Fall of Civil Liberties

In light of the on-going onslaught of American 1st Amendment Rights. The only real Flagrant acts are being done by people like Daniel Mach of the ACLU.

It seems like something else out of an Orwell story, amongst all the current Orwellian mischief, propaganda and propagation in current years.

Although I do not disagree that a court order is in assumed violation. Something like this should be a non-issue to begin with.

Christianity, (specifically the one being attacked here), has been the single most attacked Religion of the past 20 years here in the United States of America.

The only Country; currently in the World that thought Freedom of Religion, Speech and Press where so important that we made it our 1st Amendment to our Constitution.

"Amendment 1 - Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression.

Ratified 12/15/1791. Note

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 has become the order of the times to make laws and conditions of which clearly violate the 1st amendment. Like the January out of court settlement the Santa Rosa County School District reached with the ACLU for supposed 1st Amendment Violations.

Let's think about this for a minute, since many people seem to not understand what a 'Real' 1st amendment violation is.

...

So how does one go about violating the 1st amendment?

Well put simply a 1st Amendment violation occurs when and if a Government, (U.S.of A.), makes a law to establish a State Religion, or prohibits the free practice/exercise of any Religion. Violations also occur if an individuals freedom of speech is abridged, (Moderated in such a way as the individual cannot sufficiently express open opinion and thought without reparation occurring.)

Also, preventing the freedom of Press; preventing peaceable assembly by the People and preventing petition for a redress of grievances. We however are currently concerned about Speech and Religion.

So if a violation of the 1st amendment is as stated above, then how do groups like the ACLU with people like Daniel Mach, get away with violating the Founding laws of the land for their own personal gain, or the personal gain of others?

This may be the question of the decade... If we are to follow Constitutional law, (Amendments being apart of that law), then this would in initial judgement assume that every court case, law and settlements that rule in favor against 1st Amendment rights; such as the Santa Rosa County School District Settlement with the ACLU. A settlement that seems to have been reached under a certain amount of duress against the school district for violations of the 1st amendment but turns out it is the ACLU that has and is violating the 1st amendment by prohibiting free speech and practice of religion.

This is not only sad but scary indeed, not to mention that now two well respected teachers of their Community are now under criminal charges for saying a prayer for their meal around other consenting adults.

With the accusation that some school children over heard in another room? Hence violating the unconstitutional Settlement the ACLU won earlier this year. Well that remains to be seen, especially since the school, Students and teachers have come out in protest of this, Which seems promising.

What many others are failing to see and ask questions regarding, is:

What happens once one religion is attacked and sufficiently demonized and wiped away?

Well if history is a guide, and it usually is; this would mean that once the dominant religion is swept away in one fashion or another, then that leaves the other current religions and faiths in the eye of the target.

Once it is okay to take away freedom of one Religion, then no other religion is safe, this goes for speech as well.

This is just another good example of the slow erosion and chipping away of our most sacred of Civil Rights, until they no longer exist for us to exercise.

A Christian should be able to pray over their food without fear of reprisal, just as a Wicca(n)/Witch should be able to bless their food, a Hindu to pray over theirs as well, as well as those of Islamic faith and Buddhism and Taoism or any other Religion and Faith.

The 1st amendment allows for the free practice thereof as long as one does not force their practice upon another. And praying over ones personal food stuffs before a meal does not constitute a violation of the 1st Amendment. Nor is it a violation if all in specific tabling are in consent to a group-wide act of a specific religion or faith.

If others happen to be in listening distance but are in a separate room, this does not constitute a violation. However since the School district of Santa Rosa allowed a settlement to be reached, however unconstitutional, they are currently bound by that settlement since it is a contractual agreement between parties bound by current law.

One can only hope that an event such as this will wake Americans up to the travesty at hand so as to prevent future unconstitutional meanderings of organizations such as the ACLU and arrogant outbursts like litigators such as Daniel Mach.

All of whom shame their names as American Citizens by dragging the Constitution and its amendments through the mud; by violating it not only on a consistent basis, but by violating it just once.

R. William Holzkopf Jr.

Sources:

1) http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,539741,00.html

2) http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/14/criminal-prayer-case-stirs-protests/?feat=home_headlines

3) http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html#Am1

4) http://www.examiner.com/x-8280-Columbia-Evangelical-Examiner~y2009m8d15-Religious-liberties-under-assault-in-Florida

5) http://religionclause.blogspot.com/2009/03/religion-in-schools-lawsuit-settlement.html

6) http://www.californiabusinesslitigation.com/2009/05/aclu_wins_prayer_ruling.html