Yesterday I mentioned the Right’s new pretty shiny thing, which is a claim that Christians are persecuted when they are not granted exclusive, special rights to discriminate against gays and ignore health insurance regulations. As ridiculous as that is, given the current makeup of the Supreme Court, it wouldn’t surprise me if the justices conceded those rights. But there’s a situation in Louisiana that may push the issue over a line even Antonin Scalia himself may have to hold his nose to cross.
This is something I wrote about a few days ago on the other blog. A 6th grade teacher in a Louisiana public school has been using her classroom to indoctrinate children into creationism, 6,000-year-old earth and all. In a brilliant example of Peak Stupid, she actually said that if evolution were true, apes would still be turning into humans today.
One of the students, identified as C.C., is a Buddhist boy adopted from Thailand. Well, here’s what happened, according to Raw Story:
One test she gave to students asked: “ISN’T IT AMAZING WHAT THE _____________ HAS MADE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!†The correct answer was “Lord,†but C.C. wrote in something else. Roark responded by scolding the boy in front of the entire class.
When informed that C.C. was a Buddhist and therefore didn’t believe in God, Roark allegedly responded, “you’re stupid if you don’t believe in God.â€
On another accusation, she allegedly described both Buddhism and Hinduism as “stupid.â€
Certainly, this teacher would know stupid. And then when the parents complained to the superintendent, the superintendent told them that maybe they should transfer the boy to another school, particularly one with more Asians.
For some perplexing reason (/snark), the ACLU has sued.
Now, here’s the update: Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal is more or less saying that if the court’s stifle the teacher, this would be a violation of the teacher’s rights of free expression. His office issued this statement:
“Religious freedom is foundational to liberty in America. In this case, the plaintiffs are alleging violations of the establishment clause not the free exercise clause. We don’t want to comment on this particular case before hearing the defendant’s side of the story, but as a general rule, government needs to be very careful before making decisions that restrict any American’s religious freedoms.”
I’m sure I’ve said before that conservatives like to pretend the establishment clause isn’t there, or is somehow lesser to the free exercise clause, although in fact without the establishment clause the free exercise clause isn’t worth much. Certainly, the child being coerced into expressing belief in God by a government employee is not having his free exercise rights respected, is he?
A few days earlier, Jindal gave a speech claiming there is a “silent war” on religious liberty.
“This war is waged in our courts and in the halls of political power. It is pursued with grim and relentless determination by a group of like-minded elites, determined to transform the country from a land sustained by faith — into a land where faith is silenced, privatized, and circumscribed.
I like the part about religion being “privatized.” That’s bad? Republicans want Medicare and Social Security, government programs, to be privatized, but religion — which is supposed to be every citizen’s own damn business, not the government’s — is to become a function of government? Is that what he’s saying?
Their vision of America is not the vision of the Founding. It’s not even the vision of ten years ago. It’s a vision in which an individual’s devotion to Almighty God is accorded as much respect as a casual hobby — and with about as many rights and protections.
Like this founding father, Jindal? And how about protecting C.C. from having to swear belief in God to get along with his teacher? Are you saying the government’s public “rights” override the rights of a citizen?
These elites have to this point faced little opposition – a non-profit here, a dedicated attorney there, a small business over there. A handful of principled organizations with the courage to stand up to the crushing weight of a liberal consensus unalterably opposed to their participation in the public square. They are the remnant who have the temerity to believe in America and its promises — and to do something about it.
What participation in the public square? You can participate all you like; just don’t try to use government to push your religious beliefs on others.
Seriously, I think this needs to be hung around the neck of the whole GOP. Whose rights do you support? C.C.’s or the teacher’s?
I no longer believe in The FSM.
I believe in the ABM – The Almighty Beefaroni Monster.
And my Lord, the ABM craves red meat – with or without faux tomato sauce.
He especially craves the red meat of Christianista imbeciles.
When I take a Christian’s life, it can’t be murder, can it?
It’s only a blood-sacrifice to my Lord.
What’s this teachers name?
I’m sure the ABM will find her especially delicious!
Hey, it’s MY religion!
Who is anyone to mock it?!?!?!?!?!
FECKIN’ EEDJITS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Infidel! FSM knows his own and will bespatter your best white dress shirt with the ever-staining sauce. And your little tie, too!
Bill,
HA!
No threat there!
My shirts and ties are all already bespattered – and have been for years!
