The citizens of Lebanon, Missouri write and call in

June 3, 2014 • 4:52 am

In the last day or so, I’ve been inundated with outraged mails and phone calls from people in Lebanon Missouri, upset because I criticized their high-school principal for preaching about God at the graduation ceremony. Their ire was fueled by some comments I made on the local radio station, as well as a piece in the conservative website The Blaze, and another in The Raw Story. Sadly, both of those stories couched this issue as religion versus atheism rather than as the church/state issue that it is. (The comments on the former story, however, are full of LOLz from goddies and ignoramuses, while those on the latter story are both more literate and more favorable to a separation of Church and State.)

In contrast, I’ve received only two favorable emails, both from people who were at the graduation ceremony and were equally outraged that they were captive to prayers. For those I am grateful.

From all of this, I’ve concluded a few things:

  • Many citizens of Lebanon either don’t understand the First Amendment of the Constitution, the way it’s been interpreted by the courts, or they think that it  somehow guarantees their right to pray in public schools. They are wrong, as we’ll see in the next post on this issue, which will reproduce the letter that the Freedom from Religion Foundation wrote to the Lebanon School Board. The law is clear on this point: Principal Lowery violated the First Amendment. And that’s not just from the Constitution itself: it’s from how it’s been consistently interpreted by the courts. (BTW, Hemant Mehta, the Cowardly Atheist who Refuses to Bet, owes me a round of drinks.)
  • Many citizens of Lebanon interpret this church/state issue as simply a case of religion versus atheism.
  • Many citizens of Lebanon are simply rude, writing me unsolicited emails, or calling my office, to give me a piece of their mind. One (see below) even said that what I wanted was a good dose of Jesus.  How Christian of these folks! But what it shows is how touchy Americans are about this issue, and what a hard row we have to hoe in keeping up the wall of separation between church and state. No battle on this issue is too small.

At any rate, read and weep. I am leaving in names but omitting email addresses. This is only a sample of what I received.

*****

1. This phone message was left yesterday afternoon.

“This is Dr. Randy Dingham [name not clear] calling from Missouri. We support the Lebanon High School principal, and we ask Chicago elitists like yourself to leave us Missouri folks alone. If you have enough guts,you can call me back at [number redacted].  Get off our case; we still believe in God. We’re not intimidated by atheist professors who condemn free speech. Good day; GOD BLESS.”

I don’t condemn free speech; I condemn religious speech that is unconstitutionally forced upon a captive public-school audience. And Dr. Dingham, I don’t give a rat’s patootie about your opinion. Read the Constitution and its interpretation.

*****

2. An email from Jeff McGraw, whose ignorance of Constitutional law is breathtaking. What makes these people think that they have the proper interpretation of the First Amendment?

Dear Jerry Coyne,

You are incorrect to apply a violation of the First Amendment to Principal Kevin Lowery.

I would hope that you are a man of moral character, and would offer an apology to Principal Lowery.

The First Amendment to the US Constitution states:  “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.”

First of all, Principal Lowery is protected by this amendment to the free exercise of religion.  He is protected also in that he can present his speech unabridged.  That means he can say what he wishes.

You might say he represents the government, and therefore it is a violation.  That is also incorrect.  We are all individuals first, and he is not passing laws to affect your beliefs in any way. [JAC: This is not even wrong!]

I am certain you will agree after reading the Bill of Rights or the first ten Amendments, that they were established to protect the rights of the individual from government.

You also stated that “God” is not in the US Constitution.  Perhaps not, but neither is the “separation of Church and State.”

God, the Creator, morality, providence or whatever you choose to call Him has always been an integral part of the United States of America, ever since its founding.

[He then gives four quotes from “Founding fathers” espousing deism; they’re too long to append here.]

Sincerely,
Jeff McGraw
[email address redacted]

All I can say to this guy is: take it to court! McGraw will be eating his words when the Lebanon School Board caves on this issue, as I’m confident it will.

*****

3. From Shannon Brown:

I want to thank you for making Mr Lowery’s speech so publicized. I thought he done a remarkable job and it makes us Christians feel so much better to know even if its criticized by you, that we are still getting Gods word out there. So again thank you and remember God’s not dead!!

