APRIL 30, 2009 THIS IS MY OPINION... WHAT IS YOURS?
APRIL 30, 2009
THIS IS MY OPINION...
WHAT IS YOURS?
In 2006 there were a lot of rumors flying all over the news and internet emailing routes finding its way into in boxes and living rooms all over the world. The focus of the rumor was the song "In God We Trust" performed by the country music group Diamond Rio.
Those rumors were nothing more than that.. inflammatory rumors. They told of radio stations not playing the song due to its content, saying the lyrics were politically incorrect and therefore in violation of the constitutional freedoms laid down in Article 1 of the Bill of Rights.
That was so false! The reason for the song not getting any airtime was, Diamond Rio only released the song in their greatest hits album and never in a single. This is the normal vehicle needed to be played on the radio stations and climb in the ratings or not. The group decided that the best way to make this song lasting and meaningful, to their fans, was to only perform it at concerts. When it was being performed by the group, there were many other patriotic songs also on the airwaves, such as Toby Keith's, The Red White and Blue. Diamond Rio made the decision to keep it special by only performing at their concerts.
But recently it has been actually banned by a judge, from being used in an elementary school program. Two students parents were the reason it was brought before a judge in the first place. These two students parents, four people, managed to bring the government into something religious in nature.
( A federal judge Wednesday ordered a St. Johns County elementary school to not have students rehearse a religious-themed song once scheduled for a year-end assembly.
The preliminary injunction against rehearsing country group Diamond Rio’s “In God We Still Trust” says the lyrics “take aim at one [of] our nation’s fundamental principles: the separation of church and state.”
U.S. District Judge Harvey Schlesinger concluded that “the public interest is well served in preventing the coercion of third-grade students to participate in a state sponsored performance that endorses such an opinion.”
The Diamond Rio song, the judge wrote, is "a patently religious and proselyting piece" that crosses a line by advocating a specific religious view.
The ruling referenced parts of the song's lyrics that say: "There's no separation. ... We're one nation under Him ... Now there are those among us who want to push Him out and erase His name from everything this country is all about ... Now it's time for all believers to make our voices heard.")
http://www.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2009-04-16/story/judge_bans_in_god_we_still_trust_from_st_johns_schools_assembly
http://www.news4jax.com/news/19201202/detail.html#-
Why were they able to do this?
When have the feelings of a few become the normal way of things being decided for the majority?
We live in a democracy in the United States of America. Democracy does not mean that we all get what we want all the time! Democracy means the majority .. not the minority .. of the people!
The image at the top of this blog are the words written so long ago by the ones who helped found the nation,which has become great in the eyes of the world.
If you read it, and don't try to put anything other than what it says in reality, it says the government has no place at any time involving itself in our religious beliefs. It does not make a difference in any kind of belief. It just says .. it will not happen. Yet those four people were allowed to drag it into the court for a ruling on a religious basis.
Things like this that are happening all over this country are what is causing the breakdown of our country on a basic building block destruction.
If those parents did not appreciate or agree with the song being included in the program at school, then they should have taken their children out of the program.
If only four of them took exception.. it would seem to me that the MAJORITY of the others did not.. am I correct in this assumption folks?
The freedom to pull their children from the program, if it offended them, is freedom enough it would seem to me. The kids were not being MADE to be a part of it. They had the freedom of choice well served in that alone. But they chose to get the court involved and put a restriction on everyone elses' freedom of choice, by the judge being made to make a ruling on the complaint.
That judge was looking to make a name for himself in the newspapers if you ask me.
That case should have been thrown in the trash when the judge first looked at, and those stupid lawyers who brought it to him, told to stop wasting the courts time with frivolous suits or risk having themselves brought up on charges! That would have served the constitution better than what he did.
Is it a wonder that the nation is in dire straits for new teachers? I know if I was college bound in this day, I would think hard about going for a teaching certificate! The states regard the school systems as something less than needing attention and funding, and they provide no protection for the teachers who are harassed, maligned, and literally paid a bit more than minimum wages.
It is time to rethink and regroup folks.
I am a Christian, make no mistake in whom and what I believe in. I worship God the Father, I am soul saved by Jesus Christ, and I am led and taught by The Holy Spirit.
