VA Legislature to Thomas Jefferson: "F%7k OFF!

[maxrandb]

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=82083&ran=238678

In a move that I think demonstrates the complete arrogance and idiocy of the new Republican "fundies", (and yes, every DEM who voted for this ammendment also) the legislature of VA voted overwhelmingly to give the finger to Thomas Jefferson. This little piece of paper will be inserted right into the middle of the VA Constitution that Mr Jefferson, pretty much, wrote himself.

Pretty scary stuff when you consider that the "Virginia" Constitution was not the "only" Constitution Jefferson penned. What this says about America today just scares the pants right off me.

"The lopsided vote in the House of Delegates to amend the religious protections penned by Thomas Jefferson in the state’s Bill of Rights prompts sadness and dismay.

Locally, only Del. Kenneth Alexander of Norfolk, Kenneth Melvin of Portsmouth, and Lionell Spruill of Chesapeake resisted the powerful election-year urge to meddle with some of the most sacred language in American annals.

Never mind that the purpose of Jefferson’s carefully drafted passage, which has inspired similar language in the constitutions of emerging democracies around the globe, is the antithesis of what Carrico suggests. Jefferson wanted each individual to be free to choose his religious path, without interference of any sort from the state or pressure from people in the majority. By contrast, Carrico wants to free a Christian majority to leave its imprint on the public schools and the halls of government.

In a remarkable twisting of Jeffersonian thought, Carrico urged the House to back his amendment so that “Christians no longer fear persecution” just because “the minority is offended” at a public expression of religion. Jefferson knew well that it is not majorities who need fear trampling.

Perhaps if legislators had a little deeper understanding of the document they’re fixing, they’d change their minds."

Anyway folks, I thought this was a great editorial. Jefferson is rolling over in his grave as we speak. Sickening.

[MousePlayingDaffodil]

1. I must be missing something . . .

What other constitution did Jefferson pen?

[geniph]

3. He penned both our national Constitution

and, as a Virginian, the Virginia state Constitution.

[MousePlayingDaffodil]

5. I think not . . .

. . . insofar as Jefferson was in France when the U.S. Constitution was drafted in 1787. No doubt, Jeffersonian ideas were a big influence on the Framers, particular James Madison, but it is simply not correct to say that Jefferson "penned the U.S. Constitution."

[maxrandb]

8. I Stand Corrected. It was that little unimportant

Declaration of Independence that he wrote.

"Freckled and sandy-haired, rather tall and awkward, Jefferson was eloquent as a correspondent, but he was no public speaker. In the Virginia House of Burgesses and the Continental Congress, he contributed his pen rather than his voice to the patriot cause. As the "silent member" of the Congress, Jefferson, at 33, drafted the Declaration of Independence. In years following he labored to make its words a reality in Virginia. Most notably, he wrote a bill establishing religious freedom, enacted in 1786."

[MousePlayingDaffodil]

9. Indeed, the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom . . .

. . . is one of the three accomplishments that Jefferson directed should be noted on his tombstone. The other two were (i) his authorship of the Declaration of Independence and (ii) his founding of the University of Virginia. Not mentioned was Jefferson's service as President of the United States nor as Virginia's governor. This indicates how strongly felt about the matter of religious freedom, that he would accord the Virginia Statute such prominence.

[geniph]

16. I stand corrected

that'll teach me not to read the OP more carefully. ;-)

[SammyBlue]

11. No, Madison did quietly and with no one knowing

But was caught by Benjamin Franklin who told him to continue.

Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, after Adams and Franklin brought his wife Martha up to Philadelphia so Jefferson could relieve some. . .um, pent up male hormones.

[maxrandb]

10. Now I Know Why the Right Wingers Hate Jefferson

Seems he was the first liberal!!!

"Returning to Virginia late in 1776, Jefferson served until 1779 in the House of Delegates, one of the two houses of the General Assembly of Virginia--established in 1776 by the state's new constitution. While the American Revolution continued, Jefferson sought to liberalize Virginia's laws. Joined by his old law teacher, George Wythe, and by James Madison and George Mason, Jefferson introduced a number of bills that were resisted fiercely by those representing the conservative planter class. In 1776 he succeeded in obtaining the abolition of entail; his proposal to abolish primogeniture became law in 1785. Jefferson proudly noted that "these laws, drawn by myself, laid the ax to the foot of pseudoaristocracy."
Jefferson was also instrumental in devising a major revision of the criminal code, although it was not enacted until 1796. His bill to create a free system of tax-supported elementary education for all except slaves was defeated as were his bills to create a public library and to modernize the curriculum of the College of William and Mary.

