying grand puppeteer that it’s painted by certain anti-Christian groups. 

True, the Constitution does not offer protection from the non-religious beliefs of others.  This is why we can be beat over the head with any agenda that doesn’t mention God.  Schools can endorse premarital sexual activity by teenagers.  They can teach our children that President Bush’s tenure parallels the reign of the Third Reich and that abortion was a step forward for women’s rights rather than a pathetically irresponsible act. 

Considering the condition of education in America, who cares if they take down a picture of Christ?  It’s hanging on a whited sepulchre anyway.

Help! The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy is after me…..

According to Ward Churchill, the University of Colorado professor of ethnic studies who blamed America for 9/11, public officials who do not share his anti-American stance are out to get him.  From the governor to the University administration, Churchill charges, higher-ups have used their position to convene a “kangaroo court” designed to oust him.

Interestingly, the charges that have concluded with Churchill being served notive of the university’s intent to dismiss him have absolutely nothing to do with his inflammatory post 9/11 commentary.  A committee “found Churchill guilty of research misconduct and another panel recommended that he be fired because of “repeated and deliberate” infractions of scholarship rules”.  Plagiarism.  Intellectual larceny.  The mortal sin of academia.  That’s why Churchill’s once rising star appears to be crashing and burning.  And yet, Mr. C would have us believe that he is the victim of a political witch hunt.  How very predictable – to claim ‘victim’ status.  

  The Denver Channel has the story, which ends with this great statement by CU’s interim chancellor Phil DiStefano “A university is a micro-place of ideas, a place where controversy is no stranger. An opinioned discourse is applauded. But as is true of all liberties, enjoyed by all Americans, with freedom, comes responsibility.”

Blaming the ‘Victims’ of Katrina?

Blaming ‘the victim’ is always wrong , isn’t it? 

According to an op-ed in todays LATimes, the fraudulent misuse of funds by Katrina victims represents a huge failure of FEMA’s system of oversight. And yet, we needn’t be too concerned.

The 16% of improper expenditures is indeed high for a federal aid program — food stamps and unemployment insurance, by comparison, had respective rates of 5.9% and 10.1% last fiscal year. But these are established programs, not on-the-fly responses that had to process a sudden rush of 2.6 million claims. Unlike a permanent safety net, disaster relief’s top priority is to help as many people as fast as possible, which comes at the price of reduced efficiency.

But just because FEMA faced a daunting task does not mean it should be given a pass for its sloppy oversight. The GAO cited several quick fixes that should be put into effect immediately, most notably simple tests for misrepresentation when citizens register for federal disaster assistance. FEMA’s response thus far — cutting expedited payments to $500 — misses the point and will undercut relief efforts in future catastrophes.

It’s easy, and necessary, to criticize FEMA’s across-the-board incompetence in responding to the largest displacement of Americans since the Civil War. But obsessing about the spending habits of refugees comes perilously close to blaming the victim.

You got that last bit didn’t you?  “perilously close to blaming the victim”  So let me get this straight.  The people who were victimized by Mother Nature shouldn’t be scrutinized for buying “Girls Gone Wild” dvds or getting sex change operations on the tax payer’s dime.  Nuh-uh.  They’re victims.  Just in case any of you are buying this load of manure, let’s just put the record straight.  The minute you defraud the rest of your countrymen who are paying taxes to help you in your time of need, you cease to be a victim and become a perpetrator.  If a tightening of the purse strings is necessary to end the rash of bad behavior, then git ‘er done, is all I have to say. 

This op-ed’s excuse for logic is the culmination of liberal thought and amoral (and often antimoral) ideologies.  There are some liberal thinkers (and I use that word loosely- thinkers) who would have us believe that people are no more than animals, incapable of choosing decent and honest behavior over self-interest.  How incredibly elitist to hold such a low standard for the people of New Orleans.  In essence, the argument is, ‘don’t worry about the 16% of 6 billion you stole, we didn’t expect much from you anyway…’ Condescending doesn’t even come close to describing the insulting notion of dismissing accountability for $960,000,000. 

By the Times standard, this misuse of our dollars is simply the byproduct of a ‘clever and responsive policy’.  You see, the Times believes that people are bound to abuse the system and so we should just accept that fact, blame FEMA and increase oversight.  But then we taxpayers would be the victims, wouldn’t we?  Where can we get our $2000 EFT cards?  The Times is right in that some people will abuse the system.  And if we ignore those abuses or blame FEMA for failing to keep victims honest, then we are encouraging more abuse in the future.  It is FEMA’s responsibility to get emergency aid to folks, not to teach them moral values like integrity and honesty.  But heaven forbid, we lay any of the responsibility for this theft of our tax-dollars with the people who actually stole/misused the money,  that would come perilously close … to reason.