But I am of the opinion that if we do not do something soon about this government entering into our children's lives, through the schools, soon we will lose our children to the government through those same schools.
Think about this..
School nurses are prevented from giving our kids an aspirin if they have a headache, but they are free to hand out condoms.
Teachers are required to teach, that same sex marriage is just another life style, and perfectly okay.
This is an opinion of myself.. and I would very much like to know what you all think along these lines also. I am troubled deep down about all this.
In my state I see children being commanded to undergo the fat pinch test. If the nurse is able to pinch more than inch of body fat on a child.. those children are then required to go into a physical exercise class, this is a separate class from PE..
The school sends check lists to parents to tell them if their child is overweight and how to feed their kids. If the kid comes in okay in the body fat requirements.. then they send out check lists on how to maintain that weight in their kids.. and they actually .. now this just made me want to hit someone.. they actually COMMEND.. and pat on the back in those check lists!
All I know is this.. my grandchildren should not have to worry about that kind of stuff at school, school is to teach them the tools their brains need to make their way in life, not what they should weigh and then force them into a program which is not Physical Education at all..
it is Nazi Fat Concentration Camp!
With a agenda of making everyone the same, placing their reasoning for doing so on "It is for our own good"...
Which when you think about it, is the exact opposite of what the court is doing with upholding the individual rights in religious suits brought before them.
If they would stop putting up all the findings of the studies being done on everything from the effect of whiskey on tsetse flies to ignoring the damage being done to the environment by the space shuttle and launching of satellites into outer space, as what is best for me... and leave us alone about the BEST way to live .. we just might not have so many people on anti depressants, suffering from ulcers, and in need of national health insurance.
I am sending an email to my representative and including a link to this blog.. so bring on the comments my friends.. maybe they will get read by someone who has a dab of power over the way things are handled in our country.
Which way is it going to be, is it going to be a government by the people and for the people, or it is going to be a government for the individual and by the individual?
You place your hand on His Bible, when you swear to tell the Truth
His name is on our greatest Monuments, and all our money too,
And when we Pledge allegiance, there’s no doubt where we stand,
There is no separation, we’re one Nation under Him.
Chorus:
In God We Still Trust
Here in America
He’s the one we turn to every time
The going’ gets rough
He is the source of all our Strength
The One who watches over us
Here in America
In God We Still Trust
Now there are those among us, who want to push Him out,
And erase His name from everything, this country’s all about,
From the Schoolhouse to the Courthouse, they’re Silencing His Word,
Now it’s time for all Believers, to make our Voices heard.
chorus
Here in America
Here in America
Here in America,
In God We Still Trust
Here in America,
In God We Still Trust
Here in America
lockerridge
Um, let me see, the Judge felt this song promoted religion at, if I am reading this right, Saint John's county elementary school? Something doesn't add up here...
ReplyDeletelol I did not even notice that little tidbit Dio.. now that just reinforces most of what I had to say doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteI know how you feel Terri.......it irritates me too.......especially when I know in California they did a muslim awareness and sensitivity thing by teaching the children about the religion and there are muslims pushing to have kosher meals in schools which costs way more than a regular meal based on their religious preferences.......I say let them fund their own private school if they want kosher meals......I'm tired of the one side getting their preferences while others have to step aside all the time in the name of political correctness......it just isn't fair.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you Lockie, we really need to start standing up to these few who think they can change our ways. If they don't like it, they SHOULD LEAVE.
ReplyDeleteIs from a Lockie book? you go girl,I got your back!
ReplyDeleteTo hell in a hand basket.. that's where this country is headed.
ReplyDelete'Four'..(4) people.. I say stay you ass at home.
sigh..
This stuff pisss me off. My name is on so many petitions.. Still does not stop things like this hapening.
I'm not proud of my generation, Thinking everything our fsthers and some mothers fought for... just casting it all away. reedom is not to be everything your way, m way, their way.. just sucks.
I'm going back to the links ypu posted.
Later Tator.
It just burns me up lately that a very few people have become the major players in making legislation for the entire country.
