While there may be places on Earth that equal the darkness of Mordor of Middle Earth in terms of the very real evil of ignorance more than Texas this year; that won’t be from a lack of effort on the part of the Texas Legislature. Secularists here are already beleaguered trying to stamp out the encroachments on the separation of church and state and the religious-based war on women and science.
The amount of ignorance that sees the light of day all over the country’s state legislatures is a bit daunting. The real trolls are becoming quite bold. They have been sighted organizing even in overwhelmingly progressive states like Oregon.
New Mexico: House Bill 206 was introduced by Republican lawmaker Cathrynn Brown. The bill would make rape victims and the doctors, who help them obtain an abortion, felons for tampering with evidence.
Arizona: Rebecca Watson notes that Arizona Representatives Bob Thorpe, Sonny Borrelli, Carl Seel, T.J. Shope, Jeff Dial, David Livingston, Chester Crandell, and Steve Smith were each a bit hasty in including the phrase “So help me God” in a mandatory oath recited by graduating high school students. I disagree a bit with Watson over whether the bill as is can be characterized as simply stupid. As a teacher, I have seen these types of pledges turn into litmus tests to ferret out non-christians Rep Thorpe will be giving it a second look for revisions perhaps at the suggestion of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona.
The last bit of news from Arizona is a bit encouraging that shining the light of reason on figurative trolls like the Arizona Tea Party reps will stop them dead in their tracks.
On that note, I have a bit of encouragement for those of you who posted your opposition to the “Merry Christmas” bill on Texas Senator Dwayne Bohac Facebook page. The bill would allow religious symbols such as mangers scenes and menorahs to be displayed in public schools by religious minded school authorities. Before some of you posted on his wall in defense of the minority religious views that would be crowded out by the Christian majority in this state; Bohac was getting unopposed comments like these…
Thank you for standing up for our freedom and our children’s rights to talk about Jesus publicly. If more politicians would stand for what is right the way you have, our country would not be in a mess the way that it is right now. Thank you for your heart for God and for this country
Now that excellent comments like this one are also posted…
Fiona Albini Jallings I feel sorry for my relatives and friends in Texas. We’re not Christians, and it sounds like you’ll be forcing them to participate in religious events that aren’t part of their own tradition or religion. It doesn’t matter if you have the majority, you’ll still be trampling on others’ right to free expression of religion by forcing them to express yours. Please rethink this bill.
This bill all of a sudden may not sound as much like a great idea as previously thought by this representative. In fact, it may not make it out of committee to see daylight on the house floor. However, in a more sobering bit of news there are two initiatives founded in religious ignorance that have stronger support that have already been taking a grievous toll on public education and women’s health and reproductive rights.
In order to do these two important pieces of legislation justice, I have decided to put them in a second post. Also, if you have been wondering about my metaphorical references to The Hobbit, if you indulge me a bit further I will wrap that up in the conclusion of Part II.
In the meantime I appreciate your comments on Part I, and if you are so inclined you can follow me on Twitter. Perhaps, it will improve my writing’s succinctness to work within a word limit.
I can’t believe this Bill 206. It reduces the fetus to mere “evidence”, and (of course) reduces women to a status below the status of the fetus.
I’m not sure if I should feel better about the fact that Carolynn Brown has modified the bill (or is attempting to modify the bill) to prohibit prosecution of the mother.
http://www.salon.com/2013/01/25/cathrynn_brown_wants_to_abort_mission/
http://cathrynnbrown.com/page.php?t=hb_206
The original intent is crystal clear. Her attempt at damage control is, at best, amusing.
Thanks for sharing this. Your link shows what happens when these kind of ideas receive scrutiny. For some reason she thought this bill was a good idea. People outiside the ivory tower she lives in criticized it, and then not so much. She had to remove her contact information from her website after submitting this bill.
I live in Arizona, “the land of loonies”, and I’m sorry…for ME!
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