Murtha opens mouth, inserts foot

Attorney Neal A. Puckett outlines yet another reason to love Rep. John Murtha (D-Pennsylvania).  In comments published in today’s Washington Times, Puckett claims he’ll call Murtha to the stand if the Marines of Haditha fame go to trial. 

Puckett’s rationale is so wonderfully simple, it’s brilliant.  It has to do with a little thing called CHAIN OF COMMAND.  You see, when a crime is committed by a servicemember, there is a direct chain of command responsibility that starts with the accused and goes link by link right up to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  Democrats know this well, as they have tried to imply guilt by reversing the flow of accountability to make George Bush hold the bag for a couple of sick creeps at Abu Ghraib.  The real truth is that responsibility flows from subordinate to superior and with that responsibility come certain legal mandates.  Superiors are responsible for playing judge and jury for their subordinates.  Herein lies the dilemma.

If General Michael Hagee, who briefed Rep. Murtha on Haditha, gave the impression that the Marines involved killed civilians in cold blood, then he has shown an incredible amount of bias for someone in the direct chain of command.  Either Murtha is politicking or Hagee represents a very poisoned well.  And how, pray tell, will these Marines get a fair shake when everyone who participates in their military trials is subordinate to Hagee who, according to Murtha’s statements, must’ve implied guilt before the investigations were even fully under way?

Mr. Puckett, you may just change my mind about trial lawyers

 

Blue State in the rear view

Wouldn’t you know Zarqawi would kick Ann Coulter off the front page?  Another “victim” claiming the headlines!  But seriously, folks…  I’ve just dropped by to say I’ll be signing off for a few weeks.  We’ll be transitioning to a new abode and it will be a few days with travel time and getting everything turned on at the new house.  I will also be disabling comments so that I don’t have to worry about trolls leaving their droppings on my virtual front porch…  Can’t wait to catch up with all of you on the other end of this move from my new Red State address!

BTW,  the LTC had his retirement ceremony on Tuesday – it was strange for me.  I hate being in front of people on the receiving end of applause so I was completely horrified when I was called up to receive my (form) letter from Pete Schumaker.  For those who don’t know, the military gives spouse’s a frameable thank-you that basically says “We appreciate you ironing his shirts while he was walking on water, beating back the godless hordes and making the world safe for democracy.”  LOL;-)  The strangest thing was that through the whole ceremony I was thinking, “Let’s just get this over with” and then the band ended the event by playing the Army song.  “And the Army goes rolling along…” suddenly, I was overcome with emotion.  My mind flooded with memories of our first formal military ball.  Of all the times I’d seen the color guard enter a darkened hall and a solitary figure decked out in his dress uniform light a candle at the empty table in the center of the room.  Of the toasts to fallen comrades.  Of the cheers for the corps.  Of all of the beautiful people I’ve been blessed to know.  Of hails and farewells.  Of baby showers and wives’ coffees.  Of funerals and weddings and a million other magical moments. I stood there tears streaming down my face overwhelmed by the sudden feeling of loss and grateful for the incredible life that the LTC and his career have given me.  Thanks again to all who’ve touched us along the way.  Cate

Now that you put it like that…

Jan Chagnon, mother and victim of the American Idol attacker, went on record today to clear up the misunderstanding about the events of her ‘assault’ and the character of her little boy.

The story ran through the media like a blaze out of control last Thursday when reports came out that 24 year old Cory hit his mother on the head during an argument about the highly rated Fox show “American Idol”.

Jan insists the coverage was blown out of proportion because of the Idol connection and that what occurred was really little more than an accident.  “I think (the story’s notoriety) is because it has to do with ‘American Idol,’” she told the Press-Republican last Thursday. “It’s not like he repeatedly hit me over the head. (The media) make it out like he stood there and beat me with a chain with a hook on it. … I had to get only one stitch.”

Just a little accident except he was drunk and under the influence of drugs because “He was having a relapse from his drug addiction,”.  In the past, Cory has been treated for drug abuse.  Chagnon said Favreau had taken “a bunch of hydrocodones throughout the day” and one pill of Klonopin, a medication used to treat panic disorders. She said he was also drinking 160-proof vodka while they watched the “American Idol” finale.

