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06-26-2002, 05:40 PM | #251 |
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I’ve been watching local news here in California. It’s really hard to watch. They are pretty much missing the point or misunderstanding. People on the street seemed to be disagreeing with the ruling saying that they should in fact be able to recite the Pledge, not really paying attention to the reason why the ruling was made. They see it as a matter of their patriotism being taken away and so do not want to lose that.
They also showed the reaction of some Congressmen, which was of course that they were “stunned”. Pretty much everyone they showed was against the ruling. There wasn’t equal time showing people who agreed and why. |
06-26-2002, 05:42 PM | #252 | |
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06-26-2002, 05:43 PM | #253 |
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I don't know what to say. In one sense Im happy, but in another, I think this descision might be overturned, and not only made into a holy cow amendment that we'll never see overturned in this generation, but give religious people even more rights to take away our freedom. Hopefully this won't turn into a Plessy vs. Ferguson for atheists.
I can't goto the march on washington, but more than ever I feel compelled to stand up for my rights. I've told my family what I think, but I know they respect my beliefs. I feel compelled to convince other people atheists are human. I think, this goes against everything America stands for, but people still see America as under god. Does anyone have an idea on how long its possible for this descision to be debated by the supreme court compared to the shortest possible resolution? Will this be decided in months or years? I think the march on washington has a new agenda though. We must communicate that secular doesn't mean anti-religion, and that everyones beliefs should be respected by the government. |
06-26-2002, 05:47 PM | #254 | |
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06-26-2002, 05:49 PM | #255 |
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As regards the "man-on-the-street" reaction that many of us are watching on the local/regional news, let's get real! The majority of people sounding off on this issue know only what they have read in online news glosses and on TV. The percentage of people who have actually read the Court's decision is probably not much higher than the percentage of people who claim "no religion" in polls. (I'm not suggesting that these groups are identical; I'm simply trying to underline the fact that most people base political judgements on insufficient information.)
Having read the decision, I am beginning to suspect that the Supreme Court won't touch this one with a ten-foot pole. I'm no legal scholar, but the reasoning used by the 9th Court seems formidable. I don't see how the SC could overturn it without looking like clowns. (Not that that's stopped them before.) |
06-26-2002, 05:53 PM | #256 |
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"either Deists, agnostics or atheists"
Name me one atheist founder. I have nothing against atheists or atheism itself but I've never heard of any of the founders being agnostics or atheists and technically Thomas Paine and Ethan Allen wouldn't be considered "founders" in the sense that we refer to those who participated in the framing of the constitution. Of course they're very important people in regards to the history of this country and I admire them both but they can't really be called "founders". |
06-26-2002, 05:54 PM | #257 |
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Yeah, it's also struck me as ironic that these are the same people that whine about how bad, no, how EVIL Afghanistan's religion-run government is, and then want to run our country with their religion. Religious hypocrisy at its finest!
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06-26-2002, 05:54 PM | #258 |
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My eyes gleam at the thought of the Supreme Court upholding this ruleing ....
One can only hope, one can only hope ...... |
06-26-2002, 05:55 PM | #259 |
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We Americans sure do live in a strange country. Nobody seems to care when the Republicans call for the teaching of crap like creationsim in public schools, yet virtually EVERYONE throws a fit when someone like Newdow dares to speak up for church/state separation. WTF???
Just watch...the fundies are going to use this ruling to ram their "religious freedom" amendment (school-sponsored prayer) through Congress and finally get "god" in the Constitution. It's possible that the wall of separation might be gone forever. |
06-26-2002, 05:57 PM | #260 | |
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