Shannon Brown
Graduate of Lebanon High School

Does Ms. Brown realize that maybe atheists, Hindus, Muslims, or Jews wouldn’t feel “so much better” about Lowery’s speech? Clearly her school has failed to teach civics properly (I won’t mention writing skills).

*****

4. Here’s a website comment by one “Mark”, who needs to bone up on his Constitutional law:
I’d like to know where you see a 1st Amendment violation in his speech. The simple expression of one’s own religion or personal beliefs is in no way a violation. If he told/forced everyone in attendance to recite The Lord’s Prayer or some other religious/denominational recitation… then you might have a point. But, the mistake the “freedom from religion” crowd makes in the basic understanding of the Constitution is in thinking it mandated freedom FROM religion, when it did no such thing. It mandated the protection OF religion and religious expression as well as the absence thereof. It did not prohibit – nor mean to prohibit — the free expression of religion in public life.
*****

5. And the prize for rambling defense of superstition goes to Colleen Punt. The email is too long to reproduce in its entirety, so I’ve given excerpts:

Jerry Allen Coyne:

I’d like to congratulate Principal Kevin Lowery of Lebanon High School for having the guts to stand up and do what is right….honor God at the graduation ceremony.  He is a man of courage and conviction, a man that stands tall in todays world.

Mr. Coyne as we remove God from all aspects of our lives the lower a nation sinks…it is God that kept the USA strong.  If ever we needed God it is NOW….we need Jesus He is our only hope.  As you remove God, satan steps in to fill in the gap…that is exactly what is happening today.  You don’t want God you will get the devil….thats who is ruling the roost today.  Are things moving along for the better under the devil?  Are our lives improving?  Is there more employment for the citizens?  I think not.

. . . Mr Coyne we have geoengineering of our weather…they say it is to stop global warming…which is the big lie…that way they can spray us like lab rats….they blatantly deny this is happening.  Their evil project is killing all life on planet earth…our oceans are dying and all life in it…90% of our oxygen comes from the ocean…our bees are dying, it has been said that the human race can’t survive more than 4 years with no bees….we won’t have any honey, or anything to eat.

Mr Coyne this is just a little bit of the evil that is being inflicted on us today, thanks to satan who rules today….I guess I should thank you and your kind for the devastation that is happening….when I listened to Principal Lowery speak I didn’t hear boos from the audience…I heard cheers….were you there sitting in the crowd?  Your agenda kills, it is destroying life on planet earth…if God bothers you so much get a pair of ear plugs…..stop taking our rights away from us…mind your own business….go sit with the god haters, call on your god the devil to come to your aid….I beg your pardon…you never have to call on the devil….he doesn’t need an invite….he’ll be their sitting on your shoulder whispering in your ear….Look around , take a look at what is happening to our world, our country…and how bad things are really getting….

. . . I would like to ask you…What gives you the right to take my right to believe in Him away?  What gives to the right to remove the only stabilizing force we have, our salvation, our anchor, our shield?  He came to give us His life He died a horrible painful death to forgive us, and most importantly to give us His life…..and you spit in His face…what a pathetic man you are….to be pitied….the bible tells us…the fool has said in his heart, there is no God….it also says every knee will bow and every tongue will confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord….either we will bow before Him now, or we will bow when we cross over….one way or another we will bow.  You can continue in your arrogant state….or you can come to your senses….your choice….your move….

. . . I know there is a God….I was wrapped in His presence for days…there is nothing that can compare…..we have an amazing God that loves us so much…His love is eternal…not like anything from this earth….a love that is Supernatural….there is nothing to big or to small for Him….He spoke and the world…the universe leapt into existence….He speaks and it happens….and you being the brilliant man you are want to deny His existence…….you are some smart cookie aren’t you?  Like the bible says…The fool has said in his heart…..there is no God….

So Mr. Coyne if your feeling a little bit proud for your stand to beat up on the Principal of Lebanon High, do what you can to destroy him….I want you to know you don’t have my support….I stand along side of Principal Kevin Lowery even though I have never met the man….there is a bond between Christians….we are brothers and sisters in our Lord…we have the same Father…We are family….you can never take that from us….we know where we will be for eternity……Do you know where you will be for eternity?  There was a video I watched some time back….a young woman that at the age of 15 had shot herself, she actually died and went to hell….she said she it was so hot, unbearably hot…..everyone was moaning, and saying why am I here….she said it felt like Sulfuric acid was being poured on her.  What I don’t understand is…..if this is true wouldn’t anyone with a lick of sense check it out?  instead of denying it has any credence…. [JAC: I’d like to see that video of the woman who went to Hell!]

