I hate when white folks use "Back of the Bus" as if they had no choice!

[LynneSin]

I'm not saying that using this phrase is wrong. But when I hear a smoker or in the case of this article, a christian fundie, make some 'profound' statement that they have rights and they won't be shoved to the "Back of the Bus" it just makes my blood boil.

No one forces someone to take up a bad habit or practice a certain faith, these are choices that we've made throughout life. Sure, some of us our born Christian, but it's not like we stuck with that choice no matter what.

Rosa Parks was born a black woman. She never had a choice when she was 10, 15, 18, whenever that if she preferred being another color other than black. And because of the skin color given to her at birth through genetics, she along with millions others in this country, we're treated as a substandard human through no choice of their own.

So reading this I just had to rant. Some Christian is all pissy because he's not allowed to use prayers in school even though our constitution clearly states the separation of church and state. And the school board member, all pasty white, stood up in front of this school board meeting and claimed he had 1st amendment rights (I guess he overlooked that church/state thingie) and said he wasn't going to be 'Pushed to the back of the bus'

:rant:

Am I the only one offended by this?


http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060228/NEWS/602280365/1006

Arguing that "tolerance is a two-way street," Indian River School Board member Reginald L. Helms joined his colleagues in rejecting the proposed settlement of a lawsuit that claims the district nurtured Christianity in its schools and excluded those who don't practice it.

The vote followed a closed-door session of more than an hour and a half, time in which a crowd of about 120 people gathered in the Sussex Central High School auditorium. Many held signs urging the board to keep prayer in school, and about an hour into the closed session, someone started to sing a hymn: "Take Everything to God in Prayer."

Then, they sang "God Bless America" and "My Country 'Tis of Thee," "Onward, Christian Soldiers" and "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands."


<<<<<snip>>>>>


Helms then said that he believed "my freedom of speech is too important to compromise or risk its loss. Our court case, where we have been standing up to the ACLU, provides the opportunity for the federal court to permanently uphold my right not to be treated as a second-class citizen, or to have to move to the back of the bus."

[marmar]

1. True...

Fundies and anti-abortionists love to invoke terminology from the civil rights movement when talking about their so-called causes, even though many of them would have been throwing rocks and attacking buses attempting to integrate schools back in the day.

[Redbear]

4. AND ...

they refuse to lift a finger to support civil rights now.

[Mythsaje]

2. Oh, yes...

It's so obvious that Christians are a persecuted minority in this country. We should all be ashamed of ourselves for forcing them to respect others. Bad us!

:sarcasm:

[TallahasseeGrannie]

3. Hmmm. Something to think about

Well, my first reaction is as you state, it is kind of an affront, assuming a kinship for no real reason. But then I think that the fact that "move to the back of the bus" has become such a cliche' means the message of equal rights has been delivered, loud and clear.

But that, aside, I am tired of the Christian nonsense about being persecuted. I am a Christian. I don't feel persecuted. Ever. Anywhere. If they want to understand persecution they should visit Saudi Arabia where you can't have a Bible in your luggage. Now THAT is persecution. I don't like victim mentality.

[Katherine Brengle]

12. Amen! n/t

[bluestateguy]

5. Actually you can pray in school

and I'll defend the right of people to do so too, but a public school cannot endorse religion or any particular religion by facilitating organized prayers. People can pray at school on their own time (recess, lunch time, before or after school) either privately or with a group of friends.

[LynneSin]

7. In this particular school they were praying at every event

and a student sued the school because everytime she attended a school function, someone was leading in a christian prayer

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

8. True

I've never had any trouble praying when I taught school. Just did it in private.

[Katherine Brengle]

exactly--my high school had an "informal prayer group" made up of

students and faculty who wished to include prayer as part of their educational experience, and this never caused any controversy.

[hellothere]

6. Actually, the 1st Amendment doesn't mention church/state

That was from a Jefferson letter and then a SCOTUS ruling. Just wanting people to be more precise with their statements.

