Republican North Carolina state legislators have proposed allowing an official state religion in a measure that would declare the state exempt from the Constitution and court rulings.
The bill, filed Monday by two GOP lawmakers from Rowan County and backed by nine other Republicans, says each state "is sovereign" and courts cannot block a state "from making laws respecting an establishment of religion." The legislation was filed in response to a lawsuit to stop county commissioners in Rowan County from opening meetings with a Christian prayer, wral.com reported.
The religion bill comes as some Republican-led states seek to separate themselves from the federal government, primarily on the issues of guns and Obamacare. This includes a proposal in Mississippi to establish a state board with the power to nullify federal laws.
I always like how the Republicans inflame their constituents by implying that President Obama and the Federal government are the ones not respecting the Constitution, but when it serves their needs they are the first to take a giant crap on it.
After all wasn't it George Bush who once said:
"Stop throwing the Constitution in my face," Bush screamed back. "It's just a goddamned piece of paper!"
The ONLY reason that these assholes argue for freedom of religion is that they fear someday THEIR religion will be blocked from having an impact on government, and then they will no longer have the cudgel to use in order to drive through bills that undermine our freedoms and impose their faith base prejudices on this nation.
I have watched for decades as the Evangelicals have stacked the courts, the school boards, their city assemblies, and the federal government with religious zealots, all with the ultimate goal of driving out the influences of secularism and other religious faiths so that one day they can run this nation as they see fit.
As a theocracy.
It looks like North Carolina just got tired of waiting.
Well this is confusing. Doesn't this contradict the GOP talking point that our founding documents established the U.S. and its states as a christian nation?
ReplyDeleteExcellent point!
DeleteMost southern states (NC included, according to the US Commerce Dept.) receive more funds from the Feds than they pay in taxes. Secession, which didn't work out so well for them the first time round despite more self-sufficient economies (and thus a rational base to argue therefore), seems to me silly- which isn't to argue it can't happen.
ReplyDeleteMethinks the term prisoner of rhetoric applies here, somewhat along the lines of the nut in N. Korea.
"When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross"
ReplyDeleteSomeone on the left
"It isn't fascism when we do it"
Someone on the right
straightup domestic taliban fuk_tards
ReplyDeletecut the bastards off from all federal anything if they want "sovereign" 3rd world status - SERIOUSLY !! fuk 'em
These idiots are going to keep going until they have Americans killing each other on that side of the USA. Friggin' amazing!
ReplyDeleteThank God we have President Obama running our country. Cannot even begin to imagine what it would have been like w/the asshole McCain and liar and fraud, Palin.
I think both the NC and MS situations are scary as hell.
ReplyDeleteIn the Treaty of Tripoli (1796 - 1797), George Washington (and last I heard he was a Founding Father AND a President) wrote, "As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."
Hmmm. But it's okay to ignore this very clear statement that the USA was not founded as a Christian nation?
Sometimes, I think the USA would be better off without these Christian-dominated states.
Hmm. Not the Civil War again! When will some Southerners simply accept the fact that they LOST the Civil War? It's time for the federal government to start moving all of those military establishments north of the Mason/Dixon Line and to start putting money into programs that help the people who want to uphold the Constitution and remain part of the US. The South cannot have it both ways: ignoring the law of the land and taking as much federal money as possible at the same time.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
It's also very interesting that these so-called Southern Christians are in this snit because they want more guns (with no controls) and no health care for their citizens. Doesn't sound very Christian to me.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
I firmly believe that conservative money has paid for courses, seminars, conventions and instructional materials to teach people how to take over their local governmental bodies first -- school boards, judges, etc. -- and then move up to the state level, to pass anti-union, pro-businss agendas.
ReplyDeleteIt didn't just start recently -- there was a deliberate and concerted attack masterminded by deep-pocketed reactionaries over several decades.
When they couldn't win the hearts and minds of regular people, they organized to take away the freely elected democratic governments.
The trouble is, most conservatives are low-information, uneducated people who've hi-jacked this movement to enforce their religious views. Social conservatives and economic conservatives can't coordinate their goals often enough to persevere.
