'thought police"?

Say ‘no’ to HR 1913 and ‘thought police’
IR letter to the editor - 05/26/2009
The Senate will be voting soon on the “Hate Crimes Bill,” (HR 1913). Crimes and criminal law are and have always been the prerogative of the states under the Constitution. This bill would be a huge power grab by the federal government.

People could be prosecuted for their thoughts. Religious leaders and others who express their constitutionally protected beliefs should not be silenced out of fear. The 14th Amendment provides equal protection for all citizens and does not recognize special classes of citizens.

We don’t need thought police and we don’t need this law. Tell our senators to “Just say NO”!

C. Getz


Comments:

My Comment;
Clarence is incorrect

Section 10 - The Rule of Construction (the last item of the bill) says, "Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this Act, shall be construed to prohibit any expressive conduct protected from legal prohibition by, or any activities protected by the free speech or free exercise clauses of, the First Amendment to the Constitution."


Reader Comments:

marencolleen wrote on May 26, 2009 6:45 AM:
“I just skimmed through the bill and I didn't see a single thing about the police going after you for thinking that discrimination is the way to go. It gives assistance to state, county, city, and tribal leaders to prosecute hate crimes that are physical. (Never mind that there are more damaging things than being hit)
I don't see what the fuss is, it seems like it's just another measure to stop people from getting physically hurt by other people just for being who they are. "

Proof God Exists

I tired of people saying they have proof for a god, then give something like, just look around at the natural complex world. Fine if they are diest, but one can not then turn around and say Jesus is that god that designed the universe.

I am 99.9% sure there is no supernatural god or gods
I am 100% positive neither Elohim, Jesus nor Allah exist.

The Hippocratic Oath

A letter to the Editor
The recent letter from Bob B (M’s ruling is courageous) missed the point. The real issue in that ruling is the lack of exemption to those in our health/ care .services to honor their religious convictions and the Hippocratic Oath to “Do no harm.” Under this ruling, as it was drafted, all doctors would be required to facilitate suicide, and that flies in the face of many fine doctors. This makes no more sense than requiring a seriously ill person to commit suicide. Under the Democrats’ proposed universal health care initiative being debated in Congress at this moment, that is the next step in the debate. Care will be rationed as the ony viable way to reduce costs. The old and infirm will be denied essential services. McCarter should be ashamed of herself for failing to consider both sides in this issue. Or, perhaps, she is conceited enough to believe that the only valid opinion is hers. If it is worth bringing up, shouldn’t the fine citizens of Montana have the right to debate and vote on this issue, rather than having an activist judge legislate the issue from the bench?

My comment in reply to this letter

I suggest all of us need to study what the Hippocratic Oath is really about.
In the classical oath it says to 'keep from harm' (preventative) not the popularly misquoted statement 'do no harm'. That's beside the point. No one uses the classical version today. Also, no one is required to take an oath and if they do it is not legally binding.

Here is the opening paragraph to the classical oath.

"I swear by Apollo Physician and Asclepius and Hygieia and Panaceia and all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will fulfill according to my ability and judgment this oath and this covenant:....."

I can only imagine why this is not used today. Americans forget our Western Civilization began long before Constantine ruled.

Christian Compassion & Africa

A local Christian nonprofit has installed a well or two at remote african villages. Now the children born will have a better chance of living past their first year. Only to starve later, to die in a civil war, to suffer and struggle to survive every day? Uneducated, unemployed, and later angry and ungrateful.

One result, The Ugandan’s Lord’s Resistant Army

Africa Altruism

How many religious organizations have sent people and resources to this part of the world. Has it made a difference? It does not appear it does. I don't know if throwing more aid at them will ever help. It seems to make it worse not better.

Of course the Christians are not really concerned as long as souls are saved and they feel better about themselves.

Maybe it would be better to leave them alone and nature will take its course.

I really don't know.

Nemenhah & Awakening the Dreamer

More native religions high-jacked by a white people

Nemenhah is against modern medicine and prefer so called natural healing

Don't they realize that the historical life span for a native was 35 years max? Most children born died before their first birthday!


Today ..."Life expectancy for humans has doubled over the last 150 years as a result of progress in medical science."



Awakening the Dreamer is coming to Helena this weekend. From what I can tell after a bit of research, its a group of environmentals formed by a white woman who hung out in the Amazon for too long. Think I might go check this out.

Going Native seems to be today's religious fad.

Headless Chickens in a Tree

The Helena IR reported that a hiker made a disturbing discovery recently when she found seven headless chickens hanging from a tree.

Lewis and Clark County Sheriff said they cut them down and threw them off the trail.”

He called the incident “worthy of note” and said it was posted on the department’s bulletin board. "This is kind of out of character. It could be a ritualistic thing, or it could be that someone living off the land stored them up there.

Reader Comments:

Jack Ruby wrote on May 13, 2009 9:23 AM:
" Someone should check Purple's alibi "

thedukeofhelena wrote on May 13, 2009 8:43 AM:
" One word - Santaria "

Joe Coffee wrote on May 13, 2009 6:59 AM:
" Weirdness. "

Murder Suicides

Would men who commit murder-suicide

still kill their children if they did not believe in Heaven?

Supreme Court Position Open

Opinions on the left are

the next justice should be

Chinese American or Hispanic,

Jewish or Buddhist

and for sure a gay woman

I would say an atheist would be better but a secularist would do.

Ohio Trip

I meet someone very interesting in Ohio. Ramzy is an Eastern Orthodox Christian, Mason, Arab speaking man from Lebanon. He has lived in the US for the last 30 years. Go figure. America is great.