GWB's Easter Message aka God Is On Our Side

[HDPM]

I am soooo glad this message is on the government web site I pay for. IMO this goes beyond a generic "Happy Easter" greeting with the usual innocuous stuff. Like "At this time of the year many around the worrld celbrate life/peace/ bla bla bla" This is over the top IMO, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised. web page


Oh well, at least the pagan eggs are on there as a symbol of a spring fertility holiday/rite. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[SossMan]

Un-freakin- believable. Isn't there something about separation of Church and State....or was there a constitutional amendment passed while we were looking the other way??

[MMMMMM]

Sossman: "Un-freakin- believable. Isn't there something about separation of Church and State....or was there a constitutional amendment passed while we were looking the other way??"


Amendment I

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."


It is a common misconception that the U.S. Constitution provides for "separation of Church and State", which phrase could be construed to have more broad meaning than the actual "establishment clause" of the First Amendment.

In the Easter message, President Bush is merely exercising his First Amendment rights to free speech. In that message, Congress is making no law regarding the establishment of religion, nor is anyone prohibiting the free exercise of religion (though some would undoubtedly like to do so).

[Cyrus]

"In his Easter message, President Bush is merely exercising his First Amendment rights to free speech."

In other words, since George W Bush is an American citizen, he can pretty much also say whatever the hell he personally feels like saying, even in an official capacity.

I mean, how brilliant is that. I don't think it can get more brilliant.

[adios]

[ QUOTE ]
In other words, since George W Bush is an American citizen, he can pretty much also say whatever the hell he personally feels like saying, even in an official capacity.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sure he can, why not? Sick the ACLU on his ass [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] if you don't like it [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img].

[ QUOTE ]
I mean, how brilliant is that. I don't think it can get more brilliant.

[/ QUOTE ]

The truth is what it is.

[adios]

I think it is. If you purposely and expressly leave out references to God in messages like Bush's Easter message then you're also expressing a religous preference in my mind i.e. a preference for atheism. Apparently Bush should not be allowed to issue any kind of statement about the Christian holy day of Easter whatsoever. It should be noted that I don't know if Bush published a message for Passover. Perhaps it would be a good political move for the President to recognize important days in a cornucopia of religions.

[SossMan]

I agree that he has every right to think what he wants, say what he wants, do what he wants, worship how he wants. These are basic rights that I believe should be held in the highest regard.

I don't, however, think that he should be quoting scripture on the OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE WHITE HOUSE. He should at least pretend that he's not blatently pandering to the Christian right wing under the pretense of "free speech".

Gimme a break...if Clinton would have had a message on the official white house website declaring April 10th "Blowjobs across America Day" the GOP would have an Impeachment Hearing set up by Monday.
Quoting biblical scripture on the official website is just as offensive to me.

[adios]

[ QUOTE ]
He should at least pretend that he's not blatently pandering to the Christian right wing under the pretense of "free speech".

[/ QUOTE ]

This is where IMO you're dead wrong. Bush isn't pandering here he truly believes.

[ QUOTE ]
Gimme a break...if Clinton would have had a message on the official white house website declaring April 10th "Blowjobs across America Day" the GOP would have an Impeachment Hearing set up by Monday.

[/ QUOTE ]

C'mon that's an absurd statement on many levels.

[GWB]

[ QUOTE ]
...if Clinton would have had a message on the official white house website declaring April 10th "Blowjobs across America Day"...

[/ QUOTE ]

Clinton left some of his personal papers behind; I've read them. Your joke is closer to the truth than you might think. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

A person doesn't give up his right to speak his views just because he becomes President, anymore than a person gives up his right to speak his views on campus just because he becomes a student or teacher there.

[Cyrus]

OK so you seriously believe that "George W Bush can pretty much say whatever the hell he personally feels like saying, even in an official capacity".

Explain to me please if he is free to say in his Union Address that slavery abolition was a bad thing and that we fought with the wrong side during World War II.