Don't they have more pressing concerns?

[D. Scarlatti]

S. Maturin's old con law prof reports that the Louisiana legislature has abandoned its efforts to redraft the Ten Commandments, after "an embarrassing debate."

Louisiana Gives Up

From one of the embedded news links:

"It says 'murder' rather than 'kill,'" said Michael Malec, noting the Sixth Commandment, which commonly reads "Thou shalt not kill."

"We can change that," replied Rep. Peppi Bruneau, R-New Orleans, who handled the bill for its absent author, Sen. James David Cain, R-Dry Creek.

While the committee was at it, Bruneau said it might as well change the spelling of "honor" in the Fifth Commandment — "Honor thy father and thy mother" — which in the bill was spelled "honour."

A rabbi summed it up:

Contacted after the meeting, Jewish Rabbi Stan Zamek of Beth Shalom Synagogue said choosing what version of the Ten Commandments to place in a government building points up the deficiency of the idea.

"I think there’s a problem displaying any version in a government building. I think it’s a dangerous intrusion of government into people’s religious liberties in any case," Zamek said.

"You are inevitably choosing one religion over another," he said.

This is the state whose largest city was devastated by a hurricane several months ago, and is still a long way from recovering, but the main thing for some Republican politicians is to get some version of the Ten Commandmants nailed to the wall.

Pathetic.

[ms_ann_thrope]

Mebbe God sent Hurricane Katrina to punish the state of Louisiana because they DIDN'T have some form of the Ten Commandments hanging up in every government building... didja ever think of that, law-boy?

j/k of course. Weak priorities and waste of legislative resources. Why don't constituents ask, WTF? when their elected representatives spend time authoring bills like this?

[D. Scarlatti]

Originally Posted by ms_ann_thrope

didja ever think of that, law-boy?

Actually no! And it's a good point. This is a positive sign that means that Louisiana has overcome Katrina and GOP politicians are back on track, doing what they do best: tearing apart the Bill of Rights. Thanks, law-girl!

[lisarea]

Originally Posted by D. Scarlatti

Actually no! And it's a good point. This is a positive sign that means that Louisiana has overcome Katrina and GOP politicians are back on track, doing what they do best: tearing apart the Bill of Rights.

Feh. Bill of Rights. BoR-ing!

[D. Scarlatti]

Well, nobody understands Louisiana.* I've long since lost track of the number of times I've heard sentences ending with, "in all 50 states, except Louisiana."

* Except possibly the French (who strangled all the priests with the entrails of the princes).

[Angakuk]

They should have sought the expert advice of that congressman that Colbert interviewed.

[ms_ann_thrope]

* law-boy and law-girl totally need to get superhero-style capes... sparkly, shiny ones with big gavel appliques! or scales of justice!

* law-girl is a total dork

[Javaman]

Originally Posted by Angakuk

They should have sought the expert advice of that congressman that Colbert interviewed.

Given the number of Christians that I know that haven't got a clue what's in the Bible, I wasn't overly shocked (except that someone involved in the legislation should have done some research). I was more surprised when he said we ought to get rid of the Department of Education (!!!).

[Angakuk]

Originally Posted by Javaman

I was more surprised when he said we ought to get rid of the Department of Education (!!!).

Well, why not? He obviously hasn't benefited from it.

[Stephen Maturin]

Originally Posted by ms_ann_thrope

Mebbe God sent Hurricane Katrina to punish the state of Louisiana because they DIDN'T have some form of the Ten Commandments hanging up in every government building... didja ever think of that, law-boy?

Yeah, or maybe God sent Katrina because the legislature couldn't discern the One True Version of the 10C. Then again, maybe it was God's holy retribution for the holocaust known as abortion. After all, as some of the crazier fundies pointed out, the satellite photos of Katrina looked just like an ultrasounds of a fetus. Any way you slice it, YHWH is one honked off diety.

Anyhoo, the Rabbi quoted in the article is right on the money. The Supreme Court's quaint little legal fictions aside, displaying the 10C on government property is inherently religion-endorsing and sectarian. There's just no way around that conclusion, although it can be downright amusing to watch accomodationists try to find one.

[But]

Hey Scarlatti, stop posting your Ten Commandments spam already!