Bill to allow school proselytizing sails through Virginia House panel

[Walt Starr]

Bill to allow school proselytizing sails through Virginia House panel

By The Associated Press
02.07.05
RICHMOND, Va. — Legislation that would open all public property — including schools — to preaching, praying and proselytizing breezed through a House committee on Feb. 4.

The bill would also write into the state Constitution a ban on same-sex marriage. It was endorsed 14-4.

With only four dissenting votes, the House Privileges and Elections Committee advanced a proposed change to religious-freedom guarantees rooted in the 1786 Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom authored by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison and reflected in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Both measures appeal to the state's conservative culture in a House election year and are expected to win easy passage in the Republican-dominated House early next week.

<snip>

http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=14796

Virginia is about to overturn nearly 220 years of religious freedom.

[patricia92243]

1. I wonder if that will include ALL religions?

[havocmom]

2. When the first couple of pagan organizations ask to use the premises,

they will rethink the whole idea.

Any pagan groups in the area listening? :evilgrin:

[Walt Starr]

3. I found this story on Witch's Voice!

:evilgrin:

[havocmom]

8. Walt! I have a newfound love for you!

Knew you were way cool... now I have evidence to back it up!

Tis a good site for keeping up with religious shenanigans in America.

[Walt Starr]

9. Blessed Be!

One of my favorite sites, and for more than news. ;)

[Tux]

17. Witchvox

It's OK. Great for news and articles but it is slow for anyone? I have cable and it's slowest site I visit.

[Walt Starr]

18. Depends upon when you hit it

and it is underfunded.

[MountainLaurel]

22. Woot!

Good on you Walt! If this gets passed, perhaps my coven can do some outreach.

:evilgrin:

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

4. Scientologists will LOVE this

[Walt Starr]

7. Wait until the Wahibists decide to take advantage of it!

:evilgrin:

[havocmom]

10. *snarf* I can see the headlines: Conservative Lawmakers Suffer Group

Cardiac Arrests!

film at 11?

[Walt Starr]

19. ROFLMAO!

Yep, I see a big ole can o' worms being opened up here!

[smirkymonkey]

5. WTF is up with Virginia?

First the ban on low-riding pants and now this? They are well on their way to becoming the most backward, repressive state in the union.

[readmoreoften]

11. ban on low rise pants? I missed that one. n/t

[MountainLaurel]

23. Here's a link

http://www.thekcrachannel.com/news/4174793/detail.html

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

20. I don't know wtf is going on with the Commonwealth of VA.

Can this be the same place I grew up in and live now???

[lasttrip]

6. virginia is sure popular today. scary,

scary things happening down there.

[RedCappedBandit]

12. Now I know what I want to do with my life..

I shall become a satanistic preacher, and attempt to brainwash school children in Virginia! After all, it would be legal.. :eyes:

[Solly Mack]

13. "Virginia is for Proselytizing" to replace "Virginia is for Lovers"

now it's a warning instead of a welcome...

[Walt Starr]

21. Both Fartwell and Robem$ome are located in Virginia

so this shit doesn't surprise me in the least.

[Gman]

14. Oh, how freepers love to quote Jefferson and Madison

But if J&M wanted proselytizing in the VA constitution, they would have put it there. This is EXACTLY what J&M were against.

[Pithlet]

15. This will be struck down as unconstitutional

That is, it would be if the US weren't rapidly spiraling downward towards a theocracy.

[Walt Starr]

16. Yeah, by the time it hits the SCOTUS

Rhenquist will be a corpse, O'Connor will be retired, and Bush will have altered the legal landscape in Amerikkka for all time.

[freestyle]

24. Virginia is for Haters - and I say that sadly

Three of my four grandparents are Virginians and I have loads of family there who treat my partner and I with nothing but love and respect. But something is seriously wrong there. Falwell, Robertson and their minions have spread their bigotry like a virus across the state and are rapidly building a bridge to the 19th century.