Much of the attention on the angry Tea Party mobs over the summer and fall has been focused on their blind opposition to health insurance reform and government generally. But religious-right activists and their goals haven’t been completely absent from Tea Party ranks. In fact, their presence is one way you know that the call for limited government is little more than a political slogan — the Tea Partiers want to limit government, except when they don’t. An example:
The Tea Party movement is supposed to be all about keeping the government out of your business. But if some California members get their way, the state will force public schoolchildren to sing Christmas carols.
The effort is called the “Freedom to Present Christmas Music in Public School Classrooms or Assemblies” initiative. California’s public schools already may allow Christmas carols so long as they aren’t for devotional purposes, and parents could opt their children out of caroling under the new proposal, if they so choose. But parents, guardians and others could go to court to enforce Christmas caroling in a public school.
The intiative’s leader — Tea Partier Merry Hyatt — explains that her previous school district was too secular: “We were having Christmas without Jesus.” So now she wants government to make sure children sing Christmas carols. But don’t ask if she wants government to make sure those same children have access to health care that their families can afford. You already know the answer to that.
As one person observed on another blog, and I paraphrase, “A substitute teacher? Don’t worry. Nobody ever listened to one of them or took them seriously anyway. There’s no reason to think they’ll start doing it now.”
Just because some conservatives have joined in the tea party protests does not mean that all of us are supportive of conservative control of the government any more than we are supportive of it from the Left.
You need to address the unconstitutionality of BOTH the Right and the Left and their power grabs. Both have given the government too much power and as it swings from Right and Left everyone’s freedom is in danger.
Both sides have part of the truth, however their distrust and hatred of each other keeps both sides from learning the whole truth to the dangers of the Federal government’s trampling of the Constitution and civil liberties.
You would do well to learn from the true Constitutionalists and Libertarians – the true Liberals. It makes no difference to us whether it’s Big Government Liberals or Big Government Conservatives. Both are statists who threaten the individual rights and liberties of us all.
I don’t see anything wrong with Christmas Carols being taught and sung as long as they are part of a curriculum on comparative religions and or cultures. Their are Chanakka and Ramadan traditions which could also be taught. Christmas Carols are fun and the history behind them is sometimes fascinating. As long as you are not holding religious services, Christmas Carols do not rise to the level of establishing an official state religion.
Well-said, David. Now show me an example from the Left that matches this example from the Right of someone trying to force her religion on everybody else.
So David, are you saying you’re in favor of mandating Christmas carols or not? Frankly, if people want to mandate Christmas carols, fine. But in turn, they must also mandate the singing of Hanukkah songs, Winter Solstice songs, Kwanzaa songs, Buddhist songs, Hindu songs, Muslim songs, etc etc etc.
That’s a hell of a lot of singing when there needs to be less singing and more learning. Have kids sing to their lung’s content – but do it after school.
Mandated Christmas music? In private religious schools, yes. In public schools, NO!!
And what is a ‘statist’? I can’t find it in my dictionary. Does it mean one who favors being in a state? A state of what? Could you be a little more specific? I take it you are a “non-statist.” Or is it “un-statist”? Whatever, would you care to define?
Last time I checked, that Great Hope of the Libertarian Party – Mr. Ron Paul – was opposed to the right to an abortion. Sounds like Big Government to me, and in the most personally intrusive way.
Perhaps a ‘statist’ is the counterpart to a ‘secessionist’?
David, and co-baggers; Where were you for 8 years? Sure, they’re both equally as bad, but it just now dawned on you guys. Interesting.