Oh well I’ve said my piece…..I’m going to pray for you…you need Jesus, even though you think you don’t….He has already forgiven you….He did that at the cross….it doesn’t matter what you have done….His forgiveness is soooo big…..He loves you…if you were the only person on the face of the planet, He would have died just for you….He is waiting with His arms stretch out to you….all Jerry Coyne has to is acknowledge, accept what He did and who He is…call Him Lord and you will be His child…when we stand before Him we will be without excuse.  What will you say when your looking Him in the eye?

You have my email address if you want to defend yourself……now that I’ve got your blood boiling…..

Why on earth would I want to defend myself against a crazy, god-soaked missive that discredits itself? My blood, in fact, isn’t boiling at all. Rather, I’m shaking my head and feeling sorry for the rational people that live in the Crock Pot of God that is Lebanon, Missouri.

Finally, I should add that one Jon Colt (whom I believe is this man, and who wrote using his business email of copofoods.com) has written to the president and provost of my university, as well as my chairman, complaining that I’m bringing negative publicity to the university, and using his “tax dollars” to fund “phony outrage” and to “tear down other individuals or institutions” to make me feel better about myself. Colt apparently didn’t see my email to Kim Light saying that no University resources were used to do my posts, nor do I speak for my university (that’s point #1 in the Roolz).

The humorous thing is that this is a private university, so I’m not paid by Colt’s tax dollars. What’s even more hilarious is that Colt also sent the email to the president, provost, and “ethics officer” of the University of Illinois at Chicago, a public university that has nothing to do with me! The poor guy is deeply confused.

 

 

83 thoughts on “The citizens of Lebanon, Missouri write and call in”

    1. Surprising your comment went through intact, Ogre – I thought Colleen Punt must have already used up this page’s entire quota of dots

      1. After all they are so close to Jackson County MO. … you know, where the Garden of Eden is located … so close, yet so far away … and no, Ms Punt did not deplete our 3 dot quota

      2. Decades ago, I attended the University of Oregon.

        At the time, the official school spelling of “employee” was “employe”. Every publication containing the word spelled it that way.

        I imagined some storeroom deep in the catacombs beneath the school with boxes and boxes of saved Es, stored against some future shortage.

        That, of course, was before the internet and the endless supply of electronic Es we now enjoy. 🙂

      1. As an American living here in Europe I do find a level of ignorance in some segments of the European population from time to time but for widespread downright-pig-ignorance combined with arrogant self-certainty you cannot beat America.

        Very depressing.

        1. Yes, we do pig-ignorance here in Europe pretty well.

          The overwhelming arrogance we tend to keep to football* and other similarly important subjects.

          * Proper football

      2. I think so. There’s nothing anyone could possibly say to Colleen that could dent that level of delusion. Also, I still can’t quite grasp how anyone can be so utterly lost to reason and rationality. It’s mind blowing.

        1. It has been maybe 20 years since I attempted to watch that movie. I have not succeeded since it offends the bejeezus out of me. Still, great quote from it.

  3. These people of Lebanon are confused. They think they live in Syria in stead of Missouri.

    It always comes down to basics. What if that principal said Allah or Thor or Afrodite of FSM? Would they still support him? We see that common sense is missing from Lebanon.

    1. I find that interesting as well – those that claim the principal was “brave” – brave to stand up in front of a bunch of Christians um no that’s not brave. Brave would be to do that where he would be truly oppressed, like maybe Syria or somewhere far less tolerant than the US. People who claim oppression have no inkling as to what real oppression is – now that is something they should be thankful for (and thankful to secularists).

        1. I know, I keep thinking it is the Lebanon when I read these posts.

          2. 59.7% Muslim and 39% Christian. [Wp]

            And we know how well Christian minorities have been doing in other predominantly Muslim countries…

            One news item: After blasphemy allegations saying that a decades-old library owned by a Christian and church leader possessed “material deemed insulting to Islam and Muhammad,” the building was torched in an arson attack; two-thirds of its 80,000 books and manuscripts were destroyed.

            /@

    2. Re NewEnglandBob

      Actually, Syria is a rather secular country, (or was before the current situation) at least compared with the rest of the Muslim world. Iran would be a much more appropriate choice.

