As a proud member of ACLU and a staunch defender of the Bill of Rights (authored by James Madison), let me offer some insight on the Texas GOP latest unconstitutional attack on the First Amendment. Still celebrating the reversal of Rowe v. Wade by the most corrupt Supreme Court in modern history, they are ramming down all Texas citizens throats’ a law to post copies of the 10 Commandments in every public schoolroom.
In 1980, the Supreme Court ruled in Stone v. Graham that such a law was unconstitutional because it obviously promoted religion. But the evangelical hypocrites in Austin now hold a trump card. A deeply “religious” Supreme Court waiting for this case to come before it. They will claim that such religious displays are “historical.” Whenever religious zealots try to ignore separation of Church and State, both sides will suffer. That is why our dictator Abbott wants our tax dollars to fund private schools. They can be religious schools that can freely discriminate against any Non-Christian or LGBTQ students. Some questions to ponder on the posters that will glorify the Ten Commandments.
The Bible clearly states that God wrote the Commandments with his own finger. (Ex31:18). Since He wrote them for the Hebrews (Chosen People) in what language were they written? Ancient Egyptian? Be prepared to explain to each inquiring student why they should follow them if they are not Hebrews. Historians have all agreed that Moses was not a historical but a mythological figure. There exists no archaeological evidence that the Exodus actually occurred, with 3 million Hebrews fleeing Egypt any time in history. No Moses, no Exodus, no Commandments.
The first four are not moral codes but a command by a vain, jealous God – A celestial dictator if you will. Explain to each student the penalty for disobeying any one of the Commandments. Death by stoning. Adultery? Death. Be prepared to explain Adultery to a first grader. How many pious politicians would be eliminated? Exceptions to the 10? You shall not kill, except for war, capital punishment, or shooting your wife’s lover. Disobey your parents? Death. Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain? There will be thousands of golfers dying on the golf course. Don’t covet your neighbor’s house or car? There goes free enterprise, advertising, and real estate ladies telling you to buy a house nicer than your neighbor’s.
Don’t lie on the stand; allowable only if you are protecting higher ups in government. Don’t steal? Only if you want slaves to bring back to America. Only if you are taking Native American land. Don’t work on the Sabbath? If you do the Bible directs that you should be stoned to death. The original Sabbath was Saturday, according to the Old Testament. Three hundred years after Christ’s death, the new cult of Christians decided that Sunday would be the new Sabbath. So, Hobby Lobby, Chic Fil A, and thousands of other businesses have been closing on the wrong day of the week for years. After Moses destroyed the original tablets that God had written personally, he then went up to Mt. Sinai to write set No. 2. Which set do the Texas Republicans intend to display to all Texas school children? The Hebrew version? The Catholic version? The Protestant version? The Christian nationalists want all kids to submit and obey to their version. Instead of a mythological set of rules from 3,000 years ago, borrowed from the Egyptian Maat rules, which were borrowed from the Law of Hammurabi thousands of years prior, I suggest a copy of the secular Bill of Rights be displayed in every public schoolroom.
The First Amendment prohibits the government (public schools) from favoring one religion over another. Place them in your churches, in synagogues to your heart’s content. Keep your mythological edicts to yourself. Two years ago, the same hypocritical Republicans in Austin solemnly passed a law requiring all Texas public schoolrooms to display signs proclaiming – “In God We Trust.” When a Texas Muslim offered free signs saying “In Allah We Trust” in Arabic, he was denied immediately. Since “Allah” means God, what was the problem? In the two years since, how many school massacres have occurred in Texas and elsewhere? Was God not paying attention? Republicans are following their usual M.O. Submit to authority. Don’t question our rules. Wives, submit to your husbands. The first four Commandments violate the First Amendment. You cannot worship any other Gods. If you don’t believe and submit to Me, you shall suffer eternal punishment. Freedom to worship or not to worship at all? Out of luck. After every massacre of our fellow citizens all NRA funded politicians solemnly offer their thoughts and prayers. Abbott and Cong. Henry Cuellar insist it’s a mental health problem. Unfortunately, Texas ranks last in funding for mental health. The culprits with mental health issues are the cowardly Republicans who refuse to enact sensible gun control legislation. They fear the NRA and their base. Mark Twain wrote, “Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress, but I repeat myself.” An unknown cynic once surmised “When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a Cross.” Judging from what’s coming out of Austin and D.C. we are getting dangerously close to that time. As my favorite philosopher, George Carlin, nicely put it, “Thy shall keep thy religion to thyself.”
In Liberty,
