California activist pushes ballot intitiative to force schools to play Xmas music
11 December 2009 by Stardust
A Tea Party activist and substitute teacher, Merry Hyatt, is trying to get an initiative on next year’s California ballot to require schools to play Christmas music. “It’s our right to have freedom of worship,” Hyatt said. Rob Boston of Americans United for Separation of Church and State said he had “two words” for Hyatt’s proposal: “blatantly unconstitutional.” Is it wrong to have kids sing Christmas songs in school?
Stupid question, of course it’s wrong to try to force kids to sing religious songs in public school. It is in blatant violation of separation of church and state.
Christians can’t force their beliefs on others: “It’s not the government’s job to provide you a place to worship,” says Ed Brayton in Science Blogs. That’s what churches are for. It’s mind boggling that Tea Partiers, who say they favor limited government, would want the government to “force non-Christians to take part” in their religious festivities.
That’s right, Christians have no right to force their beliefs on others. And it is not the government’s job to turn our public schools into extended religious facilities.
11 December 2009, on 4:00 pm
While they’re @ it, then they need to play Jewish songs for Hannukah, Kwanza songs, Islamic songs (do they have music?), Vedic, etc.
11 December 2009, on 9:10 pm
Interestingly enough, I am also starting a ballot initiative of my own here in CA to change the name of the state to “Idiottucky.” So far I’m having difficulty rounding up signatures but I’ve been praying and I’m sure that will work.
11 December 2009, on 11:12 pm
Hmmm…
Perhaps it’s time to compose some original (atheistic, of course) “Winter Solstice” tunes?
I was sort of thinking along the lines of the “bridge” to that famous Santa tune’s lyrics…you know…
“Santa Claus is coming (cumming?) to Town”?:
“He sees you when you’re shitting…
He knows you’ve wiped your ass…
He knows you poked your finger through…
Erm…
This ONCE, you get a pass?
Oh wait!, Sorry…wrong set of lyrics!
It must be my “decrepitude” seeping in.
[You see, I recently turned 70; which, according to the late, Joseph Campbell...signals the onslaught of that inevitable, age-old...
"virtue".]
12 December 2009, on 7:14 am
I find it so interesting that every effort to block these yahoos from cramming religion down our throats is branded as an attempt to take away THEIR religious freedom. But I suppose that there is nothing new about this tactic. Back in Germany in the 1930s, the nazis used to pull that one all the time.
12 December 2009, on 12:59 pm
Few societies in history have proven equitable for all individuals of widely disparate religions. In America this ideal has been a social experiment with little precedent throughout the world. Since the middle of the twentieth century there has been a determined effort to make it work by neutralizing public display of religious symbolism of any kind. It appears that Christian citizens of this nation seem oblivious or more likely narcissistic toward this dilemma and continually strive to impede its progress. Consequently as Christianity succumbs to the ever increasing secularism in America we can expect to see many more instances of their demise.
12 December 2009, on 1:27 pm
You better watch out,
You better not cry,
You better not pout,
I’m telling you why:
Santa Claus is dead…
12 December 2009, on 4:22 pm
I assume it’s okay with Merry Hyatt if all the kids are forced to sing a few Hannakuh songs right after the Christmas Carols, then?
12 December 2009, on 8:40 pm
Hyatt only wants this nonsense because she likes hearing her name being sung…