In June 1779 the introduction of Jefferson's bill on religious liberty touched off a quarrel that caused turmoil in Virginia for 8 years. The bill was significant as no other state--indeed, no other nation--provided for complete religious liberty at that time. Jefferson's bill stated "that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions on matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities." Many Virginians regarded the bill as an attack upon Christianity. It did not pass until 1786, and then mainly through the perseverance of James Madison. Jefferson, by then in France, congratulated Madison, adding that "it is honorable for us to have produced the first legislature who had the courage to declare that the reason of man may be trusted with the formation of his own opinions."

[livinginphotographs]

2. The Virginia House of Delegates is such a fucking joke.

Hopefully, the Senate will reject this crap, but probably not. Making sure kids pull up their pants, homos can't get married, and destroying the separation of church and state....all in a day's work.

Sickening...

[ICantBelieve]

13. You forgot the fetus one...

They tried to make it a law that "all deaths of fetuses" had to be reported to law enforcement within 12 hours, regardless of how early in the pregnancy it was. Apparently, they were absent for large parts of their biology classes...

[livinginphotographs]

14. Oh, you're right.

Excuse me while my head explodes.

[flordehinojos]

4. stop being scared. start accepting reality. american democracy has been

hijacked by a fascist punk named george w. bush aided by his poppy and all the rest of the bush family fascist empire.

[Az]

6. We have to wake up to the realisation that our rights are not guaranteed

We claim to live in a Constitutional Democracy. The illusion is that the rights penned on that Constitution are inviolate. And yet they are being rescinded daily.

We have let the dialog fall silent. Into this vacuum created by ignorance have crept the forces of darkness. The same voices that felled the Library of Alexandria. The same voices that tried to silence Galilleo. The same voices that championed crusades to march on the infidels.

We have to embrace our differences. We have to talk to each other about them and make the clearly known. We have to argue and disagree and fill the center of our community with intelligent active discourse. We have let the bonfires of such dialog ebb and die. And the darkness is returning.

[davidinalameda]

7. be careful of what you wish for

so what are these yahoos gonna do when the pagans want to pray and other non-Christians do as well

are they going to let them or not--I'm voting not

[maxrandb]

12. Ding!!!

I think I might take some of my "Peyote Button" down to the capitol steps and get in touch with my cosmic side.

How about a good ole fashioned Mormon ceremony so I can marry my 5 wives?

How about a good ole fashioned public prostitute stoning like I read about in the Old Testament.

Yes sir, I say pass it, then every single religion can put up their "bloody crosses", "water-pipes", "guillotines" etc, right down in the town square.

Reminds me of that scene in "Holy Grail" "Help, help, I'm being oppressed".

[livinginphotographs]

15. Chesterfield County starts all its board meetings with a Christian prayer.

A while back, a Wiccan demanded that she be given the right to invoke a Wiccan prayer. The predictable shitstorm ensued, but I don't remember what happened with that.

These poor persecuted christians that want to whine about "religious freedom" should take notice that, just like agnostics like myself don't want to hear about their faith, total separation of church and state is the only way for them to be free from hearing about all the other faiths.

Slippery slope indeed...

[kitkatrose]

17. I just have one question.

How can a majority, in power, be persecuted???

In a remarkable twisting of Jeffersonian thought, Carrico urged the House to back his amendment so that “Christians no longer fear persecution” just because “the minority is offended” at a public expression of religion. Jefferson knew well that it is not majorities who need fear trampling.


I mean, honestly :wtf:

Edit: Spelling. :dunce:

[Jacobin]

18. I thought everyone knew that BushCo is

re-making the country into a Theocracy.

Why is anyone surprised?

[Grey Ranks]

19. Christian "Persecution"

“the people’s right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage, and traditions on public property, including public school divisions"

I wasn't aware their rights were being abridged. I thought that they just couldn't ram their faith down other peoples throats.