In another blunder by the Mormon leaders in Utah, the faithful find themselves this time defending their dislike of minority religions in front of the Supreme Court of The United States (SCOTUS).  At the heart of the debate is whether a town leadership can effectively hide their own religious beliefs and that of the town behind the veil of public discretion.

The Summum religious sect located in Pleasant Grove, Utah believe in mummification and the “Seven Aphorisms of Summum”.  I have no doubt that they are just another wacky American made religious sect that stole a few key ideas from a larger religion.  Of course the same thing can be said of the Mormons, who most people misidentify as protestants.

This legal debacle centers around the Summum who want to erect a three foot tall granite monument that has their Seven Aphorisms on it in the public park.  This is a clear cut use of a public area displaying a permanent religious monument on public property which I am totally against.  This is the first argument the town leaders make.  The snafu here is the park has had a Ten Commandments monument since 1971.  When asked about that the town leaders said it was a matter of public discretion revealing that the Ten Commandments were part of their towns social norm, but the Summum Aphorisms weren’t.  Sounds like a clear cut case of Mormons hating minorities again.

What really is at stake here is freedom of speech.  The court has so many times recently said they won’t provide hard and fast rules or even general guidelines when it comes to anything religious prefering a case by case approach.  Considering the current makeup of the court this case ought to be a doozy.  If the court sides with the town they effectively say that any town has the right to quash minority religious opinions from being expressed in same manner they allow they allow the expression of majority opinions.  If the high court sides with the Summum they are saying that the government must put aside the majority believe and lend equal weight to each and every minority opinion.  Either way this decision which will probably come out in the spring has long reaching effects for us all.

In the end though the mayor of Pleasant Grove sums up what he thinks will happen if the court sides with the Summum.

2 religious groups take battle over monument to Supreme Court - CNN.com

“Governments would need to either remove every and all monuments or permanent standing features, clear up to the Statute of Liberty. Or we would have to allow anybody and everybody to come in and erect a monument in any public spot, even if the place filled up where there was no room left.”

Apparently it has yet to occur to them that simply removing the Ten Commandments would solve all the problems.  Should the town lose though, I wonder just how fast that monument will come down.  Perish the thought of good Mormons like those of Pleasant Grove ever being subjected to the public display of a minority opinion…

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As the most important election of most American’s lifetime begins, we have all but forgot the other important issue going on today.  Today the Supreme Court of the Unites States (SCotUS) begins hearing arguments on whether or not the FCC can make arbitrary and questionable ruling whenever it feels the need to appease some political entity.  That may sound harsh but those are the facts currently in question.

Bono is lead singer for the Irish rock band U2 as well a respected activist and philanthropist.

The history of rulings going back to the Supreme Court’s decision on the seven dirty words you can’t say on television.  Between that ruling and 2002, the rule of thumb was you couldn’t punish a broadcaster for the sudden unexpected expletive uttered in the heat of the moment, only the repeated use that was meant to shock viewers.  Then came 2002 when Bono of U2 fame got excited about being nominated for an award and said “Fuck”.

The Parent’s Television Council (PTC), our holier than thou television watchdogs, decided Bono’s utterance was simply too much for the ears of Americans who should never “Fuck” much less say it, especially on TV.  They and through their neocon network urged and incited good church going Christians to file complaints with the FCC demanding they change their rules.   In essence the PTC simply wanted to fuck with the people who allowed that foreigner to say “fuck” on TV.

Broadcasters are fighting back.  The rules the FCC adopted are flexible and arbitrary and seem to be politically motivated.  They want to know why five unelected bureaucrats get to not only make the rules but change them on a whim.  They fought back an won in federal court once.  Of course the Bush administration didn’t like that so here we are in the Surpreme Court fighting for freedom of speech on election day.  (It is a wonder the Bush administration didn’t simply call the broadcaster terrorists and make them disappear.)

