Pepper Spray for teachers???

[ithacaartist]

Popular history tends to be re-written on a regular basis. There was a big revisionist movement in the 20's. Apparently the stuff about Geo. Washington and the cherry tree is a total myth, making its first appearance in recorded/written history at about that time. This is not entirely unlike how German text books were edited, post-war, to help their society deal with the extensive, collective guilt, shame, and consternation concerning their preceding political paradigm and the policies that were carried out. Basically, an entire nation had been duped, or baited and switched by a juggernaut of their own creation, however "well-meaning" it was presumed to be at its inception. And we haven't stopped there.
Robert Green Ingersoll (the Great Agnostic) was a lawyer for the railroads at the turn of the last century, and a very popular speaker on the subject of agnosticism, the bible, and belief. He was the highest paid public speaker in a time before media we take for granted nowadays--film, radio, TV--up to $2.500 per appearance, which in those days was the price of a couple of houses. He neglected to underwrite further efforts in this realm after his death, leaving none of his massive fortune to the cause because he presumed religiosity had been pretty well stamped out. But he was wrong. Myths continue to be created, most significantly one that had resurgence as little as about 20 years ago, that the United States is a Christian nation. This notion is a total fabrication perpetrated and maintained by those who would benefit from it. Its roots lie in thinking that is more like mob rule than democracy. Safeguards in the Constitution, (on paper, anyway) help prevent a majority from trampling the rights of a minority simply because there are , obviously, more people in the former. We have an undeniable Christian (whatever that is, broken into thousands of splits and offshoots) majority. The founding fathers deemed no religious view any more valid than any of the others, and tried to ensure that the basis for legislation NOT have its origins in ANY of them. If this were not the case, there would be an opportunity for a majority with a particular view to hijack the entire country. Religion has no place in politics and overall societal policy; otherwise someone's freedom is curtailed, never fear.

[cdmech]

How sad that rights and freedoms one generation has been asked to die for are so willingly relinquished by another on the basis of popular opinion.
Marc

[RichSr]

IthicaArtist,
Perhaps a more careful approach would be advisable before “correcting” another’s post. Cdmech never claimed his first quote was from the Constitution. You may disagree but I believe that most view the Declaration as one of our founding documents.

“Incorrect. The first ten amendments, like all the rest, may be changed by the amendment process set out in the Constitution--2/3 of both houses plus 3/4 of the states' legislatures.”

Not accurate, the following from the National Archive Article V
“ amendment may be proposed either by the Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the State legislatures
A proposed amendment becomes part of the Constitution as soon as it is ratified by three-fourths of the States”
Other inaccuracies would include confusing the Virginian George Mason with the Englishman Charles Mason, who with Jeremiah Dixon surveyed the boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania(the Mason-Dixon Line), and attributing the cherry tree myth of Washington to the

”big revisionist movement in the 20's

”.
That story is first seen in a biography on Washington written by Mason Locke Weems ( A History of the Life and Death, Virtues and Exploits, of General George Washington(1800) either 20 or 120 years before the “revisionist movement” you mention depending on which century you’re referring to.
As to this being a Christian nation, you may be able to argue from a religious standpoint, but I think there's little doubt that this country embraces the philisophical teachings of the man Jesus of Nazareth
I believe that your lack of factual accuracy, opinion masquerading as fact, and the obvious disdain for religion apparent in your posts taints any of the possibly relevant points you make.

[Douglas Jr.]

Originally Posted by RichSr

Not accurate, the following from the National Archive Article V
“ amendment may be proposed either by the Congress with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate or by a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the State legislatures
A proposed amendment becomes part of the Constitution as soon as it is ratified by three-fourths of the States”

So you're confirming that, anyway, the US Constitution can have another Amendment added or an old one revoked or modified. As I said before, it is a matter of a legal proceeding - it might be a difficult task but it can be done if the conjuncture is right.

Regarding Christianism and religion I strongly believe that it must be left out of any political discussion. Religion is a matter of faith, with its dogmas. Although I'm pretty certain that the Chritian guided several principles written by the Founding Fathers in your Constitution, their most important contribution (and its most historically contribution) was to creat a secular Nation, with freedom of religion.

But, again, in my humble opinion, it has nothing to do with the 2nd Amendment, laws, and the possibility of changing gun control rules.

Respectfully,

Douglas