Our Stupid Government
Okay. Stupid ol' Jeffrey http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=hr110-847 Rowland posted this link to the latest bit of governmental stupidity:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=hr110-847
Now, technically this is a resolution, rather than a law. It's merely a general resolution and has no force of law.
But this: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=hr110-847 is still a fucking waste of time and worse, it's pandering to a bunch of religious noisemakers. You know, like the government of Iran does.
Here's my proposed bill.
Whereas there are a great number of winter festivals celebrated throughout the world, and whereas many of those celebrations and traditions continue to be held by the people of the United States;
Whereas a significant majority of citizens choose to celebrate Christmas, regardless of their religious background or particular branch of faith;
Whereas the founders of this nation and the architects of its most significant documents saw fit to forbid Congress from making any laws regarding the establishment of religion, despite being in general men of faith and conviction themselves;
Whereas people of faith are perfectly capable of maintaining that faith without the assistance of any official status or governmental decree;
Whereas it is not the business of government to authorize, legalize, or otherwise interfere with peaceful exercise of any particular religion or religious custom unless it poses a danger to others;
Whereas it would be simply impractical to officially and legally designate appropriate winter holidays for every faith and culture;
Whereas Christmas Day, regardless of religious connotations, has emerged as a secular holiday as well as a religious one;
Whereas the attachment of secular customs has absolutely no bearing on the ability of people of the Christian faith to celebrate it as they choose and according to their convictions;
Be it resolved that:
1. The traditional Christian holy day of Christmas, celebrated on 25 December, shall also be held as a secular American holiday;
2. The fact that other days of significance to other religions are not similarly designated is explicitly NOT intended as an endorsement of Christianity over other faiths, beliefs, or traditions;
3. The freedom of religion granted in our founding documents applies to all people, regardless of what they may believe or whether they believe in any supreme deity, and thus the right to celebrate as appropriate to one's faith and traditions continues to be held by every individual in this nation;
How about that?
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=hr110-847
Now, technically this is a resolution, rather than a law. It's merely a general resolution and has no force of law.
But this: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=hr110-847 is still a fucking waste of time and worse, it's pandering to a bunch of religious noisemakers. You know, like the government of Iran does.
Here's my proposed bill.
Whereas there are a great number of winter festivals celebrated throughout the world, and whereas many of those celebrations and traditions continue to be held by the people of the United States;
Whereas a significant majority of citizens choose to celebrate Christmas, regardless of their religious background or particular branch of faith;
Whereas the founders of this nation and the architects of its most significant documents saw fit to forbid Congress from making any laws regarding the establishment of religion, despite being in general men of faith and conviction themselves;
Whereas people of faith are perfectly capable of maintaining that faith without the assistance of any official status or governmental decree;
Whereas it is not the business of government to authorize, legalize, or otherwise interfere with peaceful exercise of any particular religion or religious custom unless it poses a danger to others;
Whereas it would be simply impractical to officially and legally designate appropriate winter holidays for every faith and culture;
Whereas Christmas Day, regardless of religious connotations, has emerged as a secular holiday as well as a religious one;
Whereas the attachment of secular customs has absolutely no bearing on the ability of people of the Christian faith to celebrate it as they choose and according to their convictions;
Be it resolved that:
1. The traditional Christian holy day of Christmas, celebrated on 25 December, shall also be held as a secular American holiday;
2. The fact that other days of significance to other religions are not similarly designated is explicitly NOT intended as an endorsement of Christianity over other faiths, beliefs, or traditions;
3. The freedom of religion granted in our founding documents applies to all people, regardless of what they may believe or whether they believe in any supreme deity, and thus the right to celebrate as appropriate to one's faith and traditions continues to be held by every individual in this nation;
How about that?