It seems little Joey (not his real name) was supposed to read the morning announcements (they still have those?!?) over the ol' school intercom (those too?) and took the opportunity to inject a "God Bless America" right at the end! Good God, can't have that, now can we?!?
Some "offended atheist" (see picture illustration for "redundancy" in the dictionary) students complained, some "atheist activist" (there I go again!) group got involved, and yada-yada-yada -- suffice it to say that little Joey won't be spouting the announcements again until maybe sometime in graduate school.
But the story got me thinking on a couple of different levels over here (I know, I know -- there's a first time for everything):
-First, what if the "offending" phrase had instead been "God Damn America"? Ya know, in the vein of Obama's preacher, the Good (and above-pictured) Reverend Wright, not to mention the same as the sentiments of many leftist 20 percenters everywhere. Would we then instead hear the rallying cry for "tolerance" and "diversity" of speech on high school and college campuses on behalf of little Joey (then suddenly transformed into a leftist hero)?
-Second, and moreover, there's the question of where little Joey should take this from here. These pesky atheists claim that Joey's "God Bless America" was wrapped in a school announcement, making it an impermissible endorsement of religion by a government entity (said school) under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Fine and dandy...
But that still doesn't mean that little Joey is without his own First Amendment rights, of the free speech variety, there at the school. Sure, Joey can't go around disrupting the educational environment by shouting "God Bless" in people's faces and shit. But if it was me, I have some fun with this...
Like when someone does something deserving a "Thank you" around the school, instead tell them, "God Bless." Hell, toss in an "America" if you want. (An example situation might be when the Cookie gives you your Michelle ObamaMeal at lunchtime, although I'm cognizant that such may be more likely to induce a horrified shriek than a "thanks").
Or another example occasion: When that final bell sounds at the end of the day, let loose on a "God Bless America" at that point to express your pleasure. Or heck, let the phrase fly when you're done with your business down to the school shithouse after Michelle's lunch.
Point being, the school cannot out-and-out ban students from ever uttering a "God Bless" or "God Bless America" on school grounds without running afoul of that same First Amendment the atheists like to wield like a cudgel. So I'd try to pick my spots and just hope an atheist or two gets offended in the process. Since, after all, is there anything more fun or satisfying on the planet than offending a kooky, goof leftist or right-winger nut-job?
http://www.ijreview.com/2015/02/249386-florida-school-pressured-punish-student-saying-god-bless-america/
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