  4. Colleen Punt’s ramble was quite a bit of fun. I especially like the third paragraph where she mentions her belief in chemtrails.

    Can anyone elaborate on the story of the girl who shot herself and died, and how she managed to tell her story?

  5. “It mandated the protection OF religion and religious expression…”

    I wonder if Mark would be of the same opinion if the principal’s religion had been Islam and his speech had gone on and on about Allah.

    1. That is exactly the question.

      Yes, the First Amendment allows freedom of religion and freedom of religious expression, but it also blocks the governmental imposition of any preferred religion on the people. The Principal is a government employee, acting as a government official in this case, and that precludes the use of his office to impose any religious belief on anyone else.

      What indeed if he’d expressed any beliefs other than xian ones? How would the good, but sorely deluded, citizens of Lebanon have responded then?

  6. JAC: I’d like to see that video of the woman who went to Hell!

    Judging by these comments, she must be somewhere in Lebanon, Missouri.

  7. It’s when you encounter the Colleen Punts of this life that you realize that it’s probably inevitable that we should be waltzing toward disaster at the moment.

    She’s worried about the oceans dying, which is absolutely sensible for her to do. Yet they’re not dying (largely) because of climate change, which is all a Gweat Big Hoax, she tells us, but because of Satan.

    I can’t give chapter ‘n’ verse, but there’s a place in the NT where Christ says it’s a good idea, as one grows up, to leave one’s childish ways behind. One of those childish “ways” is self-indulgent mental indiscipline. It’s about time Colleen Punt grew up.

    1. I think you’re referring to what Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians:

      When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

        1. Richard Dawkins was on Bill Maher a while back promoting his latest book: “An Appetite for Wonder”. And Maher said he was surprised how religious Dawkins was as a child. Then RD quoted the above verse. Perfect!

  8. It is remarkable that the one’s shouting the loudest about respecting the Constitution either have a rather feeble understanding of it or have no compunction about violating its amendments when the are inconvenient. But then they do the same with the Bible – picking and choosing which parts to ignore and which to observe. (I’m reminded of how often evolution/global-warming denialists bear false witness, or choose not to stone Sabbath violators to death, or make wrongful use of their Lord’s name.)

    1. Some of the comments on The Blaze proclaimed that it was “freedom of religion” not “freedom from religion” therefore atheists had no protection under the constitution.

      1. Yes, and most of them “know” that the founding fathers felt the same way. They have seen the quotes that prove that. You can show them the actual quotes with the context, and explain the meaning of the unfamiliar words and idioms, but they will still know what they know.

        Hell, you can point them to entire collections of unadulterated writings by the founding fathers that bear on this and related issues, all which in reality clearly demonstrate that the founding fathers they claim as champions of their views most certainly did not share their views. But they would still know what they know. For too many people when lies support their position they are much easier to believe than the truth. And conservative propagandists have been lying about the founding fathers, and all kinds of other history, for some time now with malice aforethought.

        1. They are the victims of brainwashing. They put their trust in the wrong people and that’s what they get in return.

      2. The response at TheBlaze of chronos110 (on Jun 2 at 1:56am), a person who attend the graduation, should be required reading for his English teacher.

  9. You should forward all those missives to the FFRF (or at least ask the FFRF if they would want them). Some of those emails/letters make it very clear that the audience understood the purpose of the speech was to have a government official proselytize people. Shannon Brown’s email, in particular, shows this – and she is student to boot, the exact audience we should be concerned about. As with many of these blowups, the supporters own words can be used to show how the action fails both the purpose and effect prongs of the Lemon test.

  11. … … … … [/summing up one of the letters good points]

    the Cowardly Atheist who Refuses to Bet, owes me a round of drinks.

    A CARB carrying atheist!? Should maybe give away all his drinks, at that.

    I am certain you will agree after reading the Bill of Rights or the first ten Amendments, that they were established to protect the rights of the individual from government.

    Well, yes, exactly. So the government can’t overrule “the free exercise of religion” including the exercise to not have to be a captive listener to someone else’s exercise.

  12. It’s very obvious that the same mental deficiency of religious fanaticism that exists in the Middle East and inhibits those people works similarly here – ironically, in Lebanon, Missouri.

