WhiskeyT: @romeosidvicious I can’t comment on yer site from work but I will when I get home. Interesting post. I love politics and music.
@romeosidvicious Seems like I can’t comment at your site at all but i’ll give you the basic breakdown here…..(cont)
@romeosidvicious ..#1 I think you misinterpret “liberals” intent..(cont)
@romeosidvicious ..#2 Many (myself included) do see any State sponsored religious activities as a violation of the First Amendment
@romeosidvicious ..#3 I have never heard the history of Kwanzza until before, now I kinda want to see what the story is.
@romeosidvicious #4 Most Christians I know (manymanymany) do feel that there is a gradual erosion of their rights…
@romeosidvicious #5 …but I think that’s malarkey for many of the reasons you site as well as other facts
@romeosidvicious #6 A little bit of rational discussion between both sides would help a lot.
@romeosidvicious #7 I have enjoyed several of your mixes and your reviews on 9b – thanks.

WhiskeyT is much better at 140 characters than I So I am responding here.

#1: I don’t know if I am or not. I think liberals truly believe that equality is an important goal and that their intentions are good. I think the execution is badly done in that true equality would be merit based (think quotas in hiring) or in the lack of measurable merit (think holiday decorations) that equal recognition for each segment or no recognition at all is equality. What we have now, and what creates animosity, is that the current push is shove down one segment in preference to the others. It doesn’t just happen in the holiday arena. My point was that the intent comes from an ideal that I can agree with, and that is equality, but I cannot stomach the execution. If that isn’t where the current practices around the holidays stem from then I am willing to be wrong so please school me.

#2: I think I draw the line at a different place than you but we do have agreement. I don’t think that allowing the expression of religion is a problem. For instance I don’t think that praying before a football game is an issue as long as whatever religions are present are offered the same chance and no-one is required to participate. For me the line is drawn at requirement and not at allowing practice. If words mean the same thing to you and me then I mostly agree with you. I don’t believe the state can sanction religion, any religion, but based on the same amendment you base your stance I believe we have to balance that with the state no prohibiting the free exercise thereof. I feel we have gone to far with the establishment side of the phrase and ignored the free exercise side. I have no problem with allowing Islamic students the ability to leave class for prayer as long as other student, be they Christian, Jewish, Wiccan, or members of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, is allowed to also practice his religion in the same manner. I could do a whole post on this subject alone and I just might but for now I think my point is more clear than it was in the article and I look forward to your response.

#3: To me it’s a joke to be perfectly honest. Even more of a joke than the ancient religion started in the 1960s in Britain. Any holiday started so that group X wouldn’t have to celebrate the holiday of group Y will never garner any respect from me. While I don’t respect it and frequently mock it I would also stand and fight for their right to celebrate it as they see fit. I know I didn’t make that point well in my post but I would like to make it here now. I would not stand for the government shunning the holiday even if they cited the reasons I just gave. No matter how stupid I think something is I will defend the right to believe it and practice it in this country. I have oft defended the free speech rights of boneheads (Nazi Skins) because while their speech is disgusting as long as they don’t cross the line into inciting violence it is important their freedom remain.

It was HL Mencken who said: “The trouble with fighting for human freedom is that one spends most of one’s time defending scoundrels. For it is against scoundrels that oppressive laws are first aimed, and oppression must be stopped at the beginning if it is to be stopped at all.” And it holds true today. It holds true even if you replace scoundrels with stupidity. So no matter how much of an arrogant arse I act about things like Kwanzaa I would still fight and die for anyone’s right to practice them. I might fight and die while deriding the practice over my shoulder but I wouldn’t back down until the freedom was secure.

#4, #5, #6: I think what a lot of professed Christians see as an erosion of their rights is frankly not at all what they make it out to be. While I am about as right wing as it gets morally I see a difference between rights and stuff you were allowed to get away for decades. Even Christ said to render unto Caesar what is his. Most of the so called moral majority want to be able to practice their religion out loud and in public and not have to see anyone who disagrees with them. They don’t want public discourse. And I don’t agree with them at all. In fact I think most of them, at least the ones who make the news, are lunatics. The fact is that if you get the freedom to practice your religion out loud and in public then every other religion gets the same as well as the freedom to disagree with you out loud and in public. If there is disagreement it doesn’t mean your rights are being taken away but rather that someone else is merely practising theirs. If your faith can’t stand scrutiny or your beliefs can’t handle not having the neon baby Jesus on the lawn of city hall then maybe you need to examine your faith a little more closely and let others worry about the decorations.

The only problem with the rational discourse idea is that the leaders on both sides of this issue refuse to be rational and the general public simply follow them like sheep. That won’t change unless there is real persecution in this country and thankfully we aren’t anywhere near that and I doubt we ever will be. So while it’s a nice thought I don’t think it’s realistic. Both sides are going to keep sticking their fingers in their ears and chanting “nah nah nah I can’t hear you” until the cows come home and no matter how many times folks like you and me discuss these things in a rational matter it will never become the main thrust of either side. Westerners are sheep, by and large, because we have it so damn good. If our biggest “erosion” of religious freedom involves not being able to place plastic icons on city property then we’ve got it pretty damn good and to say otherwise makes one a moron in my opinion.

#7: Awesome! Nice to know you have enjoyed my drivel. Keep comin’ back it works if you work it or something along those lines.