[quote]Originally posted by ******:

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By putting 'under god' in the Pledge, you are alienating people with polytheistic belief system, atheists and agnostics, and they make up a pretty big piece of the american pie.

Quote:

false.

about one million people in the US identify as atheist

polytheistic?? probably about 11 or 12 people or so

agnostic? admittedly more but not much more; i'll give you 5 million to be extremely generous

that's less than 3% of the US population

if somebody gave me 3% of a pie, i'd be starving

better love it all you can while it lasts; it won't even last long enough to get implemented; the 9th Circuit will sit en banc and overrule this decision 9-2 (i think there are 11 judges in the 9th circuit, maybe more)

democracy?

wow, this might be the most relevant thing you've added to Netphoria in a while

i totally agree; good analysis

They're still American people, and count. How about other religions who don't refer to their higher power as 'God'?

How does Eisenhower's sentiment in the pledge make the pledge unconstitutional? There is nothing there that establishes a State run religion...ergo, its not unconstitutional.

McCarthy's 'ideology' was merely dredging up facts about the communist party and their intentions. Facts of which were proven to be largely true in the mid-90's. To this day "McCarthyism" is regarded as claiming somewhat a Communist when they are not.

The facts show that McCarthy's claims were accurate. But when a LARGE majority of educators through a couple or 3 generations rail against the man because they have centralized government views that mirror those ideals of Karl Marx and the communist party of the Cold War, then I understand their contempt and the reasons why the history revisionism goes on about McCarthy to this day, and why history books about that era reflect their view of those proceedings and not the intricacies of incremental Marxism.

They make up a piece of the pie. That is all that matters.

The minority should be protected with as much consideration as the majority.

i hate democracy because people are too stupid to know what's right.

A key element of democracy is protecting the rights of minorities.
and to weigh in on the number of athiests debate, I just read a state that said anywhere from 4-13% of americans consider themselves athiest.
personally, I think they should just change it to "under a god, who may or may not exist..... etc etc.

Like Hindus? I guarantee you there are more than 11 or 12 Hindus in this country.

Like u?

My problem is with people who think only THEY could ever be right. Like you.

lol, wow are you ever serious.

Ditto. Let's be frieeeeeeeeeeends http://www.netphoria.org/wwwboard/tongue.gif

[This message has been edited by kypper (edited 06-27-2002).]

News flash! Here's an excerpt from the All-Inclusive List of Threats to America:

4,377: West Nile Virus
4,378: Rivaldo, Brazilian futbol superstar
4,379: Communism
4,380: Kinko's
4,381: Loud music

DAMMIT.

I was sooo about to start off on this topic. Nevermind. So I wonder when they're going to move on about the money being unconstitutional... : )

wait until Christmas is illegal

But Christmas is just about Santa, and getting presents, and those annoying-to-get-in-the-house-and-decorate pine trees that get pine needle all over your floor, and reindeer games.

Why would that be illegal? http://www.netphoria.org/wwwboard/confused.gif

:-D

It might true, but the appellete court was smart, they tied in many other rulings to help their case, rulings that were handed down by the supreme court. To reverse this case, the supreme court would have other similar cases that they might have to reverse, all-in-all very stick situation.

Boy: Hey, who left all this garbage on the steps of Congress?
Amendment: I'm not garbage.
I'm an amendment to be
Yes, an amendment to be
And I'm hoping that they'll ratify me
There's a lot of flag burners
Who have got too much freedom
I wanna make it legal
For policemen
To beat 'em
'Cause there's limits to our liberties
'Least I hope and pray that there are
'Cause those liberal freaks go too far.
Boy: But why can't we just make a law against flag burning?
Amendment: Because that law would be unconstitutional. But if we changed the Constitution...
Boy: Then we could make all sorts of crazy laws!
Amendment: Now you're catching on!
Bart: What the hell is this?
Lisa: It's one of those campy '70s throwbacks that appeals to Generation Xers.
Bart: We need another Vietnam to thin out their ranks a little.
Boy: But what if they say you're not good enough to be in the Constitution?
Amendment: Then I'll destroy all opposition to me
And I'll make Ted Kennedy pay
If he fights back
I'll say that he's gay
Big Fat Guy: Good news, Amendment! They ratified 'ya. You're in the U.S. Constitution!
Amendment: Oh, yeah! Door's open, boys!


Boy: Hey, who left all this garbage on the steps of Congress? Amendment: I'm not garbage. I'm an amendment to be Yes, an amendment to be And I'm hoping that they'll ratify me There's a lot of flag burners Who have got too much freedom I wanna make it legal For policemen To beat 'em 'Cause there's limits to our liberties 'Least I hope and pray that there are 'Cause those liberal freaks go too far. Boy: But why can't we just make a law against flag burning? Amendment: Because that law would be unconstitutional. But if we changed the Constitution... Boy: Then we could make all sorts of crazy laws! Amendment: Now you're catching on! Bart: What the hell is this? Lisa: It's one of those campy '70s throwbacks that appeals to Generation Xers. Bart: We need another Vietnam to thin out their ranks a little. Boy: But what if they say you're not good enough to be in the Constitution?Amendment: Then I'll destroy all opposition to me And I'll make Ted Kennedy pay If he fights back I'll say that he's gay Big Fat Guy: Good news,Amendment! They ratified 'ya. You're in the U.S. Constitution! Amendment: Oh, yeah! Door's open, boys!


[This message has been edited by wangcomputers (edited 06-27-2002).]

Can this decision have possibly come at a worse time? Our basic civil liberties are in jeopardy, but we're going to be spending our time as a society arguing about whether or not schoolchildren should be forced to pay tribute to imaginary invisible beings who live in magical kingdoms in outer space somewhere. - Tom Tomorrow

This has nothing to do with what the Founding Fathers' beliefs were. The words "under God" where added after a campaign by the Knights of Columbus. They probably had the same vision that many have now: "This is what the Founding Fathers would have said."

I believe this isn't true. The Founding Fathers added the words 'Nature's God' to the Constitution. This seems to imply simply a higher power, the 'Reason we are here' so to speak. This doesn't seem to be a reference to the Judeo-Christian god.

how many people really vote for what they think is right, after carefully weighing sides of the issue and thinking logistically about it?

how many vote according to what best fits their lifestyle?

this is the problem with democracy.

how many senators vote for what's right, and how many vote according to what the people of america like better? why is homosexual marriage still illegal?

obviously.

i was referring to the adjective "big," not the assertion as a whole

finally, a comrade in the fight against ignornace!

that's why i'm a democrat! people need to be told what to do with their lives for the country to be effective! hehe

yeah you're right; maybe 15 or 20

While I agree that a democratic system is inherently flawed due to the selfish nature of the people, I don't think that fascism is much of a solution. Why is one person's morality better than another's?

I don't like the idea of someone else's idea of "right" being forced onto me, but that's an inevitability in any sort of democratic state.