  13. I think one of the best ways to counter this kind of nonsense (at least outside of the courts), is to have an Imam give a bit of Quranic recitation at the school. WITH the clear explanation beforehand that he is “protected by this [1st] amendment to the free exercise of religion. He is protected also in that he can present his speech unabridged.”
    I’m betting almost everyone in attendance would, at the very least, feel extremely discomfited, maybe, hopefully, a few of them could then realize why it’s wrong.

    Of course, that would be a very brave Imam.

    But the courts are the best way to force the issue.

    1. I don’t see how that could happen in this particular case. This was a principal speaking at his own high school’s graduation ceremony; the law is not going to compel the school to replace the principal with an outside speaker of a specific religion, nor is this a situation where some atheist or muslim can sign up to use an open forum, because speaking at graduation is by invitation only – and heck, he might’ve been on the agenda as principal, rather than as an invited/guest speaker, which would make it even more impossible to replace him.

      I think the most viable strategy in this particular case is to argue that he must not proselytize because of his official capacity as a school official.

      1. Yes I realize the obstacles of my proposed scenario. I am just thinking of how you could try and get the people of Lebanon, MO, to feel why it’s wrong, i.e. put them in the shoes of a non-evangelical Christian at that Graduation. A court case and censure or discipline of the Principal would tell them it’s wrong legally, without perhaps, having them really understand and empathize why it’s wrong.

        1. In my experience, it wouldn’t help.

          If they were rational people we wouldn’t be having this problem in the first place.

          1. Ah but it’s not a question of rational thinking. I’m proposing something that might make them feel the wrongness in their gut. Maybe only a few of them, but still.

        2. Getting the people of Lebanon to “feel” it’s wrong instead of thinking their way to knowing why it is wrong is precisely the correct word choice, because feeling vs thinking is the problem here. Unfortunately. Perhaps if feeling stimulated thinking in this one instance, thinking might take hold a bit and have a chance of replacing emotional motivation for at least a few Missouri Lebanese. It would be a start.

  15. Hmmm, what about that recent Supreme court ruling that said a prayer session given in the town council for some town in NY was not against the constitution? How would that shocking judgement affect any potential legal outcome of this case?

    1. One loophole in the decision is that the town had attempted to find people of various persuasions to deliver the homily. In this case it’s just the principal using his job as a bully pulpit

      1. Also, there are several precedents that have already settled the question that school meetings are especially protected. Those meetings include the classroom, ceremonies like graduation, and even school board meetings.

  16. There aren’t many things more disgusting than a christian like Punt in full righteous indignation rant mode. Her reaction here is precisely the kind of behavior / thinking that leads directly to religiously inspired oppression, and all the way up to violence.

    The blindness of preaching how moral they are as they display seriously screwed up morals illustrates Steven Weinberg’s (in)famous quote.

    ““With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.”
    ― Steven Weinberg

  17. Yes, it’s very brave to do something for which there is massive support in your community, and identify with a religion that the majority of Americans follow.

  18. There was a sensible phrase in that last rambling email, “thank you and your kind…”

    Yes, I too would like to thank your kind for getting us to space which allowed us to benefit from the numerous inventions that make our lives more comfortable. I’d like to thank your kind for eradicating childhood diseases and increasing the average life expectancy by 60% over the last century. I’d like to thank your kind for reducing famines, inventing air conditioning and making the time we live in a time that is by far the most peaceful and comfortable age in all of human history, as Stephen Pinker has shown. Finally, I’d like to thank your kind for standing up for free speech and separation of church and state as dealing with long-winded, rambling letters with imaginary threats of torture is orders of magnitude better than being burned at the stake for heresy.

  19. What intrigues me about believers is that they are so convinced that secularists would love to prevent them from practicing their religion. We in fact would be the loudests protesters if anyone was to suggest that one must only believe in the state sanctioned religion or non-religion We will absolutely defend the freedom of belief because it would impact atheism as well as religions not endorsed by the government. I say to believers take care for what you are wishing for because you what could result is that you may find that you would be forbidden from practicing your brand of delusion.

    1. It’s classic projection. They think that because that is what they would like to do to others.

      1. You might be giving him too much credit. There was an extremely self-important teacher at my son’s high school who had a doctorate in education and insisted on being addressed as Dr. Smith.

        The kids all called him Dr. Teacher behind his back.