What seems to be worrying Cory’s defense attorney is the fact that Cory may lose his job at a local restaurant which is apparently, “hanging by a thread”. 

Favreau was not eligible for a pre-trial release because of a previous violent felony conviction. He was convicted Oct. 28, 2003, in Clinton County Court of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon for having a knife in July 2003.

Jan’s point in speaking out?  “… I don’t want him to be made out a monster.” 

ROTFLMBO – I don’t want to be mean here, but Jan, Shut up!  You’re not helping, hon!

Just waiting for the big announcement

Scanning the headlines tonight to see if or when the ACLU rushes to the aid of the Westboro Baptist Church in it’s latest legal encounter. 

Marine’s Father Sues Funeral Protesters

As Albert Snyder, of York, Pa. buried his son Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder who was killed in Iraq in March, members of the Westboro Baptist Church did what they do best.  They interrupted the grieving of Matthew’s family and friends, the showed utter disrespect for fellow human beings and the good man they were remembering, they called down the fury of God against homosexuals (or so they say) and they just generally annoyed the hell out of everyone present.

Today, AP reports, Mr. Snyder has taken a little action of his own.  He has filed a lawsuit charging invasion of privacy.  It is the first time a service member’s family has sued the group but not the first time WBC has dealt with the courts.  In fact, the church has filed complaints with the help of the ACLU against some of the states who’ve banned their public displays. 

Whatever happens in court, our prayers are with Mr. Snyder and his family.

In this case, it’s hard to know with whom to be the most disgusted… the Westboro Batty Church for being so obnoxious or the Aint’ gotta CLUe for claiming they have a right to behave so badly.  The real victims in this case are the Snyders.  And homosexuals who, however you read the Bible, aren’t hated by God.  He hates acts not people.  And, of course, Baptists and other religious people are victims in this, too,  because Phelps and his inbred congregation makes all of us look rabid psychos. 

Well, would you look at that I finally found some commond ground…   

Just another Manic Monday

I’m hit and run blogging today.  It’s our last week of school and our last week in quarters.  I did want to pass this link along, though.  It came to me via my sister who is a whiz at games of every kind.  This one is called Drive Like a Kennedy.  You get to collect gold coins and pink elephants while you are dodging guardrails.  It wasn’t lost on this motorist that police cars are prolific but don’t bother to stop the Kennedy-mobile.  ROTFLMBO.

 

Is the West worth saving?

Pat Buchanan has a write up over at WND that is an almost fatalistic approach to the culture war that aggravates many American Christians.  Two quotes from the article:

What if the free society chooses to become a decadent and depraved society? Do we still owe it allegiance and loyalty? Does a community have the right to impose its values, if those values are rooted in religion, on a minority that disbelieves in those values? We certainly did that during the civil rights era of the 1960s…

…”What makes you think the West is worth saving?” the priest asked Whittaker Chambers when he visited him in that hospital room in the 1950s. Good question then. Better question now.

Good points in the article and some serious food for thought.  Stay inside the matrix or take the little blue (was it the blue one?) pill…  Up to you, Neo.  But one has to wonder, how the separatist feeling I got while reading Buchanan’s piece jives with “Be in the world but not of the world”.  And what is a realistic proposal for those of us who agree with the general premise that the nation’s “soul” has been sold for a veritable mess of pottage?  What are devoted Christians to do in these times when our values are becoming increasingly unpopular and institutionally obselete? 

 

Protecting Marriage part II

Protecting Marriage through State Legislatures has proven meaningless.  Can the Feds do any better?  Odds are there won’t even be a convention to consider the Marriage Protection Amendment.  Most pundits argue that 67 votes in the Senate just isn’t in the cards.  The truth is that this little exercise is one in “outing” the politicians who refuse to come to the defense of marriage (or homosexuality, depending on which side of the issue you fall).  But laying politics aside, there are much larger issues with respect to homosexuality that need to be addressed.

Many people believe that there is no “homosexual agenda” driving our society to embrace the gay/lesbian lifestyle and that rather, homosexuals are simply trying to gain rights that most people deserve.  There are a variety of sources readily available that disprove this notion.  One pro-homosexuality website contains the transcript of an editorial written by Michael Swift in 1987 for the Gay Community News.  The preface denounces the misuse of Swift’s words by the religious right, essentially claiming that the editorial piece was taken out of context and was merely fantastical as the opening line suggests.  The AFA analyzed the piece and has added footnotes to current events that show the actual fulfilment of Swift’s “imaginings”. 