ReplyDeleteI mean it ranges from gun control to what kind of light bulbs we can use in this country!
Gun control is the most asinine thing I have ever heard of! I know it all started when that Secret Service agent was shot, protecting the president. The man was doing his job! That is why he got shot! Good grief, what do they want from everyone? I know as you all do, if they outlaw guns, then only police and outlaws will have them, and the power balance has shifted! The major deterrent to someone committing a crime against me is the fact that I have the right to own and bear arms against threats to me and my family and my property! Guns do not kill people, people use them to kill other people. If they outlaw them to the ones who are only using them as a deterrent to personal crime, then hang on folks. Criminals will be going to jail everywhere.. cause I am not giving up mine! I will go to jail first!
Those parents should never have even considered doing something so outrageous as take that court! I bet you that it is not the first time they have sued over something so trivial and trite!
ReplyDeleteThe other parents need to counter sue that ruling. The majority of the people should be heard, but if we don't start fighting back right now.. this kind of law setting or rule making, banning this and that from anything they want to, is going to become the everyday rule. This is going to lead to apathy from every corner of society. We will get to where we don't try to do anything about anything we feel is a show of our own faith and belief, in favor of those who do not have any belief at all!
No book Freddie.. just got an email about this song being banned and started looking into it. The song was popular back in 2006, and the stupidity started then. All of the stuff brought out to the public about the song at that time was false.. when I found that out.. I thought humm.. and started to look further and this is the story I found to bring this out again..
ReplyDeleteWe got to stand up and let them know the majority is not liking this individual crap at all! It has gone on long enough.. I am writing my representative and including the link to this blog and all of your comments.. bring it on folks!
ReplyDeleteI am sorry that the children felt ostersized, however, this is America. The main belief in this country is GOD.
ReplyDeleteInstead of not allowing one song, other songs should have been added to included other beliefs.
I wonder, did the offended give/recieve, Easter treats?
God Bless America
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*Short & Sweet. Just like me!
It will not be seen since the newest comments post to the hiden 'Last' page.
You give me a day to show this to hubby, I will bring this on. OH YEAH! He is very up on all this stuff, very vocal about it, and I will be able to post some 'true life points!
ReplyDeleteGlitter Graphics
I agree with this! *hugs*
ReplyDeleteI shake my head each day at the way my country is being run. I am ready for a revolt....pitchfork is sharpened. I got extra oil for my torch....BRING IT!
ReplyDeleteHubby says.. too bad if the one song makes two feel bad.. STAY HOME!
ReplyDeleteNo one is forcing them to listen.. 30 want the song, 2 do not.. stay home.
I strongly believe in the separation of Church and State. The fact is, though, there are so many references to God within our government that the lines are blurred. This is not always good from my perspective, especially when we have become such a religiously diverse nation. Democracy is about 'majority rules' except where the majority collides with the Constitutional rights and laws. Then it doesn't take a majority, it can take only one person. And this isn't always bad either.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I am also strongly opposed to any group banning songs, books or other means of communicating our personal beliefs or thoughts. This directly infringes on freedom of speech. I am particularly disturbed when a school starts banning thoughts, whether the message is through a book or a song, they are opening the door for more even more censorship. Schools should be a place where our children (and young adults) are encouraged to explore different views and openly discuss them. Isn't school supposed to teach us to exercise our brain? What happened to the days when a teacher could actually play that song and have the children debate it? Elementary may be a bit young for that but middle and high school, are not. I will whole-heartedly agree that we have become a terribly litigous nation and if parents didn't like the program, pull your kid out and don't attend So easy....."Coercion"? If the school informed parents of the program, then there cannot be 'coercion", parents allowed the program and their child to participate.
My son has been out of school for a long time but I'll tell you this: If they had this without informing me, started giving condoms to my kid without consulting me and doing "fat pinch" tests, I would've been right in that Principal's office complaining. Teachers are taking on far too many responsibilities that parents own. I know several teachers who will openly say parents are not taking an active enough role in their child or their child's education. Teachers do have a challenging and balancing act these days. Not an easy job but hopefully a profession that still draws people, as they are critical to our children's growth.
Good post, TW2R's!