And I managed to THAT all by myself – no Deus Ex Machina needed!
They are the remnant who have the temerity to believe in America and its promises — and to do something about it.
That sounds a little Jehovah’s Witness-ish with a patriotic twist. They are big on pushing the remnant concept. The true believers. It’s like they are jockeying for favor from Yahweh through their dedication and obedience to get billeted for one of the 144,000 available slots as spiritual Israelites in the celestial government to come. Yeah, and I hear the competition for placement is stiff.
It’s a vision in which an individual’s devotion to Almighty God is accorded as much respect as a casual hobby — and with about as many rights and protections.
Unless your casual hobby is something like money laundering or cannibalism, I don’t see what there is to complain about. I don’t see anybody interfering with anybody’s right to fly model airplanes or paint water colors.
Besides, I don’t have a devotion to Almighty God, so I hope I’ll be accorded respect for something. I don’t actually fly model airplanes, but for instance I do play guitar and banjo, both poorly enough to qualify as a casual hobby. Do I get any respect for that?
Oh wait, that’s not how it works, is it? Unless everyone plays the banjo I should feel persecuted.
When a teacher bullies any student based on the child’s gender, ethnicity, religion, hair color, physical size/shape, physical ability or economic status, the teacher should be fired, period. That’s a miserably unhappy human in the wrong line of work, who is going to create a long line of other miserably unhappy humans.
Meanwhile, this breaking news: Bobby Jindal is still an idiot.
Coming out in support of religious bullying is probably the stupidest move ever by the GOP, and that’s saying a lot. Younger Americans will disown the party faster than ever. It would be fun to watch, if it didn’t involve hearing about people like that evil woman in Louisiana.
Well, I am nothing if I am not a People Pleaser. So I guess I need to give these folks what the so desperately want. I ‘ll just need to put on the old JACK BOOTS once again, and round up a Southern Baptist Church into a concentration camp and force them to read the Constitution. . God , this sure gets old.
if the court’s stifle the teacher, this would be a violation of the teacher’s rights of free expression.
I’m sure these same people would be very supportive if a Muslim teacher directed the class to pray to Mecca as an expression of his religion. It’s not about freedom of religion, it’s domination by THEIR religion.
“We must also keep some perspective on this silent war. It is a challenging time to be a believer in America, yes. But consider the plight of believers around the world today. In nation after nation, Christians are being slaughtered by radical Islamists for their beliefs.”
What’s Bobby Joe Jindal saying here? That the radical Islamists should be denied the free exercise of their religious faith if their faith commands them to kill infidels? Or is it that the inalienable rights endowed to us by our creator only extend within the territorial boundaries of the United States and with the bestowment of citizenship?
I think Jindal kinda gives something away in terms of logic when he places the adjective radical before Islam. It just seems to leave a lot of wiggle room in pinning down a truth. How does that work out when compared to a radical Christian?
Who knows?.. But I do know that the term ‘liberal elite” is intended as derogatory term. Yet, actually, for me it’s more like a compliment. Maybe not so much the liberal part, but the ‘elite” designation is a step up for my status in reality. One look at my high school transcripts ( industrial arts major) and my life time academic achievements would give any casual observer a quick understanding of why I would embrace being called an elite.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5O1RVWB8MQ
I’m going to be brief. (For once.) If you want to understand Bobby and his cohorts, watch this video – it’s more entertaining than I am. (Which don’t say much.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI_Oe-jtgdI
Now, substitute Bobby or any of the conservatives who wants to be elected with Professor Hill. If you haven’t seen the whole movie, he’s running a con selling band instruments and band uniforms to the rube parents and has no idea how to get a group of kids to play. Bobby and his ilk have no idea how to govern for the people, but they do understand presenting the the con to the rubes..
Ah, Robert Preston. One of the all-time greats. Unfortunately, Bobby Jindal is no Robert Preston.
I think the solution to the problem is to give self proclaimed serious Christians a copy of the 10 commandments and the beautitudes and have them swear an oath to uphold them. No killing in war, no talking shit about others, no more cheating with that little cutie down at the wing house, and you have to turn the other cheek, fuck that standing your ground shit. This is not by definition, a christian nation.
Maybe we should make it 11 commandments for Huckabee…Thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s jelly donut.
