Probably a reason why it is the FIRST F%$*ING amendment!

Living in the Washington DC area I find myself getting political now and then.
[Skip to the next blog if you want to avoid this.]
Our country is based on a very clear document, the United States Constitution. Like it or not, these are the rules. Not sure what the constitution really says? Click here http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html

Now.. there seems to be a trend in this country to say, “ Yeah, well, if they knew then what we know now, they would have done things differently.” Or “ It’s a living and breathing document meant to be changed.” Bullshit.

I’ll grant that the Constitution can be amended, however, the rights that I see there are timeless. Of most important these days is the very first one: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

Simply put, freedom to AND from religion, free speech, press, and assembly.

Today, in the United States, the extreme evangelical Christians, have burrowed themselves so deep into our political system, that they have made a mockery of our very first amendment. Am I chicken little? Let’s look at an example where this actually kills people.

Uganda. Aids. There was, prior to the current administration, a program attempting to stop the AIDS pandemic in Uganda. Its acronym was A.B.C. (Abstinence, Be Faithful, and Condoms.) When this program was started it reversed a 16% AIDS rate to 6%. That is amazing progress. Short lived however. The current administration under pressure from the “neocons” in congress have put legislative requirements on funding so that only abstinence-only programs can receive help. This is outrageous! The distribution of condoms is a public safety factor. The belief that condoms are somehow against their god and subjecting millions of people, both givers of the funds via taxes, as well as recipients here and abroad to their belief kills people and is against rule #1.

I’ve got news for the modern-day American Taliban NeoCons: People have sex. You did and do, I did and do, your kids are/will, It’s not dirty, it’s not foul, and your views about religion need to stay in your church.

So, you have every right to believe that a guy thousands of years ago walked on water, just as I have every right to believe my big toe created the universe, but you do NOT have the right to force your beliefs on the people through our government.

From Cornell Law School: http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/index.php/First_amendment : Paragraph 2

“Two clauses in theFirst Amendment guarantee freedom of religion. The establishment clause prohibits the government from passing legislation to establish an official religion or preferring one religion over another. It enforces the "separation of church and state.”

Our silence is our guilt.