Arizona Republicans Propose Bill That Would Not Allow Atheists To Graduate High Schoo

[ericlp]

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friend...d-not-allow-atheists-to-graduate-high-school/

This is one reason why I really hate republicans...

You know what should be mandatory for people to graduate high school? Basic critical thinking skills.

 

[jruchko]

I, _______, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge these duties; So help me God.

They want a law that makes students swear to support and defend the very thing this law clearly violates.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

Why should pledging to support and defend the Constitution be a requirement for graduation from high school? Is it constitutional for the government to require people to adhere to a certain type of political ideology in order to graduate from high school? What if someone wants to graduate from high school while expressing disdain for an imperfect Constitution? It seems like a First Amendment violation.

 

[StrangerGuy]

If there is a right for freedom of religion, then there should be a right of freedom from religion out of principle against these twats.

 

[Incorruptible]

Students should be supporting the Constitution, If they dont like it then maybe they should go somewhere else. If we followed the Constitution we would be much better off

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Oh man, we're going back to the McCarthy era with loyalty tests and such aren't we.

Awesome.

 

[nehalem256]

So an atheist is unable to recite the words: "So help me God"?

 

[IronWing]

Let's name names here.

This bill is the work of Representatives Bob Thorpe, Sonny Borrelli, Carl Seel, T.J. Shope, Jeff Dial, David Livingston, Chester Crandell, and Steve Smith.

There, now all the P&N world can see specifically who these idiots are.

 

[IronWing]

So an atheist is unable to recite the words: "So help me God"?

Not with any integrity. Where is the state interest in requiring any student, atheist or otherwise, to recite this oath?

 

[nehalem256]

Not with any integrity. Where is the state interest in requiring any student, atheist or otherwise, to recite this oath?

Its a basically empty phrase(certainly for Atheists) commonly tacked on to oaths.

EDIT: Would you feel better if atheists could instead say "So help me invisibly sky fairy"?

 

[PottedMeat]

this is one of those worthless bills that takes no effort to put in but earns them points with morons

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 15, chapter 7, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-701.03, to read:

15-701.03. Graduation requirement; constitutional oath

Beginning in the 2013‑2014 school year, In addition to fulfilling the course of study and assessment requirements prescribed in this chapter, before a pupil is allowed to graduate from a public high school in this state, the principal or head teacher of the school shall verify in writing that the pupil has recited the following oath:

I, _________, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge these duties; So help me God.

get rid of the pledge too

 

[Bowfinger]

Arizona Republicans apparently enjoy wasting taxpayer dollars on pointless legal battles ... which they'll lose. I wonder if legislators would be so eager to grandstand if they were personally financially responsible for defending it in court?

 

[Orignal Earl]

This is the type of crap that I have been warning about for a long time yet people continue to ignore it and downplay what is happening. If you think this was then there is much worse going on there

-This looks like a good place to reuse an Incor quote

 

[IronWing]

Arizona Republicans apparently enjoy wasting taxpayer dollars on pointless legal battles ... which they'll lose. I wonder if legislators would be so eager to grandstand if they were personally financially responsible for defending it in court?

Repost of my proposed amendment to the Arizona State Constitution:

IronWing's Amendment to the AZ state constitution:
1) All votes in the legislature shall be recorded by roll call (no voice votes).
2) Legislators voting in the affirmative for any law later determined to be unconstitutional under the AZ constitution or the U.S. Constitution as amended at the time of the bill's passage shall be held personally responsible for all costs to the State in defending the law and liable for all legal fees of and damages to plaintiffs successfully challenging the law. Liability shall be joint, strict, and several.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Well obviously being compelled to take an oath of fealty to graduate is OK.

Flash- you have cited the least important issue here. There should be no such requirement no matter how it's worded, the Lord being completely irrelevant here.

God save us from nationalistic republicans and clueless atheists.

 

[IronWing]

Its a basically empty phrase(certainly for Atheists) commonly tacked on to oaths.

EDIT: Would you feel better if atheists could instead say "So help me invisibly sky fairy"?

Where is the state interest in having anyone profess this oath?

 

[IronWing]

Well obviously being compelled to take an oath of fealty to graduate is OK.

Flash- you have cited the least important issue here. There should be no such requirement no matter how it's worded, the Lord being completely irrelevant here.

That is my point.

 

[Bowfinger]

Repost of my proposed amendment to the Arizona State Constitution:

Nice. :thumbsup:

 

[Incorruptible]

This is the type of crap that I have been warning about for a long time yet people continue to ignore it and downplay what is happening. If you think this was then there is much worse going on there

-This looks like a good place to reuse an Incor quote

That is not what I meant, You are misquoting me.

I was talking about radical Islam which is much more dangerous than these guys

 

[cave_dweller]

If you don't like it you have that other constitutional right to move to a other state and graduate there.

 

[cubby1223]

OH THE HORRORS OF IT ALL!!!!

Chances of this legislation becoming permanent law? I give it a 0.001% chance. Next?

 

[MomentsofSanity]

How about they make a Bill requiring the state legislature to swear an oath that all kids they graduate will actually be able to read and write?

 

[nehalem256]

Well obviously being compelled to take an oath of fealty to graduate is OK.

Flash- you have cited the least important issue here. There should be no such requirement no matter how it's worded, the Lord being completely irrelevant here.

God save us from nationalistic republicans and clueless atheists.

If he had talked about the real issue here he wouldnt be able to pretend to be offended.

Where is the state interest in having anyone profess this oath?

I find the oath to be silly overall. Being "offended" about the God part and saying it prevents atheists from graduating HS is sensationalism.

 

[nehalem256]

How about they make a Bill requiring the state legislature to swear an oath that all kids they graduate will actually be able to read and write?

Unfortunately "rights" groups would then probably complain that such a law was discriminating against certain groups of people.

 

[Orignal Earl]

That is not what I meant, You are misquoting me.

I was talking about radical Islam which is much more dangerous than these guys

Ya...I'm talking about the Religious Right and Traditional Family Values and all the scary things you see in London
Except that of course it's happening here and not over there

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_right