Fortunately, Bobby can’t sing or dance like Robert Preston. I dread the idea that a charismatic figurehead for the radical conservative movement will emerge. Fortunately they have feet of clay and Bobby has a voice like fingernails on a blackboard. The strategy of rabble-rousing is only and exactly as effective as the leader who performs.
I dread the idea that a charismatic figurehead for the radical conservative movement will emerge.
What do you mean “will” emerge? Ted Cruz has already made his debut. He’s like the Pied Piper of radical conservatism. Handsome , charming, extremely intelligent, and humble.. What more can a radical conservative ask for in a mere mortal?
Ted Cruz isn’t Ronald Reagan. He can get high numbers in the Tea Party for spouting radical – but what turns on the TP won’t sell among moderates. Cruz will be important in the 2016 elections – he will savage his opponents in the primary. So I’m delighted to have him around – I may contribute to his campaign.
Ummmm one quibble – while much of your description of Ted is subjective – I missed the example of humility in Cruz..
Well, Cruz might be just a little bit impressed with himself. 🙂
“she actually said that if evolution were true, apes would still be turning into humans today”
If I want any of that fancy science learin I’ll open the bible!
It seems impossible, but wasn’t Jindhal a Rhodes scholar? He must be playing the fool to keep the other fools in the camp.
Swami, as usual an interesting link. In my old Florida days, I used to belong to a church that believed in handling crocodiles. We figured we’d go the scripture one better. I lost touch with the rest of the congregation over the years, one by one, they stopped writing. None of them even seems to have a facebook page. That seems kind of odd to me, because we were a close knit group.
I have a Rossetta Stone “Tongues” edition for sale on ebay if anyone is interested.
goatherd… I’ll pass on the Rossetta Stone Edition of tongues. I’m already fluent in tongues. And aside from that, I don’t think the people at Rossetta Stone teach the proper verb conjugations.
Makita, Makita Subaru Honda!
Goatheard – Is it possible that one by one, they all got eaten by the crock? The last sacrificial victim deserves special recognition after seeing the others disappear down the crocks gullet. Faith is a commendable virtue, unless it’s misplaced. but Christians can depend on the gift of discernment to warn them like an alarm.
Oh, to answer your question about how far our Christian Reich-Wingers will go, the answer is, as far as they can – and then, another step!
Then, when they’re finally swatted down, they can weep and moan and shriek that they’re the victims – AGAIN!!!
Always, all of those poor God’s favorite special snowflakes, are the victims!
“If apes turned into men, how come there are still apes?”
My great-grandparents came from Europe. How come there are still Europeans?
This works as a retort, if you don’t mind indulging in nationalistic tribalism to make a point.
Who was it who said?…”Claims of persecution by being denied perceived religious freedoms is the last refuge of a scoundrel”.
If the bible is true than every fossil is a perjurer. – Robert Ingersoll
Good old Huck, smoked one too many pork butts. Now the jelly donut Jones.
Gosh Doug, you may be on to something. Some of the crocks were getting pretty big that about the time I left Florida.
—————
Actually, I agree that some types of faith can be a virtue. I felt a little guilty making fun of snake handling because for some people, faith is the most important thing in the world and the greatest virtue. Some try to express their faith in ways that seem very strange to others.
I know people whose faith seems narcissistic, the god they believe in is mainly there to keep them centered in some cosmic drama. Sometimes this seems incredibly egotistical, while other people just have a desperate need for some sort of importance. I have friends who are struggling pretty hard financially, or in some other way. They “haven’t got a payer” of getting of an easier life, except they do have a prayer. Sometimes that’s all they have.
I guess in the end we’re all ridiculous, and thankfully, we’re all beautiful too, at least some of the time.
A guy walks into a backwater Florida bar with a crocodile under one arm and a bible under the other. He says to the bar tender, do you serve Holy Ghost preachers here? The bar tender replies… Yeah, we have to — it’s the law. So the guy says, Oh good.. Then give me a rum and coke, and give my crocodile a Holy Ghost preacher.
That might be a lame joke, but it’s an outstanding example of GOP code talking. And those who understand GOP code know exactly what I mean. There is no more need to enforce certain provisions of the Voting Rights Act?
Oh, now the evangelicals are going after the cable companies for impinging on their religious liberties.. Seems they are not happy about having to pay for the smut that comes packaged in with their religious programing. I guess they have a point.. Who wants to be forced to watch swapping wives when you only want to watch the 700 club?