[Lex]

10. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion"

to be precise.

[Katherine Brengle]

15. This is true, however...

the SCOTUS ruling holds that the separation is inferred in the 1st Amendment. So, if we believe in the power of the federal judiciary to interpret the Constitution, then the separation is inherent.

[DelawareValleyDem]

23. Well, to be precise

separation of church and state, both as a phrase and a concept, predates Jefferson's letter.

[madokie]

9. If it makes you feel any better my Grandfather was a union soldier

during the civil war even though he was from Georgia. I was raised color blind.


This is the man I would like to be my next President

[Ladyhawk]

17. I wish I had been raised color-blind. It's hard to overcome what

you've been taught. I have racist "automatic thoughts." I am aware of them and I try to overcome them.

There are very few black people in my county, so when I see a black person, it's hard not to stare. That is so impolite of me (to say the least). When I lived in Fresno, I got used to all different kinds of people. The vanilla whiteness of Sonora seems bleak in comparison. I miss the black friends I made in college and the feeling that all colors were equally represented.

There is a young man here who is still in high school and is taking music courses at the college. Because I've also started to pursue a music major, I run into him quite often. This 17-year-old kid is writing sonatas! He won an award for the first movement of his sonata, which I heard him play at a recital. It was phenomenal. And of course (because it's in this post), the kid is black. He's also very, very talented.

The "automatic thought" part of me choked on how talented the kid is. The part of me that hates those automatic thoughts got very, very pissed. The kid is friggin' brilliant. Had he been born even fifty years ago, he would never have had a chance to pursue his phenomenal talent. That thought pisses me off even more and I am so glad that he will be able to go to a good college and get his music degree. Every time I see him, I feel both sad for those who were born too early and grateful that this kid has a shot of attaining his dream.

And god, what a nice kid. *shakes head* Pisses me off that we white people are such assholes, that many of us were raised to have those automatic thoughts. :( If I ever have a kid (very, very doubtful now), I hope I could raise him or her without the nonsense that was pounded into my brain.

And yes! I do agree with your choice for our next president! John Conyers is a hero.

[radio4progressives]

11. Fully Concur, and I feel Just the Same as You ..

It is deeply offensive to me and I'm not even a person of color. I can't presume to imagine how that kind of remark must feel to African Americans and other people of color, but i am compelled to presume that it must be deeply offensive indeed.

[ProfessorGAC]

13. Do You Think They Mean Like Where They're Pushing Gay People?

It is, indeed, quite disingenuous to complain about one's own rights while actively campaigning to deny others their rights.
The Professor

[genie_weenie]

14. What's a "white folk"?

just asking...

[Catherine Vincent]

20. Figure of speech.

The same as "black folk"

[Orangepeel]

16. I wouldn't mind the metaphor, if I thought it was appropriate

I would argue that Jews, for example, have historically been pushed to the back of the bus. Although religion is largely a choice, it is still constitutionally protected and discrimination based on religion should not be tolerated.

But Christians aren't on the back of the bus. They own the whole damn bus! They want to make the driver go their route and not stop for anybody else.

[LynneSin]

19. Geez, your reply needs to be recommended

I was thinking of writing an LTTE about this to my local paper and I swear I'm gonna plagerize your statement to the word

But Christians aren't on the back of the bus. They own the whole damn bus! They want to make the driver go their route and not stop for anybody else.

This asshole on the school board is getting a hissy fit because a few non-christian students are asking him to make a few extra stops with his bus. Ugh, it just makes me angry!

[Orangepeel]

22. be my guest!

:thumbsup:

I hope your letter gets published and it opens a few minds!

[Catherine Vincent]

21. Yep! Especially those southern baptists.

[gordianot]

18. There are many metaphor's and artifacts in language that offend.

No reason to list them here we all know what they mean.

They are also dependent on who is saying what to whom. If you are saying something with the purpose to offend you know who you are, if not it is the prerogative of the person who was targeted to enlighten the offender. Just remember wars have been started over less provocation.