A Federal Judge Correctly Follows The Constitution

A Federal judge has correctly ruled that South Carolina's one-religion only license plate is a violation of the First Amendment and may not be issued on automobiles.

The state's Lt. Governor and a few legislators are incensed by the ruling and even issued statements about how furious they are. After all--when asked if other religions would be issued special license plates as well--they refused to get involved with that. Apparently, only one religion is good enough for the state of South Carolina.

I expected that a Federal court would respect the clear separation of church and state we are privileged to have in this country and rule as they did.

But just in case, I prepared these plates for South Carolina.

Not An Ounce Of Compassion In These People

Now that the House has passed the Health Care Bill, Fox News has turned up the steam all the way to try and prevent it from successfully leaving the Senate and landing on the President's desk. With headlines like:

"WILL HEALTH VOTE DOOM DEMS?
Democrats will suffer at the polls for their vote in favor of sweeping health care reform package"

Fox News is now targeting both Senators and Congressman outright threatening their longevity if they continue to support the plan.

Fox News prefers an America where sick, hungry and homeless people line the streets of our cities. After all, these people don't deserve free health care. They got themselves into these situations and they need to get themselves out--without Americans providing for their health and well being.

Roger Ailes and the rest of his cronies need to watch "Groundhog Day" and develop some humanity and compassion in their lives--which they clearly don't have.

Tis The Season For Religious Nuts

Every November and December, the religious nuts come out in force and demand special rights and privileges. They are ignorant of the Constitution and could care less about the rights of other members of the community.

A California woman has decided that the best way to force her religion on others is by creating a ballot proposition.

I thought it was a joke when I heard that a woman has filed for a petition to require PUBLIC schools in California to offer Christmas religious music in classrooms and assemblies.
If she can get 500,000 signatures it would be placed in a statewide election.
If such a proposition was actually voted in favor of, it would take about 24 hours for a court to rule that it violates the First Amendment.

But it is amusing watching the efforts.

Here is the actual text (this is real):

Article 1.5. Freedom to Present Christmas Music in Public School Classrooms or
Assemblies
52710. The people of Califomia find and declare both of the following:
(a) Listening to, or performing, Christmas music during the holiday season is a
longstanding American tradition and a significant element of our cultural heritage as
Americans.
(b) The parents and guardians ofpublic school children should have the right to
decide whether or not their children may hear Christmas music in the classrooms and
assemblies at those schools.
52711. As used in this article, "Christmas music" includes, but is not necessarily
limited to, carols, songs, and instrumental works whose subject matter relates to the
celebration ofthe Christmas holiday or to the season during which that holiday is
observed.
52712. (a) Each public elementary and secondary school shall provide
opportunities to its pupils for listening to or performing Christmas music at an
appropriate time ofyear. The appreciation or performance ofthe Christmas music may
be incorporated into the subject matter of an arts or social studies class, presented for
cultural enrichment during a school assembly, or both.

(b) Each public elementary and secondary school shall provide the parent or
guardian ofa pupil with written notice of the presentation or performance of Christmas
music in a classroom or assembly at least 21 calendar days before that pupil would be
required to be present for the presentation or performance of the Christmas music. The
written notice provided to the parent or guardian shall include a tear-off slip or other
method for the parent or guardian to inform the school if he or she chooses that the
pupil not be present for the presentation or performance of the Christmas music.

I THINK I WILL SUBMIT MY OWN PETITION FOR A SIMILAR LAW:

Article 1.5. Freedom to Present Hare Krishna Music in Public School Classrooms or
Assemblies
52710. The people of Califomia find and declare both of the following:
(a) Listening to, or performing, Hare Krishna music is a
longstanding American tradition and a significant element of our cultural heritage as
Americans.
(b) The parents and guardians of public school children should have the right to
decide whether or not their children may hear Hare Krishna music in the classrooms and
assemblies at those schools.
52711. As used in this article, "Hare Krishna music" includes, but is not necessarily
limited to, chants, mantras, songs, dances and instrumental works whose subject matter relates to the celebration of Hare Krishna.
52712. (a) Each public elementary and secondary school shall provide
opportunities to its pupils for listening to or performing Hare Krishna music at an
appropriate time of year. The appreciation or performance of Hare Krishna music may
be incorporated into the subject matter of an arts or social studies class, presented for
cultural enrichment during a school assembly, or both.
(b) Each public elementary and secondary school shall provide the parent or
guardian of a pupil with written notice of the presentation or performance of Hare Krishna
music in a classroom or assembly at least 21 calendar days before that pupil would be
required to be present for the presentation or performance of the Hare Krishna music. The
written notice provided to the parent or guardian shall include a tear-off slip or other
method for the parent or guardian to inform the school if he or she chooses that the
pupil not be present for the presentation or performance of the Hare Krishna music.