My only comment is this:  A drunk man’s words are a sober man’s thoughts.  And so far my research does not indicate that Swift was writing under the influence.

Further evidence of a dedicated agenda to normalize this behavior (and ask yourself, if the behavior were normal, would it have to be normalized?) can be found by perusing the Commercial Closet an organization dedicated to pushing the advertising world to present gays and lesbians as a normal and legit part of society through print media and televised ad campaigns.  In fact, the Commercial Closet will send a guest lecturer to explain how marketing has changed over the years and should continue to chage in it’s treatment of homosexuals.

A description of the lecture series references the gays in advertising:

The Advertising Sensitivity Program covers eight sections:
1.) Classic Stereotypes – Queens, Predators, Pedophiles, Leathermen & The Village People
2.) Negative: Creepy Looks, Disgust & Violence
3.) Negative: Transgender Tricksters – Bulging Eyes, Gaping Mouths
4.) Negative: Bisexuals – My Cheatin’ Heart
5.) Equal: Gay Friends, Family, Neighbors & Colleagues
6.) Equal: Male Fantasies ‘Lesbian Chic’
7.) Positive: Transgender: A Spiked-Heel Forward
8.) Positive: Gays Kiss, Date, Marry & Adopt

Remember that Alexander Pope quote I posted a few months back?

Vice is a monster of so frightful mien,

As, to be hated, needs but to be seen;

Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,

We first endure, then pity, then embrace. (An Essay on Man, epistle i, l. 217.)

It provides quite the parallel, doesn’t it?  There is so much more to say about this issue.  Suffice it to say that I have written and called my Senators, my representative and Mr. Bush on the matter…  for all the good it’ll do.

 

For more on the agenda, check these links.

Frappr has a site for people interested in carrying out the homosexual agenda. Listing that agenda as follows:

1) Destroy the Institution of Marriage!
2) Recruit young people for the Cause!
3) Make Christianity illegal!
4) Ban all references to God in public schools!
5) Covertly slip references to homosexuality into popular culture every day!

Democratic Underground – the liberal virtual hotspot, apparently thinks the whole agenda is funny.  Go figure. (But there’s a vast right wing conspiracy!!!!!)

Here’s an interesting one if you can stomach it (I chose not to try) of a GLSEN (you know that group that comes into public schools to make sure we all understand homosexual youth and make them feel ’safe’) sponsored event where the speaker explains graphically the process of ‘fisting’ and then teaches the lecture participants how to perform the act.  I had to look up what that act is since I didn’t listen to the audio and I don’t encourage it.  I’ll let the matter rest with the summation that paid public school employees gave the lecture and were teaching students how to be homosexuals.  ‘Nuff said.

James K. Fitzpatrick has a great piece on the agenda.

Read about one GLBT group in California and judge for yourself.

The homosexual agenda – “Homosexuality is the basis for Western Civilization”.

Gay Agenda Unmasked refers to “…the calculated, planned “homosexualization” of America by militant gays and lesbians was encouraged by homosexual advocates Marshall Kirk and Hunter Madsen in their book After the Ball: How America Will Conquer Its Fear and Hatred of Gays in the 90’s (1989, Doubleday/Bantam).”  (More GAU links)

GAU goes on to enumerate the stated agenda as presented in the 1993 Gay Pride March (Wash. DC).

		1	Repeal all sodomy laws and legalize all forms of sexual expression. (Including pedophilia, changing age of consent laws to allow sex with youth.)
		2	Divert defense budget funds to cover AIDS patients’ medical expenses, and taxpayer funding of sex change operations.
		3	Legalize same sex marriages, and legalize adoption, custody, and foster care within these structures.
		4	Fully include lesbians, homosexual men, bisexuals and trans-genders in education and childcare.
		5	Make contraceptives and abortion services available to all persons, regardless of age.
		6	Require taxpayer funding for artificial insemination of lesbians and bisexuals. Forbid religious based concerns regarding homosexuality from being expressed [as is already the case on radio & TV in Canada].
		7	Require organizations, such as Boy Scouts, accept homosexual scoutmasters.
	Tolerance is the code word for unconditional acceptance of homosexuality. Diversity has always meant multiculturalism, but diversity has now become another code word and it’s been changed from culture to homosexual conduct.4