NY principal bans God Bless the USA from graduation because it offends other cultures

[theonedru]

I agree. There is nothing more than I hate than having to sing a stupid song before a ballgame or any other type of public event. I think that a more appropriate idea would to be have a moment of silence to pray, meditate, sleep, sing your favorite song or do whatever you need to motivate yourself as long as you are doing it in your own mind. And dont dare come at me with this america love it or leave it crap. I am a tax payer and have every right to be here and voice my opinion as everyone else.

Total agreement

[andrewhoya]

I agree. There is nothing more than I hate than having to sing a stupid song before a ballgame or any other type of public event. I think that a more appropriate idea would to be have a moment of silence to pray, meditate, sleep, sing your favorite song or do whatever you need to motivate yourself as long as you are doing it in your own mind. And dont dare come at me with this america love it or leave it crap. I am a tax payer and have every right to be here and voice my opinion as everyone else.

I find it annoying that the Nationals play God Bless America instead of Take Me Out to the Ballgame sometimes.

[shrewsbury]

wait a minute here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

something is strange!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!












two agreements with veggieman in a row??????

seems to be impossible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Star_Cards]

I find it annoying that the Nationals play God Bless America instead of Take Me Out to the Ballgame sometimes.

agreed. I don't like the god bless america 7th inning stretch either. It was a trend started after 911 if I remember correctly. To me sing a fun song about baseball at a baseball game. people can reflect, be patriotic, or sing about god blessing our country on their own.

[JustAlex]

I see your point, but couldn't you just abstain from singing the song if it bothered you? I'm a non-Catholic that went to a Catholic university. There were tons of religious events and happenings going on all the time, and I just didn't take part.

Sure you could abstain singing it, just like you could abstain from saying the pledge, but you should know exactly what will happen.

Others will murmur and ostracize those that don't do it.

This is how it's ALWAYS been, how many atheist students have been bullied in schools just because they don't believe in god.

Why should ANY child whether he is 5 or 18 have to be in a PUBLIC school dealing with religion, when the constitution has been interpreted to have a SEPARATION of church and state?


Keep religion in church and in PRIVATE.

You can't just remove a part of it. It's all or nothing.

But if they remove that line, they'll have to remove 'with liberty and justice for all', as not every American has liberty and justice.

OK fine.....remove it completely, I personally find it absurd that kids have to pledge to a flag.

I agree about kindergarten. My sister just 'graduated' and they had this gigantic ceremony with caps and gowns. Seriously??

Personally I do find it ridiculous, but who knows....in the mind of a child he/she might find it as an encouragement to keep striving in school.

My issue is that in most situations i just think it is a little ridiculous when 99.9% of the population are ok with something, that if one person is not, we shouldn't do it.
I am not advocating anything crazy, just the idea that schools have done something for years and if one person complains, then it has to go away.

That's funny since scientists are 99.9% sure Evolution is true and yet look at all the Christians who are not OK with it...

But seriously, You seem not to understand that the constitution PROTECTS the minority no matter how small it is.

BTW, why do you care about singing "God bless the USA".....Surely there are thousands of other secular songs they could sing...

Once again, I go back to the issue of Christians wanting GOD in everything.

I think that a more appropriate idea would to be have a moment of silence to pray, meditate, sleep, sing your favorite song or do whatever you need to motivate yourself as long as you are doing it in your own mind. And dont dare come at me with this america love it or leave it crap. I am a tax payer and have every right to be here and voice my opinion as everyone else.

BINGO!

A moment of silence is a much better and secular idea.

[andrewhoya]

We get a moment of silence and the pledge.

[ensbergcollector]

Sure you could abstain singing it, just like you could abstain from saying the pledge, but you should know exactly what will happen.

Others will murmur and ostracize those that don't do it.

This is how it's ALWAYS been, how many atheist students have been bullied in schools just because they don't believe in god.

Why should ANY child whether he is 5 or 18 have to be in a PUBLIC school dealing with religion, when the constitution has been interpreted to have a SEPARATION of church and state?


Keep religion in church and in PRIVATE.




OK fine.....remove it completely, I personally find it absurd that kids have to pledge to a flag.