George Carlin is famous for the comedy routine Seven Dirty Words That You Can't Say on Television.

What is at stake here isn’t merely the right to say Fuck on TV or any place else which could be the end result of this case.  Cable broadcasters no matter if they are ad supported basic channels or the full service pay out the ass for premium channels could end up in a position of being fined for profanity any profanity on any show no matter how much you pay to hear someone on that show say “fuck”.

I know many of you are saying, “Why should I care, I don’t watch TV and I don’t say fuck.”  You should care because if the government wins here, they have been given a free hand to start censoring what is available to you.  No matter if you watch TV, say fuck, or are appaled by those who do, you do not want five politically minded bureaucrats deciding what sort of information you can and cannot hear, purchase, or be exposed to as an adult simply because someone else claims offense.

On a side note about the Seven Dirty Words, I have just found out the George Carlin’s daughter will be doing an oral history book about her father’s legacy.  In my opinion his words on the current FCC rules would be “Fuck the the fucking fuckers!”

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Opinion : Palin effigy a hate crime - Frontiersman

Palin effigy a hate crime

Published on Thursday, October 30, 2008 9:06 PM AKDT
This in reference to an effigy of Gov. Sarah Palin hanging from a rope in California.

This is a traversity and a hate crime against our governor, Sarah Palin. This is not a Halloween joke. If it were, this West Hollywood, Calif., homeowner wouldn’t be scared of the broken windows and riots in California. Instead, he chose Governor Palin to mock because no one will do anything about it. Well over 2,000 people blogged on the Fox News website saying it was terrible and wrong. Where are the Alaskans? How would they like it if it were their mother, sister or other female relative? Are Alaskans going to stand by and do nothing?

And where is the coverage? Shouldn’t we be demanding it be taken down?

*
Cheryl Brooks

Wasilla

These are the comments on the letter as of Saturday Morning.  It would appear not everyone in Wasilla loves Sarah Palin.

Comments
29 comment(s)

jp wrote on Oct 31, 2008 11:07 PM:
” when i was a kid, we hung a manequin from a tree, dressed up like a field worker, some woman driving saw it, and went off the road, we were blamed for the accident, my parents were terribly upset.
i learned an important lesson!

never admit to anything!!! ”

Really Curious wrote on Oct 31, 2008 9:31 PM:
” Cheryl Wrote

To Curious

“Your ignorance over shadows your common sense. Stick your Obama remarks to yourself. Watching and reading expands your intelligence. Try it some time. ”

HUH? Curious and Just Curiuos didn’t make any statement concerning Obama. Rather asked questions and made statement about ..well freedom of expression.. in this case the flag.

So what are you talking about Cherrrrrrrryl? ”

TO Rah RahCheryl wrote on Oct 31, 2008 8:45 PM:
” TRAVESTY!!

OMG, I LMAO when I saw that.

But far from being mortified as you want me to be, I know how I made my mistake in spelling. I must of been thinking ahead to how I would be misspelling it as Cheryl had

IWould you care to comment on anything else besides my spelling? Like your First Amendment Rights that Cheryl wants to put the kabosh on? ”

Cheryl wrote on Oct 31, 2008 8:41 PM:
” To Curious
Your ignorance over shadows your common sense. Stick your Obama remarks to yourself. Watching and reading expands your intelligence. Try it some time. ”

Oops wrote on Oct 31, 2008 8:19 PM:
” The only crime I see is Palin on the ticket! any ticket. ”

AK Voter wrote on Oct 31, 2008 8:13 PM:
” Let’s see Palin’s medical records and Trig’s birth certificate. ”

To Ingi Dons wrote on Oct 31, 2008 6:56 PM:
” Where is your canidates birth certificate? Oh I know, he had the governor of Hawii seal it until after he has been sworn in if he wins. Remember to Vote early and vote often. ”

