No, the title doesn't refer to Pink Floyd's "The Wall". Instead it's what the Bush Administration is doing to the wall separating Church and State. This week two events have started which, if incorrectly handled, will further turn this nation towards becoming a Christian, right-wing bastion of hate and America-first imperialism.
First up - Faith-based charities:
House OKs Bill on Faith-Based Jobs
By Justin Dickerson Times Staff Writer
WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday approved a job-training bill that would allow faith-based organizations receiving federal funds to consider a person's religious beliefs in making employment decisions.
Under current law, religious groups that receive federal money for job-training programs must obey civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in hiring or firing.
Passage of the bill, on a largely party-line vote of 224-200, came a day after President Bush told a group of religious leaders that he would attempt to institute the faith-based employment policies through an executive order if Congress did not approve them this year.
In a statement Wednesday supporting the bill, the White House said, "Receipt of federal funds should not be conditioned on a faith-based organization's giving up a part of its religious identity and mission."
Notice the implied threat from Bush to Congress - "Do it my way or I'll bypass you any way." Notice the blatant disregard for civil rights. This bill is a massive step backwards, allowing discrimination based on a religious beliefs. From there it's a small step to discrimination based on race, gender, or beliefs in general. Worse, imagine two corporations vying for a Government contract. One corporation is Christian, the other is, say, mixed. The Christian one gets the contract because it's more in line with the religious policies of the Supreme Leader, I mean, President.
This bill stinks - plain and simple - and that the House passed it shows that those who voted for this rubbish need to be removed from their jobs. But wait it will likely get worse if...
The Supreme Court decides that it is acceptable for statues of the ten commandments to be displayed on Federal property. I bet their rationale will be that since many Federal courts and what-not start with a prayer, since our currency invokes God, since our Pledge of Allegiance also invokes God, then it must be acceptable for statues of religious objects to be on Federal property. That is, many little wrongs make further wrongs acceptable.
If any of the Justices had any cajones they'd say "Bullshit!" to the Pledge, to the currency, and to the prayers. They'd call for the removal of these breaches between the separation of Church and State. Because America is NOT about the White Christian majority imposing their views on the minority. America is about freedom from such impositions, about Freedom from mob rule.
Our Government should have no hand in religion at all. Zero. And conversely religion should play no part in Government. Zero.
Remove the statues. Remove the "under God" from the Pledge because we're not indivisible. Remove "In God we trust" from our money because God has repeatedly proven quite untrustworthy. Remove faith-based charities from the Governmental budget. Let's keep America for all Americans.
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