Personally I do find it ridiculous, but who knows....in the mind of a child he/she might find it as an encouragement to keep striving in school.



That's funny since scientists are 99.9% sure Evolution is true and yet look at all the Christians who are not OK with it...

But seriously, You seem not to understand that the constitution PROTECTS the minority no matter how small it is.

BTW, why do you care about singing "God bless the USA".....Surely there are thousands of other secular songs they could sing...

Once again, I go back to the issue of Christians wanting GOD in everything.



BINGO!

A moment of silence is a much better and secular idea.

i think it is you who doesn't understand the constitution. feel free to respond to the separation of church and state post i made earlier. also, it is the idea that you think people need to be "protected" from anything with God in it. oh man, i hope the government protects me from the song god bless the usa. give me a break man

[JustAlex]

i think it is you who doesn't understand the constitution. feel free to respond to the separation of church and state post i made earlier. also, it is the idea that you think people need to be "protected" from anything with God in it. oh man, i hope the government protects me from the song god bless the usa. give me a break man

I don't need to respond to your other post.

If you think Public schools have a right to discriminate by including religion where it does NOT belong you are very wrong.

Any song that includes GOD in it should not be sung in a public school, and IMO the pledge should also be changed.


You wouldn't like it if YOUR kids had to go to a public school where they sung "Krishna Bless the USA" or "One Nation under Allah".

You obviously have no problems with it because you're a christian and you believe in god, so the status quo is to your liking.



I'm an Atheist and if I had kids, I don't want them to pledge "One nation under god" when I don't even believe god exists much less that the United States is under his control.

However, whenever atheist students speak out they get ostracized.

For Example Jessica Ahlquist who spoke out against UNFAIR religion in her school:

http://www.alternet.org/belief/15380..._death_threats

http://doctore0.wordpress.com/2012/0...ppears-online/

Oh and BTW....SHE WON: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahlquist_v._Cranston

Jessica Ahlquist is a very courageous young lady and when this story broke out I was OUTRAGED by how christians were threatening her LIFE just because of a STUPID, INTOLERANT Religious banner in her school.


We need more people like Jessica Ahlquist in this country, the constitution is on OUR side!

[ensbergcollector]

so, when someone points out that you were wrong in regards to your comments on the constitution, you just ignore it and don't think you need to respond to it?

i never said it was right to discriminate. however, you keep spouting separation of church and state when it is nowhere in the constitution. secondly, no one needs protecting from a song. give me a break. and you know what, if I lived in a overwhelmingly majority muslim or jewish state, i would not assume I could change the way the country works just because i believe differently.
if I lived in a muslim country, i would not complain in the least if the kids were singing "allah bless us"

[JustAlex]

so, when someone points out that you were wrong in regards to your comments on the constitution, you just ignore it and don't think you need to respond to it?

i never said it was right to discriminate. however, you keep spouting separation of church and state when it is nowhere in the constitution. secondly, no one needs protecting from a song. give me a break. and you know what, if I lived in a overwhelmingly majority muslim or jewish state, i would not assume I could change the way the country works just because i believe differently.
if I lived in a muslim country, i would not complain in the least if the kids were singing "allah bless us"

Where was I wrong?

I said the constitution is INTERPRETED to say "separation of church and state"....which it IS!

If you lived in a muslim country.....trust me, you would be muslim, because in those countries they don't have separation of church and state and they don't have a constitution that protects the minority the way the U.S constitution protects us.

The Establishment Clause if VERY CLEAR.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Establishment_Clause

^"The establishment clause has generally been interpreted to prohibit 1) the establishment of a national religion by Congress, or 2) the preference by the U.S. government of one religion over another. The first approach is called the "separation" or "no aid" interpretation, while the second approach is called the "non-preferential" or "accommodation" interpretation. "

Public Schools are funded by the government and thus fall in line with the establishment clause.

This is why in 1962 the Supreme Court determined that it is unconstitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and encourage its recitation in public schools.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engel_v._Vitale


And yet, MANY fanatical Christians continue to push prayer in public schools.

Why can't they just keep religion to themselves????