more meta post goodness.

another old post, and some follow up random stuff.

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The Bill of Non-Rights
The following has been attributed to State Representative Mitchell Kaye from GA. This guy should run for President.

"We the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior, and secure the blessings of debt free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great-grandchildren, hereby try one more time to ordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt ridden, delusional, and other liberal bed-wetter's. We hold these truths to be self evident: that a whole lot of people are confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim they require a Bill of NON-Rights."

ARTICLE I: You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV, or any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.

ARTICLE II: You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone-not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc.; but the world is full of idiots, and probably always will be.

ARTICLE III: You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you Stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful, do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all your relatives independently wealthy.

ARTICLE IV: You do not have the right to free food and housing. Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional couch potatoes.

ARTICLE V: You do not have the right to free health care. That would be nice, but from the looks of public housing, we're just not interested in public health care.

ARTICLE VI: You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim, or kill someone, don't be surprised if the rest of us want to see you fry in the electric chair.

ARTICLE VII: You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob, cheat, or coerce away the goods or services of other citizens, don't be surprised if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place where you still won't have the right to a big screen color TV or a life of leisure.

ARTICLE VIII: You do not have the right to a job. All of us sure want You to have a job, and will gladly help you along in hard times, but we Expect you to take advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational training laid before you to make yourself useful.

ARTICLE IX: You do not have the right to happiness. Being an American means that you have the right to PURSUE happiness, which by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an over abundance of idiotic laws created by those of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.

ARTICLE X: This is an English speaking country. We don't care where you are from, English is our language. Learn it or go back to wherever you came from.

(lastly....)

ARTICLE XI: You do not have the right to change our country's history or heritage. This country was founded by many who believed in the one true God and came to these shores for the freedom to worship Him. And yet, you are given the freedom to believe in any religion, any faith, or no faith at all; with no fear of persecution. The phrase IN GOD WE TRUST is a part of our heritage and history, and if you are uncomfortable with it, TOUGH!!!!

If you agree, share this with a friend. No, you don't have to, and Nothing tragic will befall you if you don't. I just think it's about time common sense is allowed to flourish.

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this is actually a VERY good post... all but article XI which manages to only falter a little... it does get it partly right.

ARTICLE XI: You do not have the right to change our country's history or heritage. This country was founded by many who believed in the one true God and came to these shores for the freedom to worship Him. And yet, you are given the freedom to believe in any religion, any faith, or no faith at all; with no fear of persecution. The phrase IN GOD WE TRUST is a part of our heritage and history, and if you are uncomfortable with it, TOUGH!!!!

This country was -not- founded by many who believed the Christian god inferred in that statement, nor any god for that matter in many cases. Try not to confuse our founding fathers with the Puritans etc who preceded them by over a century, and who practiced some of the worlds most vicious religious persecution. The United States was founded on the authority of WE THE PEOPLE, not god, any king, dictator etc.

He does get it perfectly right when he says we are guaranteed the right to have any faith or religion, or -no faith at all- with no fear of persecution. that's a VERY important point to understand.

however... he directly blows that beautiful would be save with a disasterously cliche comment... the phrase "In god we trust" was never a part of the founding of our country... it was illegally added to our money by the Mccarthy era congress to literally make our government take a (christian) religious stand against the percieved "godless heathens" of communism, in direct violation of the constitution and the rights of the 30,000,000 of us Americans who don't worship the sky god. Our nation was founded expressly as a secular nation, with the motto "E Pluribus Unum" ("out of many, [come] one") which holds true to the ideals of the United States.

Yes, I am uncomfortable with it... but unfortunately, I've done my homework and have the facts on my side. So it seems to fall on me to correct this common and cherished christian misconception. I fight regularly for those of you who choose to worship the sky god, or allah, or a tree or whatever... and that point made here was very important to understand. We all have the right equally to choose what to believe in, or not to believe at all... and our founding fathers were VERY careful to found an utterly and completely secular nation in order to maintain the neutrality necessary to truly guarantee that those rights are not infringed upon.

(if anyone cares, I'd be willing to show you the clear lack of any religious reference save the inferences to "natures god" or a mans "creator" or "divine providence" made in the original declaration of independence, which are gone from the constitution, bill of rights and to my knowledge, all additional amendments, save where mentioned as part of a statement such as the first amendment. and how in some places, such as Article II, Section 1, Clause 8 of the constitution specifically stating the presidential oath "Before he enter on the Execution of his Office, he shall take the following Oath or Affirmation:--'I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.' " devoid of any reference to god... and in Article 6, Clause 3 of the Constitution: "The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States."

You should notice the trend here to make sure our government serves the people and the constitution, and NOT any particular god or religion, while being very careful to protect peoples individual freedom of religion or lack thereof.

Statements like the one which I'm taking the time here to correct, are made more and more often lately in defense of the increasingly open Christian stance our government is attempting to take with such blatantly religiously weighted movements such as Bush Jr's "Faith Based Initiatives" etc. and I hope you can see where such statements become plainly false religious proganda, and I also earnestly hope you understand the very important reasons for separation of church and state and -true- freedom of religion and a completely secular and religiously neutral government.