Protected by a Higher Power
The ACLU warns of a bill sponsored by Rick "the frothy mixture" Santorum that would expand the scope of accomodations employers, public and private, must make to the religious practices of employees. The text of the Workplace Religious Freedom Act makes it sound as though it's mostly about religious clothing or taking off religious holidays, but the ACLU worries its vague wording would force employers to countenance proselytizing on the job or even employee refusal to work with gay or female clients or colleagues.
Interesting side note: Santorum's joined in sponsoring this one by Senators Clinton and John Kerry (the sponsor of a previous version of the bill in the late 90s).
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Of course, this is the same ACLU that worries that itty bitty crosses on a city seal is an endorsment of religion. They may have a point, but its getting hard to care what they think these days...
Huh- I always thought it was Sen. Rick "Man-on-Dog" Santorum- oh well...
"Interesting side note: Santorum's joined in sponsoring this one by Senators Clinton and John Kerry (the sponsor of a previous version of the bill in the late 90s)."
Evil, but somehow not surprising.
Damnit, I was in the middle of my lunch break when you brought up that "frothy mixture dude" again.
Ahhh, so Santorium is an idiot because Dan Savage (an idiot) says so, but the ACLU are a bunch of geniuses?
Santorum?s argument against ?gay marriage? made a lot more sense to me than the ACLU?s nonsensical double standards when it comes to anything ?Religious? (which is really an Atheist code-word for ?Christian?).
The ACLU is just a modern day Klu Klux Klan. But lets all ignore that and pretend Santorum is the real bad guy.
Among the cases that may have been decided differently, "retail employee?s request to begin most statements on the job with ?In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.""
"In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, those cargo pants don't make your ass look fat."
As a liberal Kerry supporter, I'm not too worried. Even the ACLU, which tends to be a little high strung about these things, just wants the bill amended. Given the beating he's taking for supporting THIS $87 billion supplemental appropriation bill instead of THAT $87 billion supplemental, he might as well benefit from the reverse, and get credit for supporting the Religious blah blah blah bill, despite going along with every upcoming amendment that will water it down. Bush has put shallow examinations of his voting record into play, so Kerry's got to play that game whether he likes it or not.
That's my prediction, anyway.
In the south, we have religous zealots trying to take over the teaching high school biology. We have a president who uses his Christian convictions to block scientific research and approval of over-the-counter contreceptives. We have bible-beaters calling for a constitutional amendment to make the Judeo-Christian concept of marrage the law of the land. Now this.
And what is the the ACLU doing? It's wasting it's time over a cross on a city seal? COME ON GUYS! We can worry about the piddly stuff as soon as we take care of the IMPORTANT matters.
Dan Savage is an idiot? I thought "Skipping towards Gomorrah" was suprisingly insightful, but I guess I am just an idiot too. Also, I am not aware of the ACLU lynching anybody, but as I said, I guess I am an idiot.
Dan Savage is an idiot? I thought "Skipping towards Gomorrah" was suprisingly insightful, but I guess I am just an idiot too. Also, I am not aware of the ACLU lynching anybody, but as I said, I guess I am an idiot.
"Dan Savage is an idiot? I thought "Skipping towards Gomorrah" was suprisingly insightful, but I guess I am just an idiot too. Also, I am not aware of the ACLU lynching anybody, but as I said, I guess I am an idiot."
Remember Scott, The Serpent is the same guy who claimed that "secular/liberal/atheists" are out to destroy democracy and and set up an "intolerant theocracy."
Just wait until he starts pulling Santorum-covered "definitions" out of his ass.
Santorum may be right on this issue and the ACLU wrong, but I wouldn't point to Santorum's arguments against gay marriage as evidence of his level-headedness. Since Santorum posts on H&R all the time, perhaps he can fill us in on the particulars.
..."Religious? (which is really an Atheist code-word for ?Christian?).
There's a good reason for that, Serpent. It's not the Jews, Muslims, or Buddhists who are trying to use our government to force their religious views on others.
".There's a good reason for that, Serpent. It's not the Jews, Muslims, or Buddhists who are trying to use our government to force their religious views on others."
That, and Christianity, in one form or another, constitutes the religion of a majority of Americans.
Summoned from the depths, I am!
You're probably hoping that I'll present a defense of my legislation. Well, to be honest, most legislation is written by staffers and vetted by pollsters and campaign contributers.
This one was actually drafted by Jessica Cutler, aka the Washingtonienne. She isn't an actual employee, because she was fired from another Senator's office for using a government computer to do blog postings about her sex life. However, she's currently working for me on a consulting basis. Since this girl has her finger on the pulse of the culture wars (as well as a few other things), I hired her to draft some legislation related to the culture wars. She's a switch-hitter, batting for my team today but batting for the wicked over-sexed secularists the week before.
