Topic: U.S. Constitution

Texas School Board should uphold sound science, reject creationism

November 21, 2008 |

Religious Right Push For Creationist Concepts In Texas Science Standards Could Damage Textbooks Nationwide, Says AU’s Lynn

AU Executive Director Barry Lynn

Americans United for Separation of Church and State on Wednesday urged the Texas State Board of Education to stick to sound science and reject creationist concepts when revising its science standards. The state school board is currently examining the science curriculum, which is reviewed and updated every 10 years. The Seattle-based Discovery Institute and other Religious Right forces are seeking to include loopholes that undermine instruction about evolution and open the door to creationist ideas.

Scientists, teachers, mainstream religious leaders and civil liberties activists want to improve the Texas standards to ensure that the public school classroom does not become a vehicle for religious indoctrination.

“Public schools should educate, not indoctrinate. The Religious Right is exploiting Texas public schools to push a narrow viewpoint and in the process is doing a great disservice to its students, not to mention undermining the mandates of our Constitution.” ~~   Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director.

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Sections: Issues, News | 2 Comments

Palin: muzzle it!

By David W. Shelton | October 13, 2008 |

For a brief moment, I had a glimpse of hope that maybe, just maybe, the McCain campaign would put a muzzle on its pit bull in drag … er … hockey mom governor. After rallying her attendees last week into a frenzy of death threats and false accusations against Senator Barack Obama, Sarah Palin should have gotten that much-needed order to chill out.

Not so, it seems. With McCain himself now saying he’ll kick Obama’s “you-know-what” in the upcoming debate (of course, it’s been the opposite at all of the debates so far), Palin has gotten the blessing to keep on blathering about things she clearly does not understand.

ABC News says that Palin “tones it down a notch,” but a “notch” down from the fever pitch of accusing the Democratic nominee of “pallin’ around with terrorists” and insinuating that he’s a terrorist himself, is, well, not much of a notch at all. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Issues, Opinion, Politics | 4 Comments

WomenforObama celebrate women suffrage 88th anniversary

By Turner McCullough Jr. | September 26, 2008 |

Clarksville Women For Obama

Celebration marks 88th anniversary of passage of 19th Amendment. Tennessee’s ratification, as the 33rd state to do so, made the law effective. Many women made great sacrifices to make this legislation the law of the land. It is one of many fronts in the struggle for civil rights.

WomenForObama held a celebratory commemoration of the 88th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. It was the 19th Amendment which gave women in the United States the right to vote. The Montgomery County Democratic Party Headquarters was the celebration site with a roster of prominent local women speakers who addressed the significance of women suffrage and civil rights in the furtherance of the American Ideal.

Motivational speaker Cindy Pitts with moderator Wanda McMoore

Wanda McMoore was the event moderator. As a mother, nurse, military service veteran and community organizer, she was a prime example of the women in times past who have fought for equality and justice while still balancing the demands of a family and career. She introduced each speaker and kept the event moving along on schedule. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Events, Issues, News, Opinion, Politics | No Comments

ACLU: In defense of Constitutional rights

By Rev. Charles Moreland | September 14, 2008 |

The ACLU is well-known throughout the nation but is frequently denounced by people who do not understand their mission. This organization is dedicated to the Constitution of the United States. For the ACLU, the Constitution is sacred, hallowed, and consecrated.

The ACLU focus is protecting the rights of individuals, whether they be in the minority or the majority. The ACLU shields citizens from abuse directed to minority groups. The are dedicated to defending, speaking up, and representing groups and individuals in court when said groups or individuals are threatened with loss of their constitutional rights.

An example of this singular purpose can be found in the neighboring state of Kentucky, as reported by the Associated Press. One recent headline, “ACLU to defend Amish on buggy light charges,” demonstrates ACLU involvement. In that article, distributed by Associated Press, the ACLU “will defend a group of Amish men in Kentucky charged with not displaying slow moving emblems on their horse-drawn buggies.” «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Issues, News, Opinion, Politics, Spirituality | 1 Comment »

Americans: Victims of 9-11 polarization

September 11, 2008 |

We suffer in our remembrance of 9/11, because of the terrible loss of innocent lives on that grim day. We also suffer because 9/11 was seized as an opportunity to run a political agenda… It is not simply 9/11 that needs to be remembered. We also need to remember the politicization of 9/11 and the polarizing narrative which followed… As we were all victims of 9/11, so we have become victims of the interpretation of 9/11. ~~ Dennis J Kucinich, 9.11.08

This is a reprint of Mr. Kucinich’s Op/Ed statement:

America must move from the errant, retributive justice of 9/11 to a healing, restorative process of truth and reconciliation.