That's why the House of Representatives is in chaos, and the last two GOP Presidential tickets have been such duds: Palin, Romney, Ryan, McCain.
Unfit to lead in any capacity.
Outlets such as the Immoral Minority weave together the stalwart opponents of these reactionary theocrats. We must never let down our guard. Thank you, Gryphen, for your essential role in making this happen.
Bingo. I read an article in the Charlotte Observer years ago titled, "I did not leave the Baptist Church, it left me." The religious right has been making these moves since the 1980's.
DeleteMel68
I'd bet that the Koch Brothers have their dirty nasty fingers in all that brainwashing you mentioned. They are truly enemies of the Republic.
DeleteSo the First Amendment (In fact the very first sentence of the First Amendment) is trumped by the Tenth Amendment. Makes perfect sense.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I'm sure they are probably the same ones who clutch onto the Second Amendment as well
I wonder if the Mormons will send missionaries.
ReplyDeleteI have lived in both Rowan County and Concord, sponsors of the bill. I begged my husband to move away from that nightmare of a place. These people are scared of the future. Both areas suffered textile plant closing and a bleak future for those with only a high school education. Under a religious government, they believe they could hold back the tides of change.
ReplyDeleteWhile living there, I read in the paper aboout preachers stealing money and a white, republican, family values county council man visiting a black prostitue. It is also the home of Opertion Save America, the ones holding up signs of aborted babies on street corners where even small children could see. This was justified by the need to save the children.
I am so glad we moved away.
Mel68
Off topic,
ReplyDeleteTerri's Day
"Sarah Palin will speak afterward at a fundraising dinner at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. A ticket is $150, and 350 have been sold; $25,000 gets you a visit with Palin, but no takers so far, Schindler said"
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20130403_Schiavo_controversy_returns_to_Pa___along_with_Palin.html
State legislators from several southern states (most recently Tennesee) are all atwitter about school voucher programs now that they realize that they are not limited to the 'approved' Christian religions. Even *gasp* ISLAMIC schools can apply for the vouchers!
ReplyDeleteExtrapolate that idea to Jewish, Buddhist, Mormon, Scientology, Wiccan faiths, and so on. Hey, wait a gosh durn minute! We didn't plan on Them wanting to share in the money!
Suddenly, those vouchers don't seem like quite such a spiffy idea!
One of the Tennessee legs trying to figure out how to keep those eevull Muzzlims from being eligible for vouchers is Bill Ketron, who got his panties in a twist last week about the Muslim foot washing baths in the renovated Capitol that turned out to be mop sinks.
Teh Stoopid...it burns!!!
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/02/tennessee-republicans-threaten-to-kill-gop-voucher-bill-over-fear-of-funding-muslim-schools/
First thing tomorrow morning I've got to write the Governor of North Carolina and tell him I want the official religion of North Carolina to be Pastafarian! (www.venganza.org) We should cite the number of Italian eateries in the state as evidence of this!
ReplyDeleteRaMen.
DeleteThe Muslims in the US being threatened by 'good' Christians. Ground zero Mosque is the most prominent of them. It's a frequent topic in the right wing's bizarro world. Basically every metropolitan area at a local level and blue states (plus Texass)at the state level are has paying the bills of red state moochers. They take our money then threaten to move this country back to a time that only exists in their dementia riddled memories.
ReplyDeleteDid the Texan dead pet portraitist really call the constitution "just a piece of paper"?!?! Oh, that's rich! The GOP keeps gumming up the works with these lamebrain schemes, stupid filibusters and bill proposals.
ReplyDeleteLooks like POTUS has it covered - Fingers crossed-
http://www.politico.com/politico44/2013/04/obama-expects-to-win-back-the-house-160819.html
OT. Thought I'd share this. I used to see this guy when I worked in center city. Kind of a fixture in town. Glad he's getting some well deserved attention
http://tinyurl.com/cgvvnmg
beagel Mom:
ReplyDeleteYou have my heart with the way you think. Have said the same thing more then once.
Take away their federal money in all respect, then see how far they get..