Speaking of switch-hitters, I've been tempted to bat for the other team myself, if you know what I mean. And whenever I do it invariably leads me down a slippery slope into bestiality. Hence my strong opposition to gay marriage, as well as men kissing, men touching, men sharing beds, and... Sorry, can't type with one hand.
See you guys around!
"There's a good reason for that, Serpent. It's not the Jews, Muslims, or Buddhists who are trying to use our government to force their religious views on others."
Secularism is a religon. The ACLU just has different sacrements.
If secularism is a religion than baldness is a hair color and health a type of disease.
Shirley Knott
Secularism is a religion.
War is peace.
Freedom is slavery.
Four legs good, two legs better!
Secularism is a political philosophy, not a religion. Pity you don't know the difference.
If you need the government to prop up your faith...you don't have much faith.
Joe: The trouble is, it's not whether or not HIS faith needs to be propped up that's the problem. The problem is that he thinks WE poor, heathen, unbelievers must be made to know the love of JEEZ-us and the glory and power of "God"... or else!
Personally, I don't want to be "or else-d."
I'm trying to figure out how checking my fantasy baseball team while at work can be considered a religious activity ...
Mark S.,
"Christian nation" types don't expect an openly religious government to convey love of any sort, just power.
So, Serpent, when someone tries to force a "non-demoninational" prayer which just happens to be written by Jesus on the schools, or displays in a courtroom an instruction by Moses to have no other gods above the one he recommends, WE'RE using "religion" as a code-word for "Christian" when we object?
Your equation of the ACLU to the Ku Klux Klan, with its implication that politicians who are prevented from forcing their religious beliefs from others are thereby terrorized victims of persecution, is flatly ludicrous.
Santorum, hehehe... since he's a politician and therefore pure evil beyond all doubt. I am free of guilt from the schoolboy delight I take whenever he pokes his head out of his hole and gets the frothy mixture treatment.
In the south, we have religous zealots trying to take over the teaching [of] high school biology.
If they are doing it in their private schools, I have no objection. The problem isn't religious influence on schools, it is government ownership.
We have a president who uses his Christian convictions to block scientific research
Which, aside from defense projects, the government shouldn't be funding, anyway.
and approval of over-the-counter contraceptives.
One doesn't have to be a religious nut to oppose non-prescription abortifacients, such as RU-487. Mind you, I'm not particularly exercized by this, but one has an obligation to characterize one's opponents' arguments fairly. I wonder what particular beef you have on this issue. Is someone trying to ban condoms? Do you think that minors should go on The Pill without seeing a doctor first?
We have bible-beaters calling for a constitutional amendment to make the Judeo-Christian concept of marriage the law of the land.
Well, sure, because judges are imposing their views that same-sex marriage is a fundamental right in their states, and people in other states will not be able to avoid the effects of these rulings if the Supreme Court decides that the "full faith and credit" clause kicks in.
A good reason to privatize all marriage contracts, if you ask me.
Kevin
garym,
He invoked Godwin's Amended Law when he compared the ACLU to the KKK.
You guys wouldn't believe me if I told you where he REALLY was while the bill was being drafted...
And where would that be, Mrs. Santorum? An orgy with puppies?
t's not the Jews, Muslims, or Buddhists who are trying to use our government to force their religious views on others.
Well, to be fair, there's the taxpayer-funded Kosher Enforcement Division of the NY Dept. of Agriculture.
We have a president who uses his Christian convictions to block scientific research
"Which, aside from defense projects, the government shouldn't be funding, anyway."
Kevrob -- please note the difference between "block" and "stop funding".
So if this bill is approved, does that mean Muslims can demand every Friday off?
Puppy orgy? Nope. Worse:
He was smoking dope while the Washingtonienne was writing this bill. And you know who was smoking it with him? John Kerry and Hillary Clinton.
I mean, you'd have to be high to sponsor this bill, right?
Man, you just don't realize how this bill is, like, the whole key to my legislative agenda. I mean, the more you think about it the more you'll be like, man, that's deep!
Besides, when I'm high I have no interest in men or dogs. I'm just grooving and chilling and relaxing, man.
I'm confused, is it Rick Santorum or Rick James, or...(GASP!)...BOTH!?!
Mrs. Santorum, you are a very freaky girl!
I'm Rick James, bi-atch!
I'm a VERY freaky girl! Too bad for Rick that he isn't turned on by women and doesn't know how to treat them, or I'd show him just how freaky I can be.
I don't know, what DID the five fingers say to the face?
"judges are imposing their views that same-sex marriage is a fundamental right in their states, and people in other states will not be able to avoid the effects of these rulings if the Supreme Court decides that the "full faith and credit" clause kicks in. A good reason to privatize all marriage contracts, if you ask me."
Actually, this has been debunked. There is a "public policy" exception to the full faith and credit clause, which has been used by states that don't want to recognize certain marriages that go against their laws - for example, southern states used to be allowed to ignore interractial marriages. There are credible arguments against government-sanctioned marriage, but this is not one of them.