Before the Congress adjourns, I will bring forth a new proposal for the establishment of a National Commission on Truth and Reconciliation, which will have the power to compel testimony and gather official documents to reveal to the American people not only the underlying deception which has divided us, but in that process of truth seeking set our nation on a path of reconciliation.

We suffer in our remembrance of 9/11, because of the terrible loss of innocent lives on that grim day. We also suffer because 9/11 was seized as an opportunity to run a political agenda, which has set America on a course of the destruction of another nation and the destruction of our own Constitution. And we have become less secure as a result of the warped practice of pursing peace through the exercise of pre-emptive military strength. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Events, Issues, News, Opinion, Politics | No Comments

Voter apathy reigns in Montgomery County as primary draws a mere 11.86% turnout

By Christine Anne Piesyk | August 8, 2008 |

I have been covering elections since 1968, back when I was too young to vote but old enough to be a journalist covering the elections. Just like the soldiers old enough to ship to Vietnam but not old enough to legally vote against that war.

I’ve only missed two elections in my voting life, and as a writer I’ve covered 30 years worth of voting ups and downs. I have painstakingly worked to implant the importance of voting to my daughter, my grandchildren (two of whom are now old enough to vote), and anyone who can and should be registered to vote. That’s why I found myself upset and disturbed at the end of the day, Thursday, August 7. Primary day. A day of another kind of infamy: a day of voter apathy. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Events, Issues, News, Opinion, Politics | 3 Comments

Local legals speak out: Kurita’s disparaging anti-Barnes ad deemed ’shameful,’ ‘beneath the dignity of a Senator’

By Christine Anne Piesyk | August 7, 2008 |

Tennessee Senator Rosalind Kurita

On Tuesday, and again on Wednesday, in the final stretch of the primary campaign, voters across the city of Clarksville received oversized full color postcards in the mail from State Senator Rosalind Kurita, cards that drove spikes of criticism at Tim Barnes and his law practice. Barnes is challenging Kurita for her 22nd District Senate seat on today’s election.

Today a coalition of 38 area attorneys came to Barnes defense while simultaneously calling on Senator Kurita to retract her statements and stating unequivocably that her comments as written on this mailer (and recapped on television and radio ads) were “shameful, and beneath the dignity, and the honor, of a Tennessee Senator.”

In a matter of four hours, the legal community rallied, creating a full page block ad denouncing the “Smear Barnes” ads and obtaining hand-signed signatures of dozens of local “legal eagles” as part of a statement of support for Tim Barnes. (Complete ad text/signatures at end of story). The full page ad is slated to run in The Leaf Chronicle today. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Business, Issues, News, Opinion, Politics | 1 Comment »

AU: school-sponsored prayer not allowed in public schools

By Rev. Charles Moreland | August 3, 2008 |

Prayer is a religious ritual that over 70% of Americans practice daily. Sometimes we express praise; other times we offer up petitions and requests to our Lord. This ritual is an element of every faith in the world.

Today’s thoughts on prayer concentrates on the issue of prayer in public schools, specifically in Florida, and how one organization is moving to remind school officials of how the United States Constitution applies to Florida — and to every state in the Union.

AU challenges school-sponsored prayer in Florida

Attorneys with Americans United have advised a Florida Public School to stop allowing a principal and other staffers to pray with students.

AU, after receiving complaints from community residents, asserts that Principal Mike Rio and several teachers were filmed on videotape praying with students on May 3, 2007, during a National Day of Prayer observance at Virgil Mills Elementary School in Bradenton. AU sent its letter on April 29 so there would be no recurrence of teacher-led prayer during this year’s National Day of Prayer, which was May 1.

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Sections: News, Opinion, Politics, Spirituality | No Comments