Guest MINDSETTER™ Forleo: Festivus For The Rest of Us
Thursday, December 22, 2016
What is it about the First Amendment that gets politicians twisted into language pretzels? What is it about the Establishment Clause which makes certain politicians declare war on those they perceive not adhering to their own personal religious dogma?
Recently, Representative Patricia Morgan (R)-West Warwick, with other sponsors in tow, announced she is going to introduce legislation similar to the "Merry Christmas" bill passed in Texas back in 2013. Since then, other (mostly southern) states have also passed bills aimed at protecting public school teachers and their school districts from legal action for "showing symbols of winter celebrations", or saying "Merry Christmas and Happy Hannakuh."
What happens to Happy Kwanzaa? Happy Festivus?
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTMorgan's intended legislation would grant a school district's recognition and education about "winter celebrations"?
"Christmas is a part of the very fabric of this country," stated Morgan. "The traditions that are passed down from generation to generation enrich and inform our culture. They form a basis for our 'melting pot' and are another piece that binds our country together. No school teacher or staff member should risk censure for teaching about those holiday traditions."
Would this legislation provide teaching students that most, if not all of these "celebrations" are rooted in paganism (non-Christian)? I wonder if these "education" lessons will include teaching the children that "winter celebrations" were rituals long before Christianity arrived? The tree, also pagan, invented in 17th century Germany? No mention or directive of December 25 in the Bible as the birth date of Jesus? How Puritans despised the celebration of Christmas, even banning its celebration for decades? That Santa is the distant cousin of England's Father Christmas? And he was one of the spirits who roamed the skyway at winter?
But as one might suspect, that type of education won't be part of the curriculum, if politicians are devising the strategic plan. After all, this legislation proposed, wishes students to know the historical context of "winter celebrations."
Morgan insists, "The goal here is to give everyone the freedom they deserve to say 'Merry Christmas' but not to encourage adherence to any particular religious belief."
Oh, okay, the "secular crèche" is perfectly fine as long as the Magi consists of Frosty, Rudolph, and Santa, all surrounding the manger, hanging gift cards from Macy's, Nordstrom, and JC Penney on the stable with care.
Morgan's Proposal Undermines Law
So what's at the warm-hearted center of this proposed legislation?
The clear aim is attempting to undermine settled law. If Texas is the model for Morgan's proposed bill, that law would allow displays of a menorah or nativity on public spaces but not encourage one type of religious belief.
And if the school did use just one religious symbol, then it must balance it with a secular one.
Got it.
A teacher can place a nativity scene or menorah in the classroom as long as there's a cardboard elf sipping cocoa in the vicinity.
And I'm certain these RI politicians sponsoring a bill advocating for Judeo-Christian symbols only, would understand doing so easily discriminates against all other belief myths.
Granting what amounts to special privilege and placement with these two major religions running under very open, wildly vague legislative language, understandably provides preferential choice over other religions. In other words, the majority discriminates against the minority?
Isn't that wonderfully ironic? The proposed RI legislation, if similar to Texas, will allow certain religions access into public classrooms while discriminating against other belief systems.
Now, how un-Christmas is that?
Politicians should stay out of the classroom, and abate crusading secular as sacred "celebrations." For these elected officials should comprehend the true meaning of that defining Amendment we call the First; prohibiting the government from making any law which establishes one religion, but also unduly favoring any religion(s) over any other(s).
If all public schools are agencies of government, thus subject to any/all limitations of establishing a certain religion (with or without symbols), how then can politicians, representing the government, allow schools to bring in religious symbols without clearly undermining government limitations?
I assume this proposed legislation will never see the light of winter solstice.
Steven F. Forleo is a faculty member at CCRI, and proud citizen of the USA.
Related Slideshow: 25 Ways to Get Into the Holiday Spirit - 2016
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