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Posted on 01/10/2005 9:50:42 AM PST by Ellesu
The 'offend-no-one' crowd just doesn't understand the First Amendment:
CHARLOTTESVILLE--There seems to be a new code of conduct in American society in which the golden rule is "offend no one."
At least that appears to be the case in Riverside, Calif., after city officials gave in to a threat of a lawsuit by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and agreed to cover up a Theodore Roosevelt quote in the Riverside County Historic Courthouse.
The quote in question, by an American who was the 26th president of our nation, states that "The true Christian is the true citizen." It is engraved in gold on a mahogany wall in a courtroom of the County Superior Court, one of many quotes engraved on the court's walls, some secular in nature, that reflect the personal and diverse philosophies of the nation's past leaders, including Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln.
Although these quotes have been displayed on the court's walls for more than 70 years without any formal complaint, the ADL claims that the Roosevelt quote "marginalizes" non-Christians who come into contact with the courthouse and, thus, needs to be removed.
The Riverside Courthouse and the ADL have now been sued by a local resident who claims that California preservation laws make it a crime to alter a historical site in any way. The Riverside Courthouse was designated a "cultural resource" and a "designated historical site" many years ago. The suit also charges the ADL with engaging in censorship.
Yet this incident is about more than just censoring Teddy Roosevelt--it's about censoring anyone and anything that challenges an individual's or group's notions of what is appropriate or politically correct, especially when religious expression is involved.
Religious symbols have been among the forms of expression most targeted for attack--from the tiny cross on Los Angeles County's seal (which was removed after the ACLU threatened a lawsuit) to small religious images, including a student-drawn angel, on some commemorative tiles in the hallways of Columbine High School in remembrance of the students killed during the horrific shootings that took place there. The tiles were chiseled out by school officials who feared that the religious imagery might violate the so-called "separation of church and state."
Even walkway bricks have become objects of outrage to the "offend no one" crowd. For example, after the parents of one student complained, Potomac Falls school officials removed a handful of bricks that bore a small cross symbol from a school walkway and replaced them with black placeholders.
The engraved bricks had been part of a fund-raising campaign to help student clubs and organizations pay for school field trips. The campaign involved the sale of engraved bricks, which were personalized with a limited amount of text and a small symbol selected from a list of icons provided by the school, including the image of a cross.
The bricks were then placed in the "Walkway of Fame" around the school's flagpole. The Rutherford Institute filed a lawsuit against the school for removing the "offensive" bricks, and a federal court recently ruled that the school had engaged in unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination.
Other absurd examples abound. For example, while Maryland public school students are free to thank anyone they want while learning about the 17th-century celebration of Thanksgiving, they may not thank God. Capital News Service reporter Laurel Lundstrom pointed out that while Maryland students read stories about the Pilgrims and Native Americans, simulate Mayflower voyages, hold mock feasts, and learn about the famous meal that temporarily allied two very different groups, teachers don't mention that the Pilgrims not only thanked the Native Americans for their peaceful three-day indulgence but repeatedly thanked God.
Incredibly enough, we're taking our rich, diverse cultural heritage--some of it dating back 300 years--and throwing it in the trash, all for the sake of not offending some individual or special-interest group that might not like it.
And recently, The Rutherford Institute was contacted by the parents of a Florida elementary school student after they learned that although songs celebrating Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and the winter season were going to be included in the school's winter concert, Christian Christmas songs had been excluded from the program. Thankfully, after Rutherford Institute attorneys intervened, school officials quickly changed their tune and included Christmas in the concert lineup.
Yet another testament to the "don't offend anyone" principle involves the recent hullabaloo over the ACLU's insistence that the military needs to stop sponsoring the Boy Scouts. Why? It seems that the Scouts' insistence that their members believe in God and oppose homosexuality on moral grounds makes them unfit for government support. Now the Department of Defense has been asked to reconsider its ban on direct Boy Scout sponsorship.
Censorship and overreaction by public officials are the main issues in most of these cases. It certainly has nothing to do with the usual complaint of the so-called separation of church phrase.
Too often, the wall-of-separation phrase is used by separatist organizations to bludgeon away any religious reference in public places. However, the phrase is nowhere in the Constitution. And when Thomas Jefferson coined the phrase, his intent was to protect religious expression, not censor it.
Recently, the Supreme Court decided to hear two cases, both of which deal with the display of the Ten Commandments on public property. It's hoped that in these cases, the court will clear up the confusion over what can or cannot be placed on the walls of public institutions.
