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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Dale Baker who wrote (240611)	12/28/2013 11:25:50 AM
From: Dale Baker	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 541463

A closer look at Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s (R) apparent confusion over the meaning of religious liberty: A&E announced late yesterday that Phil Robertson’s suspension over bigoted comments has ended and production will begin anew on the “Duck Dynasty” reality show. New episodes will begin filming in 2014. In response, Bobby Jindal described the news as a victory “for the freedoms of speech and religious liberty.” Perhaps now would be a good time for a refresher on Civil Liberties 101. As we discussed last week, Phil Robertson’s free-speech rights were never in jeopardy – A&E is a private entity, and Robertson, as a private citizen, has always been free to say whatever he pleases about minority groups he doesn’t like. Whether Jindal understand this or not, the Constitution does not entitle Americans to their own cable reality shows – Americans’ freedom of speech does not mean Americans are entitled to have someone pay us for our speech. But this applies equally to religious liberty. Americans’ ability to worship freely, or not, based on our beliefs and conscience is not dependent on paychecks from cable networks. Phil Robertson’s freedom of religion remains entirely intact whether or not he’s on A&E’s payroll. Let me try to explain this another way: 1. You are not the star of your own televised reality show. 2. Your ability to worship and exercise your religious beliefs remains unaffected. See how easy this was? Jindal and other conservatives have been eager to defend Robertson by arguing that religiously based contempt for minority groups is somehow more acceptable than garden-variety bigotry. They’re certainly welcome to believe that if they wish. But what Jindal and his allies should not do is change the meaning of the First Amendment to suit a misguided culture-war agenda. The freedom of religion means something rather specific, and if the governor of Louisiana finds that confusing, it’s not too late for him to brush up on the basics.

To: Dale Baker who wrote (240611)	12/28/2013 11:40:37 AM
From: epicure	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 541463

I can't imagine their lives. My relatives in Ky lead such small, dismal, and unhealthy lives. My grant aunts were pretty healthy- but they lived mostly before fast food. The relatives I have left eat nary a vegetable, and seem to mainly eat "barbeque". And they drink cokes for breakfast. Warm. Most of them are obese. I can only think of one who isn't- and she's moderately heavy. Even the kids are obese. They never go anywhere. They don't seem to read. I'm so glad every day I'm not them.