color9:

I will admit my language is colorful. But when Vegas began this discussion as an all or nothing proposal, not even giving teachers the OPTION of putting up these posters, to me, it's forced.

I'm not entirely sure he had a mind to begin with (in regards to the first post).

I hope he's reading this.  I hope he realizes that he's just alienated himself from a good many parents, citizens, and voters.   I'm going to start using his name as a word  to define religious snafus. 

Vegas -verb: 1) to run for an office in which you pledge to serve the people but are clearly only planning on serving yourself.   2) to attempt to ignore the establishment clause.  3) to define patriotism by one's allegiance to a higher power.  4) to attempt to systematically encourage evangelism in places where it does not belong.

Used in a sentence: 

"I was going to vote no on that issue, but now I think I'll Vegas."

"He totally Vegased the secular nature of the public school classroom."

Vegas -adj: 1) describing an act of dubious origins in which one has put the desires of self above the needs of all your constituents.

"His political strategy was vegas."

Vegas - noun: 1) an act of dubious origins in which one has put the desires of self above the needs of all your constituents.

"He pulled a Vegas."

I know it sounds incredible, but it's true.

Chad has written elsewhere that state governments shouldn't be required to respect the Bill of Rights.  The reason for arguing such a position is to ram religion down people's throats by law -- the specific argument is that the 14th Amendment wasn't meant to enforce the Bill of Rights upon the states (wrong), leaving states free to legally establish official religions and force people by law to live by the rules of the official government religion.

I know it sounds incredible.  But I can document it in the movement's own words if necessary.

OOC, Lois, why do you say "...he wants to ram religion down the throats of high school kids?"  That phrase, "ram [whatever] down our throats" conjures up a violent, beat-them-into-submission image in my mind.   Phrases like this also make me think of paranoia and pandemonium; people getting hysterical about what might happen next.

I have mentioned before that I am not in favor of Vegas's poster proposal, but I don't believe he's trying to "ram" anything down anyone's *throats.*  Describing his proposal as such is an exaggeration and a bit over the top.  His actions aren't that much of an all-out assault; it's more like he's trying to get his (and Jacquie Sullivan's) foot in the door with the hope of perhaps adding more religious reference stuff later. 

I rarely announce my blogging vacations, but this topic demanded some intervention.  ;-)

Looks like time to revisit this topic:

http://people.bakersfield.c...

BTW, Lois, you put the following very well:

"When his seat is up in 2008, let’s find someone who can help lead a diverse and growing high school district that deserves the brightest minds focused on education, not social engineering."

That's exactly what it is: social engineering.  They'll crucify Hillary Clinton for saying "it takes a village to raise a child" -- but all that changes when that village is a latter-day Puritan colony.

Then, the village can have all the power it wants to raise your children, whether you like it or not.

Ah, this topic warrants my attention.  :-)

Unless one lives in the insular world of Religious Right media -- which includes but isn't limited to the world of talk radio -- most people, including conservatives and Republicans, truly have no idea just how far out and dangerous the movement to which Chad Vegas belongs has become.

It is a true nascent fascism, a dangerous religious nationalism that gauges one's patriotism, your legitimacy as an American citizen -- indeed, your legitimacy as a human being -- by whether or not you are of the "proper" religious and political affiliation.

In the eyes of this cult -- and it really, truly is a political cult -- a prerequisite to coming to Christ is embracing a thoroughly freedom-hating, militant subsection of the Republican Party.  If you don't embrace their politics to the letter, to the very last letter, you cannot legitimately call yourself a true American or a true Christian.

I'd wager that most people who consider themselves conservatives have little clue just how fanatical and deranged a movement is hiding behind the banner of "conservative."  It is a major factor in the schism in local GOP politics -- between the moderate if resented "Abernathy Machine" and the nascent fascism of the Ashburn / "Bakersfield Republican Assembly" wing.

Mainstream Bakersfield, including mainstream conservative Bakersfield, has just gotten a taste, a sample earful, of the true depths of hate that is growing within a certain faction of the GOP.  And judging by the comments that I've seen, most of you are shocked and appalled.

Good.

Bakersfield, I believe, has just been awakened.  It's past time.