In this age of no offense, Americans do have a choice. We can erase our traditions (some that are centuries old) and censor anything (mostly religious references) that may offend someone.
Or we can recover our common sense and maintain some semblance of the institutions and heritage that have helped foster the freedoms we so dearly cherish.
Welcome to Generica.
"Protect the hypersensitive. Ban everything."
Gay and Lesbian Awareness Day (and the like) truly offends the sensibilities of millions of Americans. But those people don't count because those are "religious" sensibilities.
It's time to start removing these Socialist operatives from our schools for this type of behavior. The parents, Taxpayers and students OWN that school!
The Administrators, administrate with the approval of the Taxpayers, Parents and the Students. It's starting to seem that the Socialists, are setting the pace where ever they are without any authority except the authority of their little offices. We better start getting this across straight ourway or the HIWAY!! The Majority Rules!!
I could be wrong here, but I think that we're close to the point where bullets will be fired against "court" "rulings". I could be wrong.
Don't know who said it first,
"Those who stand for nothing will fall for anything!"
That's what the left wants. A world where nobody has enough principle to stand up and say "Hey, that's wrong!"
Tear down the courthouse and leave the ten commandments.
I think when the people of America wake up and discover that in Philadelphia Scripture is now HATE speech--and
California wants to impliment similar invalid law.I suspect
most of the Blue States -and most Democrats think the govt.
has a duty to "lead" the people by governing what they may think.Hate Crimes legislation is after all Thought Crimes.
And a thing once lost is always more difficult to restore
than upkeep would have been. SO I warn Guns up and eyes forward the enemy has set the ambush and our only hope is
to push on through to the other side.
You are right.
As of my last reading of the constitution and bill of rights, I could find nowhere, the right not to be offended.
'Gay and Lesbian Awareness Day (and the like) truly offends the sensibilities of millions of Americans. But those people don't count because those are "religious" sensibilities.'
Besides, the ADL thinks those perversions are 'Kool':
ADL TOUTS HOMOSEXUALITY IN HINHGAM [sic] SCHOOLDS [sic]
'The religious organization ADL is active in schools across the state with its message about homosexuality. It labels anyone who disagrees as a "hater."
A religious group is working in Hingham schools and across the state with selectmen, police, legislators and others to promote an outdated, discredited view about the gay gene. Anyone who disagrees with their antiquated theories is called a "hater.".....'
'...The religious organization that is operating in Hingham is a "Jewish" organization known as the Anti-Defamation League.
It has a program called, "No Place for Hate." The only problem with their program is in deciding who is going to define the word "hate." It's a wonderful concept. But almost no one thinks beyond the catchy title.
On their website under "No Place for Hate," they list "sexual orientation" as one of the protected classes for whom they are working.
Many Jews disagree with this group of liberals. But any person who dares to dissent with their belief in the "gay gene," quickly becomes a "hater."
How can this religious group be working in our schools? Are other religious organizations also invited?
Rabbi Daniel Lapin of Toward Tradition says that the head of the ADL, Abe Foxman, is the Jews' "Own Worst Enemy." He told UPI that Foxman's "tireless efforts" to convince American Jews that they are beset by "a phantom of anti-Semitism," when their own experience suggests otherwise, "have helped to confirm many in the belief that being a Jew has to do mainly with being oppressed and hated."
He points out that the ADL "gets paid [by contributors] according to how much anti-Semitism it finds." It's also obvious that if ADL can add homosexuals to the list of people they "protect," they can get even more money flowing in for Mr. Foxman.....' http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b362bcd2d0e.htm
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When you really own something, you have the power to decided whether to spend money on it. Indeed, you have the power to decide whether you even have it at all. Not so with the "public" skools. Time to open your eyes -- this is serfdom paid for with the serf's own money. Those taxpayers own nothing.
Also, I need to point out something else here. "The majority" really does not rule, nor should it. As long as you believe that it SHOULD, then you will believe that you ought to roll over and accept whatever you think it wants. But what if the "majority" is no majority at all? (Think WA governor, for example.)
If you are not attending school board meetings and electing school board officials that will not listen to the peoples opinion on building,managing or whatever with your schools,you will lose ownership.
As far as the Majority and the WA state election > The Majority has been heard and the fact that the in the firat two counts of the ballots with a Rossi Win.
The fact that the recount after recount until the Dummo candidate could claim a victory indicates that election officials are either corrupt or incompetent which points to the validity of the true Majority.
