Texas Republicans Urged to Drop 'Christian Nation'

[tandot]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=584&e=1&u=/nm/20040622/pl_nm/campaign_christian_dc

DALLAS (Reuters) - A leading Jewish group on Tuesday asked the Republican Party in President Bush (news - web sites)'s home state of Texas to stop calling the United States a "Christian nation" in its platform.



The Anti-Defamation League, which fights anti-Semitism and religious discrimination, said it was dismayed about the platform plank and other language in the document that describes as "a myth" the separation of church and state, which is enshrined by the U.S. Constitution and court rulings.


"America was founded on the belief that freedom of religion requires that the government take no official stance on, or participate in, religious activity or religion," the group said in a letter to Tina Benkiser, the chairwoman of the Texas Republican Party.

<snip>

"The Republican Party of Texas affirms that the United States of America is a Christian nation, and the public acknowledgment of God is undeniable in our history," reads the plank in the party's 2004 platform, which was recently adopted.

<snip>

And the Iraq war is seen as a Christian Conquest. :puke:

[BootinUp]

1. The fundies are out of control

whats new

[dusty64]

30. You ain't kiddin.

Hoping for a backlash.

[Cyrano]

2. Do you suppose God approves of organized religion?

[tandot]

4. I don't know...He hasn't talked to me lately.

I would guess "no"

Doesn't even the bible say that people should pray alone and not go to temples?

[mom cat]

22. "God save me from your followers"...slogan from a button I saw at

a Unitarian Universalist convention. The UU's are definitely unorganized. As for the organized religions, it seems like they are like cages for a butterfly... doomed to kill that which they wish to contain.

[Kimber Scott]

24. Interesting quote. Is it your own?

"like cages for a butterfly... doomed to kill that which they wish to contain."

[tandot]

27. I often feel like that: "God save me from your followers"

and "organized religions" like "gages for a butterfly" ... you really spoke from my heart. I am so tired of all of it.

Thanks, soulsick in jp:pals:

[Sunny_Sunshine]

38. Do you know why UUers are lousy singers?

They are always looking a head to see if they agree with the words.

[reprehensor]

3. Thanks for posting... n/t

[Trajan]

5. The tentative pact between the Likudniks and the Fundies could break ....

Jews should be (rightly) wary of any quid pro quo between themselves and xtian movements, knowing that any change in leadership can turn on a dime ....

The present alliance between these groups is based on mutual fear or hatred of Islam (rightly or wrongly), and not much else ...

MUCH history has transpired, and this phase is a drop in a big ole bucket ....

[Liberal Veteran]

7. Fact is, if the right wingers got rid of the gays and muslims....

....Jews would be their next target.

Then they'd start fighting amongst themselves (probably going after the Catholics first).

[Ilsa]

17. I think you're right!

If the Jews don't convert, they'll put them away like the rest of the "underclass", then the Catholics, etc.

[baboon]

6. They should keep 'christian nation' in its platform

It is a gift for us.

[mike1963]

8. Hadn't thought of it that way you might be right...

welcome to DU!
:D

[tandot]

20. welcome to DU, baboon

:hi:

You are right. It might be good for us if they keep the "Christian Nation." It shows to Americans and the rest of the world what the Republican Party is all about: Convert to Christianity or you will be eliminated.

[damnraddem]

9. I hope this hurts the GOP in Texas, and hurts them bad.

A lot of Americans, including Republicans, like separation of church and state.

The Texas GOP platform, were it to become law, could lead to only one place: religious war. The best thing would be for the platform to lead, instead, to the delegitimization of the GOP in Texas -- my soon-to-be new home. And the fundies will push for this type of crap to be in the national GOP platform.

[tom_paine]

10. Well, the Busheviks HATE Jews, except to keep us around for the Rapture

when we'll be scourged.

On the other hand, Bushevik Lies have turned many Jews into Jewish Totalitarians or Jewish nazis by their support of the Imperial Family, so this one could go either way.

Do the Busheviks protect their slender inroads into the Jewish-Folkks-who-dont-remember-history-and-are-doomed-to-repeat-it-with-the-Grandson-of-Hitlers-Angel with a lie?

Or pander to their much larger base while doing something that will lose them support among the Gullible Moderates-with-no-knowledge-of-history-or-Totalitarianism?

Sticky wicket there.

Let's see what Uncle Karl and Dick tell their Stooges in the Imperial Province of Texas to do.

[lanparty]

11. The only mention of "god" ...

... in our key documents is the Declaration of Independence. And that was written by someone who was openly hostile towards organized religion: Thomas Jefferson.

So go read your Jefferson Bibles!!!!!!

[DaveSZ]

14. The Treaty of Tripoli should be required reading for Fundies:

http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/diplomacy/barbary/bar1796t.htm

ARTICLE 11.