Some People Think They Have Special Rights

A man in Michigan has filed a suit against the county he lives in over a Nativity scene which his family has placed in a public area of the street for the last 60 years. Last year, the county was advised that if the tradition continued that they would be the target of a First Amendment "separation of church and state" lawsuit. They informed the man that he would not be allowed to put up his Nativity scene ever again on a public street median owned by all members of the community. The man has decided that he apparently has special rights to force his religion on all members of the community.

Even though the community is made up of Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Atheists, Agnostics and those that want nothing to do with religion, the man feels that his religion should be given special treatment and forced upon all members of the public for the next two months as they have to drive by it. It's not good enough that he can place the 3-D depiction of his religious fantasies on the property of his own church, he believes that public property is the only place where it belongs.

I hereby demand that the true creator of the universe, the Flying Spaghetti Monster, be given the same special treatment that this man believes he is entitled to. I want this realistic painting of His Noodleness to be placed on the public street median in the town of Warren, Michigan immediately. For it is only the Flying Spaghetti Monster who loves all of mankind and causes them to be divinely inspired for truth, justice and the American way.



Should a court decide his way (I highly doubt that will happen), it will become necessary to demand equal space on the public street median in Warren, Michigan for the presence of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

My Favorite Hoax

My Favorite Hoax played on the media goes back to 1976-77. Some of you might consider it more of idiotic behavior than a hoax, but it certainly fooled the #1 KABC Eyewitness News station.

At one minute to 4 or 5, I forget which, Jerry Dunphy announced with great enthusiasm, "The Beatles Are Getting Back Together!" the station went to a commercial and thousands of people were yelling with excitement as they waited for the news to start.

"The Beatles are Getting Back Together" said the smiling Dunphy as he told of how a promoter has gotten the legendary band back together for a concert tour and all the details would be available shortly as a press conference was about to begin. But KABC's Eyewitness News decided to get the story headline out before its competitors--the owned and operated CBS and NBC stations. Maybe they should have waited.

During the press conference, which was now filled with every TV, radio, newspaper and wire service in Los Angeles and foreign press, the promoter eagerly began the conference by stating that The Beatles were reforming for a worldwide concert tour.

The problem was that The Beatles were the only ones who didn't know anything about it.

The promoter continued. He announced that he had sent a telegram to each member of The Beatles. The wire that they each received told them that they would be reforming for a worldwide concert tour--and if he, the promoter, did not hear back from them immediately, he would assume that they automatically agree to participate.

When the press heard this foolishness, there was a big groan, cameras were turned off and the press started walking away.

By the 11'o clock KABC News, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr had totally ignored the absurdity of the situation. But it was George Harrison who really got mad about this. Through his lawyer, George issued a statement to the promoter that basically said he declined the invitation and had never agreed to any such arrangement.

KABC, now looking very foolish, announced that The Beatles were not getting back together as they reported earlier and the terms the promoter laid out at the press conference. They even played a tape of them getting into the promoter's face, telling him, "do you realize how many people you have disappointed with this?"

I have always wondered if this nut really thought he was going to be taken seriously.

He's probably a Congressman now.

Fox News - Miami - October 15, 2009

RUSH LIMBAUGH's ego became so inflated during today's radio show that he suddenly transformed into a giant hot air-blimp. As he told a conflicted America about how wonderful he was, the unexplainable phenomenon found him suddenly soaring above the Miami skyline. He quickly turned himself towards the West saying, "Maybe if I fly over that decadent Los Angeles, I can get them to think clearly from all that smog and other forms of smoke."

How Do You Libel Stalin?

Being of Russian and Hungary/Czech ancestry, I found today's big story from Moscow to be quite deranged.

The grandson of Josef Stalin sued a Russian newspaper that he claims "libeled" his grandfather.

The range of how many people Stalin murdered stretches from 20-50 million.

The court threw out the case.

How do you begin to libel Josef "A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic" Stalin?