Curious wrote on Oct 31, 2008 6:52 PM:
” We allow our flag to be burned, worn in any manner and even draped over a toilet as art and this is a right to express. The Palin dummy is what it is a dummy with lipstick. ”

RahRah wrote on Oct 31, 2008 6:48 PM:
” TO Cheryl - poor dear. IT’S TRAVESTY - NOT TRAVISTY! you’re the dumb one. Don’t correct with ignorance. ”

Ingi Dons wrote on Oct 31, 2008 5:33 PM:
” Wher is your Governor’s medical records to the people of the Unite States of America? ”

Just Curious wrote on Oct 31, 2008 5:04 PM:
” No fuss over over Fox airing target practice of Obama likeness?

I mean if you like Fox Cheryl, and that’s where you go to get informed.. I wonder what bloggers have to say about that that..its a little hard to miss..the implications…doncha think?

Just curious about your thoughts on this? Right/Wrong? ”

Outsider with a question wrote on Oct 31, 2008 1:51 PM:
” Is everyone in Wasila as ignorant and backwards as Palin? ”

To Proud AK American wrote on Oct 31, 2008 1:44 PM:
” Sounds like “kill him to me.. ”

TO Cheryl wrote on Oct 31, 2008 1:27 PM:
” Lol, it’s TRAVISTY ..not traversity Cheryl. I can almost see you frothing at the mouth in your quest an all out assualt on the Democrats for justice.

Calm down poor girl. I mean after all, you want your right to call Obama a terrorist don’t you? To spin your hateful rhetoric on to the Democrats? To get downrigbht giddy when watching Faux News, and come straight here to post more new found outrage?

Even Palin wants her first amendments rights, however clueless she seems to be as to what those actually are.. ”

Proud AlaskanAmerican wrote on Oct 31, 2008 12:47 PM:
” There was no shouting of “kill him” anywhere,at no rallies this was confirmed by the FBI. The fact it is WRONG, to anyone, what makes me mad is that it’s not okay to do it to Obama a black man, racist they say, but it’s okay to do it to a WOMAN! NO! its not right. NO REASON, NO EXCUSE! ”

MAXKATT from NY wrote on Oct 31, 2008 12:16 PM:
” Ben…I do agree with you, & was 3rd post on here saying so. I doubt you’ll get any from Obama side endorsing it. You’ll probably get more like me, saying we’re w/ Obama, and don’t support this. …I have to say, I would have liked to have seen more of this type of concern from Right for inappropriate behavior a couple weeks ago when people were shouting “terrorist” & “kill him.” ”

To Jim from Boston wrote on Oct 31, 2008 11:59 AM:
” No whining here, just the facts. Stealing a mans horse used to get you hung in this country and race had nothing to do with it. So blog your “progressive” drivel in your own newspaper, and remember to “Vote Early and Vote Often”! ”

hottr7 wrote on Oct 31, 2008 11:42 AM:
” its hardly a hate crime. its been hanging up there for 3 weeks before anyone said a thing about it ”

Not So Fast wrote on Oct 31, 2008 11:34 AM:
” Freedom of speech was taken too far here IMO, but McCain and Palin are responsible for much of this climate of division because of the way they have campaigned.

The “hanging” of Palin was a political statement. John McCain “going up in flames” while the elephants (Republicans) hang Palin with the blame.

It could be argued that the statement is for her rather than against her.

Obama IS “hung “in the front yard of a man in Ohio ”

Jim from Boston wrote on Oct 31, 2008 11:00 AM:
” despicable behavior, I’m going to go slow.

Yes, the effigy hanging of Palin was vulgar. No it was not a hate crime because it was an effigy hanging of an individual, Sarah Palin, who has made a few enemies among progressives in the U.S.

Now, it is more difficult in the case of Obam to determine if the effigies are representative of a wider racial hat. Given the history of lynching in the U.S. you can understand that they may be directed towards blacks in general.