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 tranquility of Musselmen,-and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan 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.


http://www.stephenjaygould.org/ctrl/buckner_tripoli.html

The President (by then John Adams) sent the treaty to the Senate in late May 1797. It was, according to the official record, read aloud (the whole treaty was only a page or two long), including the famous words, on the floor of the senate and copies were printed for every Senator. (It should be noted that the controversy about the Arabic version is irrelevant here: all official treaty collections from 1797 on contain the English version, and all include the famous words of Article XI.) A committee considered the treaty and recommended ratification. Twenty-three Senators voted to ratify: Bingham, Bloodworth, Blount, Bradford, Brown, Cocke, Foster, Goodhue, Hillhouse, Howard, Langdon, Latimer, Laurance, Livermore, Martin, Paine (no, not Thomas Paine), Read, Rutherfurd, Sedgwick, Stockton, Tattnall, Tichenor, and Tracy. We should ask ourselves whether we should not consider these 23 (and President Adams) great freethought heroes. In a very public way, they voted to say that "As the government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian Religion, . . ." the Muslims of Tripoli therefore need not fear a religious war from the U.S. The vote was recorded only because at least a fifth of the Senators present voted to require a recorded vote. This was the 339th time (I went through the Journal for the first five Congressional sessions and counted them myself) that a recorded vote was required. It was only the third time that a vote was recorded when the vote was unanimous! (The next time was to honor George Washington.)There is no record of any debate or dissension on the treaty.



President Adams signed the treaty and proclaimed it to the nation on 10 June 1797. His statement on it was a bit unusual: "Now be it known, That I John Adams, President of the United States of America, having seen and considered the said Treaty do, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, accept, ratify, and confirm the same, and every clause and article thereof. And to the End that the said Treaty may be observed and performed with good Faith on the part of the United States, I have ordered the premises to be made public; And I do hereby enjoin and require all persons bearing office civil or military within the United States, and all other citizens or inhabitants thereof, faithfully to observe and fulfill the said Treaty and every clause and article thereof."

[Hekate]

32. I've been wanting that whole citation for years--

Thank you!

Hekate

[Bandit]

43. And a Treaty is "The Supreme Law of the Land"

:shrug: It is absolute law that we are not a Christian Nation not just some notion.

Article VI US Constitution

<snip>
This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any state to the Contrary notwithstanding.

[LiberalFighter]

31. How does one gain the support for a cause...

even back during Revolutionary days? GOD GOD GOD GOD

My recollection is that the support for Independence was not by a majority.

Where would the many religions including the fundies be today if England still had control over us? How much more in taxes would we all be paying if they still assess taxes to pay for the ministers?

[peterh]

41. Our taxes ARE paying for ministers….

The Senate Chaplain gets a salary of $130,000 per year and has an annual budget of $315,000. Then there’s the House Chaplain whose annual budget is $277,000. I’m sure that’s just the top of the pyramid as you start down into the states and municipalities….religion is big business and our elected officials have no problem doling out our tax dollars to them….they all live at the trough.


http://www.churchofcriticalthinking.com/archives/000064my_tax_dollars_are_g.html

[mumon]

12. ONLY THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG!

http://www.texasgop.org/library/RPTPlatform2004.pdf

Read it!

They want to:

1. Teach "Intelligent Design" (creationism) in public schools.

2. Get out of the UN...

3. The "Left Behind" clause: "The Party opposes a one world government which is in direct opposition to the basic principles of the United States of America eroding our sovereignty and our goals for leadership in world affairs."

4. Child abuse: "The Party supports eliminating bureaucratic prohibitions on corporal discipline and home schooling in foster homes to help alleviate the shortage of foster parents."

5. They hate RU-486.

6. "The Party opposes the legalization of sodomy. The Party demands Congress exercise its authority granted by the U.S. Constitution to withhold jurisdiction from the federal courts from cases involving sodomy."

7. Removal of "no-fault" divorce.

8. Concentration camps for the young poor who have commited minor crimes. "The Party encourages the continuation of juvenile justice reforms, including private sector programs, “boot” camps, trying juveniles as adults when appropriate, the consideration of a person’s juvenile conviction record in any prosecution of that individual as an adult, and the expansion of the determinate sentencing statute to include all aggravated offenses."

[demigoddess]

39. they also want to

destroy public schools so that all children will be educated religiously. They just do not mention that out in public like other things.