  20. Professor Coyne: welcome to “our world” (those who don’t live in sophisticated communities). 🙂

    Many people think that “freedom of religion” means that they have the right to hold others as a captive audience for their beliefs.

    1. To them, “freedom of religion” means freedom to impose (their) religion. And that’s all this is about – imposing their religion. If only they just sat in their government subsidized churches and shut the hell up in school ceremonies…

      1. Yep. If you mention “liberal democracy” they think you are talking about political liberals and get very offended. I’ve switched to using the phrase “constitutional democracy” instead.

  21. Given how we have seen a proliferation of religious dentists, I bet Dr. Randy, who left the phone message, is a dentist.

  22. What gives you the right to take my right to believe in Him away?

    Dear Colleen P,
    Professor Coyne is not trying to do that. In fact, separation of church and state protects your right to believe and practice which ever religion you feel moved to.

    …

    Interesting how often people who don’t understand secularism also don’t understand human and civil rights.

  23. Finally, I should add that one Jon Colt (whom I believe is this man, and who wrote using his business email of copofoods.com) has written to the president and provost of my university, as well as my chairman, complaining that I’m bringing negative publicity to the university, and using his “tax dollars” to fund “phony outrage” and to “tear down other individuals or institutions” to make me feel better about myself.

    Mr. Colt is, apparently also unaware of the fact that the Un. of Chicago is a private school and is not supported by taxpayer dollars.

  24. I know there are kind, decent, sensible people in Lebanon, Mo–I grew up there. I met them at my Southern Baptist church. But I also met jerks there who taught me the meaning of the word hypocrisy via their actions. I’m thankful to them, though, because they started me down the road to atheism.

  25. I always love how if you’re an atheist living in a big city, you’re a “big city elite” but if you’re an atheist living in a small town you’re told “If you don’t like it, why don’t you go to with all the other heathens/devil worshipers/atheists?”

    As someone who grew up 2 hours east of Lebanon I think a lot of the vitriol is sparked by the fact that they thought the principal had skirted juuuust enough around the issue to avoid getting in trouble. Its a childish attempt at semantic games.

  26. It’s a shame there isn’t any medication for those people who got a “good dose of Jesus”.

    The ignorance and superstition shown by some of these people is frightening. But really, I’m not the least bit surprised. I wasn’t surprised when Supreme Court Justice Scalia said he believes in Satan or demons.

    When you can believe something without the slightest bit of evidence then you can believe anything without the slightest bit of evidence, even the most absurd and destructive things.

    I would suggest we are going to see people being killed over demon possession soon, but in fact it’s already happening. Adults and children are being killed by lunatics who think demons are real and go to extreme measures to exorcise them.

    How does that saying go?
    “…for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.”

  27. Jerry,

    Keep up the good work. The First Amendment allows religion to flourish (and/or perish) on its own merits and prohibits the government from establishing one as the official or correct one.

    Most of the Founding Fathers were skeptics and had little to no interest in reviving the religion wars of the post Reformation era. With Catholics slaughtering Protestants in the name of Truth. Their great interest was the protection of property rights. Their code word for that was liberty. The wisdom of the Founding Fathers apparently did not extend to native Americans or human slaves from Africa.

    John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were both Founding Fathers, but with very different outlooks on the role of religion in and its relationship to the state.

  28. The best thing about all the comments from the goddidiots is that they support exactly what we are saying: that this is, precisely, religious speech, by a member of the government (in his capacity as principal, or is it principle? :p)

    They are the strongest support we have for more separation.

    Thanks, religious nutters!

  30. Jeff “I have no idea what the establishment clause means” McGraw is the funniest (the Bill of Rights OR the first ten amendments) but he obviously has no information about the manner in which this issues is dealt with by the courts. In point of fact it seems to me that Mr. McGraw is trying to force everyone to view this issue through the prism of GOP politics du jour i.e. that the Federal Government is the only source of malfeasance on Earth and all it wishes to do is attack his religion, and that judicious applications of Jesus and de-regulation is the magic bullet fix for every problem, but that’s just my theory. What is entirely demonstrable is Mr McGraw’s total lack of understanding of the Bill of Rights. . . maybe he’d have been better served by a school that focused less on god and more on facts.

  31. Y’all’ll be singin’ a different tune when we go extinct for lack of honey.

    (Punt, paragraph 3.)

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