Congress Shall Make No Law. . .

The Wingnuts Shitbirds Pissants and Nitwits have been enagaged in one orgiastic acid and meth laced mind blowing clusterfuck.

Even bigger than the usual.

In the past week the Libs have gone out of their way, tripping over each other on the way to the microphone, teevee camera or nearest print smear merchant to attack The Tea Party Movement, Gun Toters, Bible thumpers, Beck, Palin, Hannity, Fox, Rush, God Kith Kin and Country. You'd think they'd forgotten they were in control. For now.

In fact their attacks have, in many cases, been more vile and hateful and damaging than anything coming from the ones they are attacking.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances

Shall make no law

It is true the United States was not founded with any specific religion and the Fathers intended to keep it that way. The descendants of half the people here were here because there ancsestors had fled their homelands because of religious persecution and intolerance.

Nevermind that most (not all) of that was one Christian denomination against another.

It is also undeniably true that it was founded on Judeo Christian priciples. Not Catholic or Protestant or Calvinistic or Methodist principles. Christian principles.

To affirm that does not in any way go against The Constitution. To display a Crucifix or Star of David or Crescent and Star (God Forbid) or a sacred fucking cow (mind your step!) in a public building does not go against the Constitution.

Shall make no law

No law has been made.

As for the reference to the Treay of Tripoli Article 11 of it states

As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion,—as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen,—and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.

According to Frank Lambert in The Founding Fathers and the Place of Religion in America

By their actions, the Founding Fathers made clear that their primary concern was religious freedom, not the advancement of a state religion. Individuals, not the government, would define religious faith and practice in the United States. Thus the Founders ensured that in no official sense would America be a Christian Republic. Ten years after the Constitutional Convention ended its work, the country assured the world that the United States was a secular state, and that its negotiations would adhere to the rule of law, not the dictates of the Christian faith. The assurances were contained in the Treaty of Tripoli of 1797 and were intended to allay the fears of the Muslim state by insisting that religion would not govern how the treaty was interpreted and enforced.21 John Adams and the Senate made clear that the pact was between two sovereign states, not between two religious powers.22

As far as I can tell, this has no bearing on what Palin said. And she is certainly not advocating that she "suddenly wants the government to help people be religious".

But what the fuck do I know? I'm just an out of work underfunded whiskey swilling beer guzzling blogger.

Shall make no law.

In America you are free to practice as you see fit, or not practice and believe at all. And that's fine.

You are not free to restrict someone else's practicing as they see fit. That's covered by the

or prohibiting the free exercise thereof

part of it.

And, You Crazy Fucked Up Jihadis, THIS MEANS YOU.

Shall make NO LAW

And never let the facts stand in the way.

ABCNews:

Sarah Palin's 'Christian Nation' Remarks Spark Debate Advocates of Church-State Separation Say Palin Is Distorting Founders' Intent
By TEDDY DAVIS and MATT LOFFMAN
WASHINGTON, April 20, 2010

Is America a Christian nation?

Sarah Palin said on Friday that it's "mind-boggling" to suggest otherwise.

But two groups dedicated to the separation of church and state are now speaking out against her, arguing that she is misreading the founders' intent.

"It's incredibly hypocritical that Sarah Palin, who disapproves of government involvement in just about anything, now suddenly wants the government to help people be religious," Barry Lynn, the executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, told ABC News.

"It is wildly inconsistent with her views on limited government to get the government involved in matters of faith."

Lynn was reacting to remarks Palin gave last Friday in Louisville, Ky., one day after a federal judge in Wisconsin ruled that the National Day of Prayer, created in 1952 by Congress, violated the First Amendment.

"We hear of a judge's ruling that our National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional," said Palin. "I think we'll be challenging that one."

"God truly has shed his grace on thee -- on this country," Palin told the Women of Joy conference. "He's blessed us, and we better not blow it."

Without ever mentioning him by name, Palin also took aim at President Obama, repeating an often cited but incorrect claim that Obama said he believed that the U.S was no longer a Christian nation during a 2006 speech.

"And then, hearing any leader declare that America isn't a Christian nation and poking an ally like Israel in the eye, it's mind-boggling to see some of our nation's actions recently, but politics truly is a topic for another day."

A written text of the speech posted at BarackObama.com of the June 2006 keynote address at the Call to Renewal Conference indicated that Obama had written that (emphasis added) "We are no longer just a Christian nation, but we are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, a Hindu nation..."

Palin, who belongs to the Assembly of God church, used her speech to reject the notion that God and state should be kept separate.

"Lest anyone try to convince you that God should be separated from the state, our founding fathers, they were believers," said Palin. "And George Washington, he saw faith in God as basic to life."

"In Washington's farewell address, he wrote 'Of all the dispositions and habits that lead to political prosperity, religion, faith, morality are indispensible supports,'" she continued. "So Women of Joy, remember that, and remember that even today this nation needs you."


Palin Tells 'Mom of Faith Movement' Not to Listen to Critics
A spokesman for the Secular Coalition for America told ABC News that Palin is misconstruing the founders' intent on matters of church and state.

"While the founders' views on religion varied from person to person, there is no doubt that they believed strongly that religion had no place in government," said Paul Fidalgo, the communications manager for the Secular Coalition for America. "John Adams signed the Treaty of Tripoli which stated in no uncertain terms that 'the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.'

"Our Constitution established a secular government and has no mention of Jesus, Christianity, or a god of any kind, despite the false message spread by figures such as Sarah Palin who claim that America was founded as a Christian nation," Fidalgo continued.

Palin told the women in attendance, whom she referred to as a "mom of faith movement," that they should not listen to critics who would make them feel that their movement is "all a low-cost brand of ignorance."

"Really, it's just the opposite," said Palin. "And I think the more we're involved, the more we're going to rock this world."