Freedom of what? A ramble.

I spend a lot of time listening to Talk radio. Unfortunately the only consistant source of talk radio in this part of the country is religious broadcasting. Wait, I can't truthfully call it religious broadcasting. It is Conservative Christian radio. I have yet to hear a moderate voice, Islamic call to prayer, or even Hebrew prayer. (oy, lord, let the bagels be fresh!!)

What I have heard, and heard often, is a statement very similar to: "Things were better when we had religion in schools and in our courtrooms.", "They kicked God out of our schools", and the interesting term, "Northeast liberals". My favorite is the one about kicking god out of the schools, particularly when the speaker goes on to imply, if not state outright that students aren't allowed to pray before lunch, tests, athletic games, or whatever. Which is a complete and total fabrication. If a student is not allowed to do these things the school is in a state of clear and complete violation of the first amendment. (Unless the school is a private one)

What all of the court decisions have said is that a teacher or staff member cannot LEAD OR ENDORSE such actions while working in their official capacity. Because that creates a situation where a government employee is establishing and endorsing a specific viewpoint about everyones relationship to the almighty.

Christians in particular should be rejoicing and thanking the courts for this instead of attacking them. Why? Because what do you tell little Sally on the day after her Baptism and confirmation when her Teacher says it doesn't count because that sects views differ from the teachers own? Plus there is still all of that bad blood between Catholics and Protestants. Remember when the KKK hated Jews, Blacks and catholics equally? This way students, especially grade schoolers, are protected from early exposure to philosophical theological debates which they are not yet mature enough engage in. At least not in an informed and civil manner. Picture if you will the following snippet of a possible, theoretical conversation:

"Hey mom.. heaven sounds fun. but who would win in a fight, Moses, Abraham, Allah, Buddha, or Jesus? I think it would be a tie between moses and Jesus, because Moses could part the sea and have it crash back on everybody else, but Jesus would just have to walk a little faster, or turn it into wine because after all that time in the desert Moses would have to be thirsty., and then when he was drunk Jesus could just hit him with his own staff.. what do you think mom, huh huh huh?" A far cry from debating different translations of scripture and whether or not the death penalty is for or against the will of the almighty.

The current official ruling is a good one as it allows parents the opportunity to teach their children the complex relationships between oneself and the almighty without having that relationship mandated by our government. It also allows teachers to do their jobs without stopping the discussion on the relationship between pi and the circumference of a circle, to give a little inspirational message using the Pythagorean theorum to quantify the blessed trinity.

But what about the non educational aspects? Personally I think we have a better culture now than we did during the golden era the religious right talk radio callers get so nostalgic over. The 1950's. How are we better off? In list form for a change of pace...

1. I haven't heard of any lynchings this year.
2. We're not arresting Comedians and poets for using terms like "Cocksucker." (See Lenny Bruce and Alin Ginsberg for more details)
3. We've had the chance to learn from stonewall, Ohio State, and watergate to make sure they don't happen again.
4. I wasn't alive then.
5. Video games.
6. We're not fighting a "police action" in Southeastern Asia.
7. Two words... Color T.V.
8. We know that AIDS exists, its symptoms, and are actively working towards a cure. In the 1950's We didn't know about it, so treatment wasn't an option.
9. A D.A. Haircut now means you're going for a retro look, which sounds a lot cooler than going to the barber and asking him to make the back of your head look like the back of a duck.
10. If david letterman sues me over this list.. I'll make millions in talk show appearance fees.

To be fair.. send me some ways we're worse off.