Posts Tagged ‘United States Supreme Court’
God bless America
Is the day coming when we must say “In nothing we trust,” or “So help me nothing,” or “Nothing bless America?” Educators in Woodbury, Vermont cowered to such demands and make students who want to recite the Pledge of Allegiance to do so away from the classroom, so no one can hear the word God. In 2002, the ninth Circuit Court of Appeals declared the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional under the First Amendment, because it mentions God. This was followed by a 2004 Supreme Court decision reversing the ninth Circuit Court, affirming that “teacher-led Pledge of Allegiance recitals in public schools are constitutional.”
Even military critics enjoy free speech
Thomas Jefferson said, “My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy!” Proof of his statement echoes from the Berkeley, California city council chambers. They approved sending a letter to the Marine Corp Recruiting office informing the marines they were “not welcome” in Berkeley. The council added, “If recruiters choose to stay, they do so as uninvited and unwelcome intruders.” During that council meeting they also derided the marines with statements like “trained killers” and “the president’s own gangsters.” How should we respond to this anti-military, anti-American behavior? Is it acceptable for elected officials to behave this way? Should there be consequences for their choices? In the aftermath of the Berkeley council’s statements, U.S. senators introduced legislation to rescind $2.3 million of federal transportation funds to Berkeley. Following the news of the proposed legislation, the Berkeley city council voted to not send the letter while the mayor of Berkeley, Tom Bates, said the city did not mean to offend anyone in the military. Does he expect us to believe their statements were not intentionally offensive? The city council believed they were taking a principled, difficult position. But as soon as they learned of potential consequences resulting from their actions, they quickly abandoned their position suggesting their principles are negotiable. But, they still refused to apologize to the Marines, saying they were only “clarifying their position,” and statements like “trained killers” did not warrant an apology.
“I intend to be among the outlaws”
By June, 2008 the United States Supreme Court may offer some clarification of the Second Amendment and the rights of individuals to own guns. But, their interpretation may be so narrow that it has little impact outside the source of the case, Washington, D.C., leaving the rest of the nation still debating gun control.
“A free people…ought to be armed”
Thomas Jefferson said, “No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.” But did he foresee guns being used in mass murders, the most recent leaving three dead in Colorado? There a gunman killed two people and wounded two others at a missionary training center in Arvada. Later the same day he killed one person and wounded four others at a church in Colorado Springs before he was shot by an armed security guard.