A few more thoughts:
'Incredibly enough, we're taking our rich, diverse cultural heritage--some of it dating back 300 years--and throwing it in the trash, all for the sake of not offending some individual or special-interest group that might not like it. '
Our Christian heritage goes back almost 400 years [not counting this history, which is sure to raise some hackles: http://www.blueletterbible.org/tsk_b/Gen/12/2.html ].
Christian heritage
Cape Henry, A Christian Nation
By The 700 Club
CBN.com - - English settlers came to America to spread the gospel.
April 29 marked the anniversary of an event that is central to CBN's ministry today. On that day in 1607 a nation was born when travel-weary Englishmen landed at Cape Henry on the shores of Virginia. There they established the foundation for what would become the most powerful country the world has ever seen.
Act 1, Scene 1 of the drama that was to be the United States unfolded that day at Cape Henry, and the legacy of godliness on American shores was sparked.
From these shores, settlers claimed the day for the glory of Jesus Christ promising the gospel of God's kingdom would go forth to the nations.
+++ America's destiny and purpose were sealed with the cross they erected at Cape Henry. All that would follow in our nation's growth hinged on the single proclamation that THIS LAND BELONGED TO JESUS CHRIST.....' [see http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Psa/Psa002.html#2 ]
[I have a LOT of problems with Pat Robertson, but this was the first entry that came up in my search, and I'm ok with this one.] LINK http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/BibleStudyAndTheology/Discipleship/Cape_Henry_A_Christian_Nation.asp?option=print
'Recently, the Supreme Court decided to hear two cases, both of which deal with the display of the Ten Commandments on public property. It's hoped that in these cases, the court will clear up the confusion over what can or cannot be placed on the walls of public institutions.' [Hegelian dialect at work. Note: nwo is built 'from the bottom up', frog in the cool water routine. Watch; the Ten Commandments will be 'sacrificed' to the already standing 'Noahide Laws'. Old Khazar trick, agreeing on a religion of common ground, as long as that ground is not The Rock the builders rejected. Hope I'm wrong. If I'm not, you will have seen the whites of their eyes.]
'Although these quotes have been displayed on the court's walls for more than 70 years without any formal complaint, the ADL claims that the Roosevelt quote "marginalizes" non-Christians who come into contact with the courthouse and, thus, needs to be removed.'
Hey, I find the 'Noahide Laws' [Talmudic laws also known as the law of the Pharisees], promulgated by two branches of government and about to be approved by the third [ http://www.adelaideinstitute.org/Beauty/talmud.htm . See also http://nord.twu.net/acl/talmudiclaw.html ], marginalize Christians, non-Jews, and non-'Noachides' [Noachides are basically freemasons], by declaring them second-class citizens worthy of punishment [whipping, etc, and decapitation]. Do you think the ADL or the ACLU cares?
'The Riverside Courthouse and the ADL have now been sued by a local resident who claims that California preservation laws make it a crime to alter a historical site in any way. The Riverside Courthouse was designated a "cultural resource" and a "designated historical site" many years ago. The suit also charges the ADL with engaging in censorship. '
hohoho
Job 5:13 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.
http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Job/Job005.html#13http://www.blueletterbible.org/tsk_b/Job/5/13.html
See also:
http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/2Ch/2Ch020.html#11 to verse 23 to verse 29. May they fall on each other's swords [figuratively speaking, of course!]
There, I feel better!
http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Psa/Psa002.html#2 should have read http://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/Psa/Psa002.html#6
I'm offended by bans on things that are offensive. So we should ban banning things that are offensive. Of course, that might offend those who think a ban banning things that are offensive is offensive. So maybe we should ban banning bans of things that are offensive. But then that might offend those who think a ban banning bans of things that are offensive is offensive. Perhaps we should also ban bans of banning bans of things that are offensive...
My head hurts now. I'm offended by my head hurting...
A freind of mine says the majority of American Jews are
practicing th e Rleigion of Liberalism and reject Orthodox Judaism. I tend to agree with my Orthodox Freind.
I too have problems with Pat Robertson ,but as with most
Christians sooner or later they blunder into a truth.
Child prostitutes will burn in Hell -if that is written
in Scripture. ( condition is the Godly judgement call called Repentence. SOmething between the individual and God.Not for you or I to say for certain.) Show me any
passage/verse of Scripture and IF rightly understood I
can gaurentee it is accurate and applicable-problem comes in with our darkened understanding.
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