Silenced Cal
"If you have a particular faith (Christian), you are to be discriminated against and silenced. Your sacred symbols---from crosses on a desert mountain to Nativity displays in public places ---are banned. You are increasingly forbidden to pray publicly 'in Jesus' name,' but Muslims can speak of Allah and Mohammed everywhere they like..."
Cal Thomas in op-ed "Diversity is a one-way street"
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, November 12, 2009, page 13A
Ignore the whining tone of these statements for a moment, and consider their meaning. Unless you have been comatose for the past seventy years or so, you know that the first and third sentences are false, while the second one is no more than the legitimate consequence of the First Amendment to the Constitution.
Let's start with the position of Christianity in American public life. Although about 80% of Americans identify themselves as Christians (1), one hundred percent of the presidents and vice-presidents of this country have been professed Christians. Eighty-seven percent of the US Senate is Christian, and so is about 94% of the House of Representatives. Christians hold seven out of nine seats on the US Supreme Court, the vast majority of cabinet positions, and nearly all high-ranking military offices.
As a result, Christmas is a federal holiday, and most federal (as well as state) offices are closed on Sunday, the Christian Sabbath. In contrast, Jewish government employees must seek permission to miss work on the Sabbath or Jewish holidays, and may be required to use vacation time. (Islam does not prohibit work on any day.) The Supreme Court has ruled that Jewish soldiers may not wear a yarmulke (or other hat) while working in an Air Force office.(2) Troops have been subjected to Christian proselytizing at some bases.
But what of our popular culture? Between now and December 25 we will be inundateded with Christmas music and messages on television and radio. (Some commercial radio stations play nothing else for weeks before the holiday. ) Christmas trees will be erected and lit at government expense at the White House and on public grounds in nearly every city and village in the country. (OK, there will also be some Chanuka menorahs on public property, thanks to the Lubavitcher chasidim.) Christmas carols will be taught in the public schools, and those who decline to sing them will be conspicuous by their silence. Although in recent years some public officials have paid attention to Jewish and Muslim holidays, the pervasive impact of Christmas vastly overwhelms any recognition of minority holidays. Likewise, Easter and Good Friday receive copious attention from the mainstream media.
And yet Cal Thomas contends that the religion of 80% of the American people is "discriminated against!" If so, Charlie Sykes was right when he named his book "A Nation of Victims." Not only are Christians not silenced, but their collective voice on the public airwaves nearly drowns out opposing views! Like all other Americans, Christians are free to pray and preach as much as they want, provided that they do not use public funds or facilities to do so , and that government does not provide a captive audience. (3)
But for some, even this is not enough: they want governmental endorsement of Christianity, such as displays of crosses and creches on public property. The City of Wauwatosa has even included a cross on the official city emblem. Does Mr Thomas consider that proper? I sure don't!
In the recent past Christianity was even more dominant in the public square than it is today. Until the Supreme Court stopped it in 1962, some states authorized official prayers in the public schools; Dallas even taught the New Testament at one time. Obviously, Cal Thomas resents the decline in the status of Christianity in America to that of just another religion, like Judaism, Islam and others. But that is all it is, and all it should be.
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(1) About 15% are non-believers, and the balance are Jews, Muslims and others.
(2) Goldman vs Weinberger, 1986 (US 84-1097) . Congress subsequently reversed the ban on yarmulkes via an amendment to a Defense appropriation bill.
(3) For example, those attending public high school events (such as football games and graduations) have been subjected to listening to Christian prayers and sermons.
Cal Thomas in op-ed "Diversity is a one-way street"
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, November 12, 2009, page 13A
Ignore the whining tone of these statements for a moment, and consider their meaning. Unless you have been comatose for the past seventy years or so, you know that the first and third sentences are false, while the second one is no more than the legitimate consequence of the First Amendment to the Constitution.
