A local win! The city council of my adopted city–Roswell, GA–has strongly rejected a proposal to begin council meetings with prayer. What’s more, council members report that the feedback of their constituents has been overwhelmingly against having prayer. I could not be more pleased with our city council. Actually, I could be more pleased, since it was a councilwoman (Betty “Getting Back to the Roots of Our Country” Price) who introduced the proposal.
Archive for the ‘civil rights’ Category
Roswell, GA rejects city council prayer
Friday, March 12th, 2010
9th Circuit rejects Newdow
Thursday, March 11th, 2010The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the Constitutionality of the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance and the motto “In God We Trust” on American currency. This double body-blow denies two lawsuits spearheaded by Michael Newdow. You can read the Court’s opinions here and here.
I have not had time to absorb these rulings in detail, but right away I wonder how the Court can use the Declaration of Independence (citing the phrase “endowed by their Creator” as an expression of the Founding Fathers’ beliefs) as a litmus test for the Constitutionality of the phrase “under God.” The DoI is an historically significant document, but it has no force of law whatsoever. The Constitution does, and it’s internally consistent throughout that government and religion ought not mix.
The Court also makes confounding statements like “the motto (’In God We Trust’) has no theological or ritualistic impact. As stated by the Congressional report, it has ’spiritual and psychological value’ and ‘inspirational quality.’” Please explain to me the substantive difference between “theological” and “spiritual”–for that matter, how can the word “God” itself be said to have no theological impact???
Anti-gay Senator is gay
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010Yeah, I know that sounds like a LOLCATS caption (it also sounds like one of those news-that’s-not-news items like “World’s Oldest Person Dies”), but apparently it’s true. California State Senator Roy Ashburn is the latest anti-homosexual crusader who is himself a homosexual. What is it with these people? What’s worse than his political bigotry is the explanation he offers for his voting record: that that’s how he thought his constituents would want him to vote. Now, I’m all for democracy, but not just undiluted mob rule. Representative democracy means the people get a voice, but it also means that elected representatives have an obligation to do the right thing based on their own best judgment, not by putting a wet finger to the wind. How sick do you have to be to repeatedly vote against the very thing that defines you?
Podcast #83 – Secular Coalition at the White House
Monday, March 8th, 2010
John C. Snider with Christopher Hitchens, Emory University, February 26, 2010
American Atheists president Ed Buckner reports on the recent meeting between representatives of the Secular Coalition for America with White House officials.
Plus: We meet the Hitch! Allison joins us to talk about “The Only Subject Is Love,” a seminar we attended at Emory University featuring Salman Rushdie, Christopher Hitchens, and filmmaker Deepa Mehta (who is developing a film adaptation of Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children). The event celebrates the opening of Rushdie’s archives at Emory. Surprises included spontaneous recitations of poetry (Hitchens selecting the heartwrenching “Dulce et Decorum est,” Rushdie the humorous “The Walrus and the Carpenter.”) And…we learned that Hitchens’ memoir–Hitch 22–is due out in June!
Homeschooled = Evangelical?
Sunday, March 7th, 2010I’m not opposed to homeschooling on general principle. I think it’s possible for reasonably intelligent parents to provide their children a decent education at home. Unfortunately, in the United States the word “homeschooler” has an incredibly strong correlation with “evangelical brainwasher.” This recent news article reveals that the vast majority of American homeschoolers do so, not because they think they are better at teaching math at home, but rather for religious reasons. Indeed, as the article discusses, there’s a frightening number of publishers who put out textbooks that are really just delivery systems for fundamentalist propaganda–especially when it comes to evolution. Alas.
Podcast #81 – Announcing Unity 2013
Friday, February 19th, 2010
Margaret Downey (former president of Atheist Alliance International, now a “freethought free agent”) announces the formation of the Unity 2013 Event Committee. What is Unity 2013? Nobody knows just yet, but what we do know is that it’ll be big, it has the blessing of such notables as Daniel Dennett, and it’ll involve many (if not most) of the major freethought-friendly organizations. To keep abreast of the details as they unfold, check out the Unity 2013 Facebook page.
Podcast #79 – E-meters for Haiti?
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010
Earthquake-devastated Haiti has become a magnet for kooky, misguided (but perhaps well-intentioned) religious groups. Scientologist John Travolta (disguised, apparently, as L. Ron Hubbard–see photo at right) has personally flown his private 707 to Haiti, delivering food, medical supplies, and “volunteer ministers” who claim the ability to heal through therapeutic touch. Meanwhile, a Christian group called Faith Comes By Hearing has sent 600 solar-powered audiobook Bibles. Finally, a group of Idaho Baptists were arrested trying to transport Haitian orphans (some of whom weren’t actually orphans) across the border into the Dominican Republic.
Podcast #77 – Sports Losses and Southern Crosses
Friday, January 15th, 2010
University of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was sidelined with a shoulder injury early-on at college football’s 2010 Rose Bowl. McCoy had to watch from the bench as Texas lost the National Championship to Alabama. But that’s okay, ’cause it’s all part of God’s Plan.
Tiger Woods’ rumored infidelities have been all the rage with the tabloids, but who’da thunk Fox News pundit Brit Hume (not exactly an outspoken evangelical zealot) would make us forget all about it with his shoot-from-the-hip comparison of Buddhism and Christianity.
North Georgia parents Patty Jo Marsh and Jacob Bartels decided it was a good idea to give tattoos to six of their seven children. Themselves. With a homemade tattoo machine. Now they’re charged with illegal tattooing, reckless conduct, and more. Oh, did we mention the tattoos were of Christian crosses?
Podcast #75 – Can Atheists Hold Office in NC?
Monday, December 21st, 2009
Cecil Bothwell has just been elected to the city council of Asheville, North Carolina. He happens to be an atheist. The North Carolina state constitution bars atheists from holding elected office. (For what it’s worth, seven other states still have constitutional provisions that discriminate against non-believers.) Is this a case of continuing institutionalized bigotry, or just an amusingly unenforceable “quirk” left over from the 19th century? (For more on Mr. Bothwell visit cecilbothwell.wordpress.com)
An atheist city councilman, but…
Sunday, December 13th, 2009Cecil Bothwell is a new city councilman in Asheville, NC (a liberal enclave in an otherwise fairly conservative state). Bothwell happens to be an atheist, but the North Carolina state constitution prohibits any officeholder “who shall deny the being of Almighty God.” Of course, anyone with a lick of sense knows that that provision is unconstitutional and would never stand up to a Supreme Court challenge–even Antonin Scalia would probably toss it out. It’s also obvious that no North Carolina legislator would risk his or her political career by daring to suggest amending the state constitution to remove this nasty bit of prejudice.