[struggle4progress]

13. You can get the whole platform in pdf format from a link here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x637494

The Texas Republican Party is the sorriest bunch of political lizards I have seen in a while:

oppose statehood for DC
get out of the UN
oppose conservation easements
oppose Kyoto
oppose Endangered Species Act
oppose highway speed limits based on environmental standards
repeal motor voter laws
repeal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances law
affirms that US is a "Christian nation"
rescind no-fault divorce laws
rescind approval of RU-486
phase-out social security
amend Americans with Disabilities Act to exclude homosexuals
abolish US Dept of Education
abolish property taxes (Texas has no income tax)
national "right-to-work" laws
repeal minimum wage laws
etc etc

Remember: these guys gave us Boy George!

[JayS]

15. The Preamble and full platform is here. Long and boring alert.

http://www.texasgop.org/library/platform.php

[tandot]

21. Thanks Kanzeon, Struggle4progress, JayS, and DaveSZ

I just moved to Texas a couple of month ago. And I am so ready to move out of here again. I am so out of place here...

[struggle4progress]

29. I lived for many years in Texas.

Unfortunately, the only people I could stand there were completely apolitical ...

I do miss TexMex, though.

[DaveSZ]

16. They truly are nutjobs

I'm amazed.

[foo_bar]

18. there goes the Kinky Friedman vote

[Dover]

19. I think Christian groups ought to join this Jewish goup in protest.

It hurts Christians to be associated with Bush's "religion".

[w4rma]

23. I agree. (nt)

[ilovenicepeople]

25. GOD BETS AMERICA

Boy things must be getting pretty bad,I was just thinking about the good old days then I relised that I was thinking about yesterday. HOWDY ALL!:hi:

[Classical_Liberal]

37. Abe Foxman head of ADL thinks we're antisemites for

criticizing Sharon and the settlements. It's a little bit hard to form alliances with this type of rhetoric.

[merci_me]

26. The UN-holy Texas gop platform

For those of you who don't have the stomach for or boots high enough to deal with their sh!t, the Houston/Harris County Democratic Party Chair, Gerry Birnberg comes to our rescue and reports the low-lights of the low-lives.

You can read it here and know this is Dubya's base.

Remember when you take those broad swipes at Texans, that there are some of us here who are fighting for the life of our party down here and we need to be recognized as NOT one of them. Somedays we get really weary, but we never, never, NEVER give up.


http://www.hcdp.org/gerry_message/gerry_message_20040614.html

[Voltaire99]

33. Yes, nice column

Keep fighting the good fight, pardner.

[Hekate]

34. I never forget that Molly Ivins is Texan to the bone...

... I just wonder how she stands it. And by "it" I mean the whole country's to-hell-in-a-handbasket syndrome. Molly sees so clearly, she calls it like she sees it, and she usually maintains her sense of humor. Delightful lady. Texas can't be all bad if it breeds the likes of Molly Ivins.

Hekate

[Andromeda]

35. Don't forget Ann Richards.

She's pretty unique, very outspoken and funny as hell.

[Sugarbleus]

36. I ADORE Anne Richards!

Don't know her age but if it were possible, I'd vote for her for any post including prez. She's a doll. I wonder if she'd consider moving to Calif. We could use her spunk. :D

[Toucano]

28. It's a whole nother country.

As their tourism campaign used to say.

And Texas deserves to be treated as such. :evilgrin:

[Cronus Protagonist]

40. God told me the US is not a Christian nation

And she also said that Jesus won't be a Republican when He comes back, either.

ANYBODY BUT BUSH

Click here for "ANYBODY BUT BUSH", and other fair and balanced yet stunning buttons, magnets and stickers

[reprobate]

42. Yes, that's what I said. I also said that a bunch of "Christians"

...will be in big trouble if Jesus catches them.

[The Animator]

44. If Bush really could talk to God, I'd love to in on that conversation...

GOD: "Hey Dickhead!"

Bush: "Who me?"

GOD: "Your the only one in the Oval office who was dumb enough to respond to the name Dickhead so you must be George Bush."

Bush: "Who the hell are you."

GOD: "Watch your fuckin language this is GOD your talkin to!"

Bush: "Holy Shit!"

GOD: "..."

Bush: "Sorry."

GOD: "Ah-huh, so let me ask you something... What the Fuck do you think your doing running this planet into the damned ground and telling everybody on Earth that "I" was the one telling you to do it!"

Bush: "But... but... I thought you were telling me to do those things?!"

GOD: "George... get that friggin' Jack Daniels bottle out of you ass and listen to me... All those other times you heard "the voice of God", it wasn't me... that was Dick Cheney hiding behind the curtains doing a very bad Darth Vader impression!"

Bush: "I always wondered why you had so much trouble breathing..."

GOD: "Don't give me that shit! You were too coked out of you fuckin' mind to wonder anything..."

Bush: "Hey I resent that implication who the hell do you think you are talking to me like that I'm the President of the United States!"

GOD: "..."

GOD: "...sigh... sit down George... this is obviously going to take a while...."