Now, please stop the Republican whining. ”

Ben wrote on Oct 31, 2008 10:19 AM:
” I don’t care if it’s Palin, Biden, McCain or Obama….offensive is offensive and this type of behavior is disgusting. I am a McCain supporter who would, in a heartbeat, be the first to remove an effigy of Obama or any other person strung up as an effigy. I would like to think that I would see a similar mentality from those in the other camp as well. At least on an issue such as this, I’d like to think that we all agree that this type of behavior is beneath us all. ”

Dispicable behavior wrote on Oct 31, 2008 9:25 AM:
” unfortunately is what this amounts to. It doesn’t become a hate crime until you bring race into it. It’s acceptable to hang a white person in this country, so it seems. ”

Dear Ms. Brooks wrote on Oct 31, 2008 9:15 AM:
” I agree the Palin effigy was offensive, as was the one I saw the other day on tv which depicted Obama and a star of David. We should all express our outrage when things like this happen, no matter the perpetrator or subject. Likewise, we should not ignore racism or hate speech when we see or hear it around town in Wasilla, and need to send letters to our local electric cooperative to tell them members will not tolerate racism there, either. ”

Eric wrote on Oct 31, 2008 8:59 AM:
” No effigy of a living person should ever been hung up whether as a joke or not. The article on the men in Kentucky is being painted as a racist act yet Obama is just as white and he is black. If the mainstream media had been fair and balanced, they would not have been propping Obama up and putting down his opponents- I’m not a Hillary fan but she was clearly cheated during this election by the Press. ”

Jim from Boston wrote on Oct 31, 2008 7:00 AM:
” Where was the coverage? If there was no coverage how did you find out about it?

It was everywhere. Probably received more coverage than those two fine sons of the south who were arrested for planning a killing spree ending in the assassination of President Obama.
The effigy didn’t get as much coverage as the right wing bimbette who claimed a big nasty black man supporting Obama carved a “B” in her cheek, true, but it wasn’t as interesting.

Stop reminding us that right wingers are serious whiners. ”

Guess it depends on who you are wrote on Oct 31, 2008 6:49 AM:
” “Two men suspected of hanging a life-sized likeness of Barack Obama from a tree on the campus of the University of Kentucky were arrested Thursday.” How does it work that our Gov. is strung up and no one does anything but when it happens to Obama it becames cause for arrest? McCain/Palin 08!!! ”

MAXKATT from NY wrote on Oct 31, 2008 6:29 AM:
” Guy that did it is calling it decoration and an artistic statement. Probably would run into 1st amendment issues if you tried to challenge it. If they haven’t, I do think someone from Obama campagin should phone or visit, explain it’s not helpful, not what we’re about, and request it be taken down. ”

Dan Bielefeld wrote on Oct 31, 2008 5:16 AM:
” This is sad. There is a lot of hate and disrespect in so many places. These are the times when we should be uniting not igniting. I agree, this is uncalled for. ”

op wrote on Oct 31, 2008 4:30 AM:
” I’ll comment.
I think this person should be made to take this down and arrested. This is one of the wrongest of wrongs.
I am NOT voting for McCain or Palin but this hanging is nothing but a hate crime.
Obama-Biden 2008 “

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There are those who call my criticism oif the administration unamerican. There are those who call my objections to policy being pro-terrorist. There are those who think because I don’t agree with our military policy right now that I am anti-military. There are those who think when my opinion is of a minority view that it should be ignored, because I am just another minority. Of course they would be wrong. Those who would call for people to not exercise their rights and try to control the flow of information to cover only their view point are the unamerican, pro-terrorists who would use our men and women in uniform as pawns in their game of domination. However this post is about none of that.

This post is to say Happy 4th of July and hope that some of you who don’t feel as i do thin you numbers by running into each other on the highways or find yourself in the running for a Darwin Award by other means. I also think this crazy radical liberal will celebrate the Supreme Court’s upholding of Second Amendment by buying a gun… Anyone know when the season and bag limit on Ohio Fundamentalists is?