Let's start with the position of Christianity in American public life. Although about 80% of Americans identify themselves as Christians (1), one hundred percent of the presidents and vice-presidents of this country have been professed Christians. Eighty-seven percent of the US Senate is Christian, and so is about 94% of the House of Representatives. Christians hold seven out of nine seats on the US Supreme Court, the vast majority of cabinet positions, and nearly all high-ranking military offices.
As a result, Christmas is a federal holiday, and most federal (as well as state) offices are closed on Sunday, the Christian Sabbath. In contrast, Jewish government employees must seek permission to miss work on the Sabbath or Jewish holidays, and may be required to use vacation time. (Islam does not prohibit work on any day.) The Supreme Court has ruled that Jewish soldiers may not wear a yarmulke (or other hat) while working in an Air Force office.(2) Troops have been subjected to Christian proselytizing at some bases.
But what of our popular culture? Between now and December 25 we will be inundateded with Christmas music and messages on television and radio. (Some commercial radio stations play nothing else for weeks before the holiday. ) Christmas trees will be erected and lit at government expense at the White House and on public grounds in nearly every city and village in the country. (OK, there will also be some Chanuka menorahs on public property, thanks to the Lubavitcher chasidim.) Christmas carols will be taught in the public schools, and those who decline to sing them will be conspicuous by their silence. Although in recent years some public officials have paid attention to Jewish and Muslim holidays, the pervasive impact of Christmas vastly overwhelms any recognition of minority holidays. Likewise, Easter and Good Friday receive copious attention from the mainstream media.
And yet Cal Thomas contends that the religion of 80% of the American people is "discriminated against!" If so, Charlie Sykes was right when he named his book "A Nation of Victims." Not only are Christians not silenced, but their collective voice on the public airwaves nearly drowns out opposing views! Like all other Americans, Christians are free to pray and preach as much as they want, provided that they do not use public funds or facilities to do so , and that government does not provide a captive audience. (3)
But for some, even this is not enough: they want governmental endorsement of Christianity, such as displays of crosses and creches on public property. The City of Wauwatosa has even included a cross on the official city emblem. Does Mr Thomas consider that proper? I sure don't!
In the recent past Christianity was even more dominant in the public square than it is today. Until the Supreme Court stopped it in 1962, some states authorized official prayers in the public schools; Dallas even taught the New Testament at one time. Obviously, Cal Thomas resents the decline in the status of Christianity in America to that of just another religion, like Judaism, Islam and others. But that is all it is, and all it should be.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) About 15% are non-believers, and the balance are Jews, Muslims and others.
(2) Goldman vs Weinberger, 1986 (US 84-1097) . Congress subsequently reversed the ban on yarmulkes via an amendment to a Defense appropriation bill.
(3) For example, those attending public high school events (such as football games and graduations) have been subjected to listening to Christian prayers and sermons.
Labels: "Cal Thomas" Christianity
posted by Gerald S Glazer at 6:56 PM
1 Comments:
You forgot a few things. I have lived in three states, PA, WI and TX, that have laws that you cannot buy certain items on Sunday. These items are alocohol and things to do work with like nails. These laws are not enforced anymore but they were when I was in high school.
There are some states, e.g. TX, that have their states elections on the Saturday, the Jewish sabbath, and this prevents Jews from voting except by absentee ballot.
But of course what Cal Thomas was mostly referring to was that atheists and others have been attacking Chritians and Christian symbols for many years and this of course is true.
There have been many court cases against Christian symbols, e.g. creche. all the up to the Supreme Court.
There are also the desecration of Christian symbols and Christian ideology in the arts including many movies, TV shows and hand worked art like "Piss Christ".
Cal Thomaas was making the comparison with Islam where anyone and everyone can and does ridicule and lambast and criticize Christianity without impunity, yet one cannot criticize anything about Islam. If you do you will be murdered by Muslims (which has occurred repeatedly all across the globe) or you will be criticized by the left and every main stream news service.
In these aspects Cal Thomas is 100% correct; and this is what Cal Thomas was referring to.
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