A Decalogue carved out of granite began it;
Jehovah’s commandments on six tons of stone
An atheist group then complained; they maintained
The establishment clause says it can’t sit alone
The lawyers advised “don’t take chances; your stance is
‘If one is allowed, well then, so are the rest’.”
So, while maybe it wasn’t their druthers, now others
Can join them, with multiple viewpoints expressed.
The atheists’ bench is the first one, the cursed one,
Reminding the county that godless exist—
That Florida’s not monolithically mythic;
That Christians don’t make up the whole of the list.
I’m hoping the Hindus will bring ‘em a lingam,
A huge granite phallus to add to the mix
So when councilmen pass, they will find a reminder
That some think the council are acting like dicks.
I read about the monument a couple of days ago, but of course the monument itself isn’t anything exciting to write about. It’s the reaction to the monument that gets fun. Mano predicted this yesterday, as reactions started to trickle in. Today, my aggregator is full of various Christian reactions to the bench.
(don’t skip the comments there. You will know they are Christians by their love. Oh! One of the comments makes the point that “Every public square without a Christmas Crib at Christmas is a monument to atheism.” which reminded me of this one from a while ago.)
Which is why the first 4 commandments are explicitly overruled by the first amendment.
And while Fox News’s Tucker Carlson predicts (or urges) vandalism:
…at the same site, at least some see what “public free-speech forum” actually means:
Ken Weaver, a member of the Starke, Fla.-based group Community Men’s Fellowship, which originally erected the Ten Commandments monument at Bradford County Courthouse, previously told CP that he believes the American Atheists “has the same freedoms of expression as those of any other citizen or group.”
Of course, as of this writing, the only comment at that particular site is a simple “I concur Tucker”.
At the risk of repeating myself, you will know they are Christians by their love.
This is becoming a text-book example that the Talibangelicals don’t give a rat’s ass about the Constitution. They shrilly demand a First Amendment right to litter the public forum with their religion, then throw a huge temper tantrum when told by the courts that others have that same right too.
“It says it all. Atheism – it’s where asses go.“ – Good one, and so true
How cute. Thanks for coming here and illustrating that such people exist, and that I’m not just making up strawman arguments.
Actually it’s not just the first 4 Commandments that are either banned per the Constitution or absent. For all of the Commandments irrelevant to the Constitution. The Constitution is a document setting up government and not setting up laws. Thus the only murder mentioned in the Constitution is the President. Theft is not addressed, lust is not addressed, lying is not addressed unless it arises to perjury. Respecting parents not there, adultery not there.
And as for coveting your neighbors goods, that’s pretty much what capitalism and marketing depends on so no, not in the Constitution. Now slavery is in the Constitution as it is also AOK in the bible. But the bible is not the 10 commandments.
I’m hoping the Hindus will bring ‘em a lingam,
Priceless.
Rf, sometimes the gods deliver the rhymes, and all I have to do is take dictation.
Amazingly kick ass poem!
“Granite began it” and “monolithically mythic” make me happy.
SC, what’s the point in inventing a new verse form if one cannot make people happy with it?
“Monolithically mythic” makes me happy too, SC! Nice work, Warmish Mark. Keep illustrating your lucid arguments. You do it so well. And what a surprise! Tee heee.
Where are Iconoclasts when you need then?
“Thou shall not make a graven image.”