Bea scared change is coming this fall!

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We have finally gotten rid of the Olympic torch and Bong Hits For Jesus has once again made its way to the background, when what should happen but another school censorship case lands in the federal courts. While Some of the federal courts have decided it is fine to censor a drug message with the saviors image attached to it, even thought Israeli scientists have concluded Moses was in fact stoned probably the entire way trip out of Egypt. Back to the point at hand. While one federal courts says no to Jesus and Buddah, another one says a Chicago area school can’t ban a students from wearing anti-gay t-shirts. With this verdict from Chicago the count is one for the Savior, one for Leviticus, and one for the big gay love affair the government has for campaign contributing Christiandom.

Personally to challenge the courts decision I would like to see some students wear shirts shirts advising people to follow Deuteronomy 22 “But if this charge is true, and evidence of the girl’s virginity is not found, they shall bring the girl to the entrance of her father’s house and there her townsmen shall stone her to death, because she committed a crime against Israel by her unchasteness in her father’s house. Thus shall you purge the evil from your midst.” While I am sure some of the judges appointed by this administration would happily advocate this, they would have a lot harder time with defending it in the media.

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When the hell did the right to not be offended come into play?  Who gave you that right?  I am simply sick to death of hearing from people who say I am offended by me and shouldn’t have to put up with my commentary .  Well screw you and I hope you are offended by the phrase “screw you”.  You have no such right to not be offended.  If I don’t have the right to say say “screw you” then you lack the right to babble on about your superstitious ways.  Oh you are offended by me calling your religion a superstition, then screw you doubly this time.

In a free society, something we claim to be, no such right to not be offended can ever exist.  if you don’t like what I have to say then post a damned reply and defend your belief, rather than hiding behind a veil of secrecy in the contact form.  If you don’t want my thoughts to offend you then click on that little adsense banner over there to be taken away to some PC business friendly site that offends no one.  Of course it also tells you nothing of the world you live in except a product exists and you should buy it.

In the end if you don’t want to be offended by someone else’s beliefs then the answer is not to chastise them for having it, but rather to work on strengthening your own by defending it with honest debate rather than whining about how little faith and conviction you have.

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Why is it everyone thinks free speech is truly free? There are consequences for doing a great many things in the world and it is time people realize that. For thirty minutes six girls beat the crap out of a fellow classmate for allegedly running her mouth about them on MySpace. I know what you are all thinking that this is too much and that what they did was wrong. First off it was sort of extreme and in fact a criminal act, though I don’t believe they should be tried as adults as some are calling for.

What this really boils down to is one kid for what ever reason thought she could say what ever she wanted without regard to the consequences. This shows both immaturity and arrogance on her part. It also shows a high level of stupidity on the part of the girls who video taped it. We claim to be a country of laws, but the fact is what these girls did was no different than what the US does on a regular basis. Oh sure we usually wrap it all up in pretty packages, unless it is one of those black ops missions we don’t ever go public with, but in the end it is no different than what these girls did. These girls found the other one to be threatening so they attacked her. On a fundamental level this is exactly what we did in Iraq,. hell they didn’t even come up with bullshit excuses for why they did it. They wanted her to stop writing these things and didn’t think saying stop was enough so they showed her that their was a price to be paid for saying things.

I know you are all going to harp on me for saying it was her right to say to climb up on a cyber soapbox and speak her mind. To a point I agree. She had a right to say how she felt and say the truth as as she believed it. it may be your right, but it is not always to your advantage to exercise it. In this case she was called out for it and arrogantly charged forth like there was nothing that could hurt her for speaking her mind. She was wrong and will likely spend the rest of her life dealing with the consequences. In a way she should consider herself lucky it wasn’t worse. I say that in memory of Dr Martin Luther King jr who was shot and killed for speaking his mind forty years and four days ago. read more | digg story

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