Just Keep Speaking Out

Earlier this month, Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry vetoed a measure co-sponsored by state Rep. Sally "Gays are Worse than Terrorism" Kern.  Thanks to everyone who wrote emails and letters, made phone calls, and spoke out about how horribly stupid and ignorant this bill was.  At least Henry had enough sense to shut it down, but it never should have gotten as far as it did.

So what exactly was it?  The Religious Viewpoints Antidiscrimination Act would have allowed school students may express their religious beliefs in homework, artwork, and other assignments without penalty.  Sounds good, right?  I mean, this nation was founded on ideals of freedom of – and from – religion, and we can't go discriminating someone for their religious beliefs.  Except that was this measure would have allowed is, for example, little Johnny writes "5" as an answer to "What is 2+2?" on his math test.  Johnny claims it's his religious belief that 2+2 is indeed 5; it has been taught to him by his priest, read about in his holy book, and other religious convictions tell him it is so.  The teacher – by law – can't mark Johnny's answer wrong, because it would be "religious discrimination".

Of course, no religious I know of claims this 2+2=5 jazz, but plenty of religious beliefs involving other known facts would be met with open arms – the age of the earth and the theory of common ancestry are a couple.  That's right folks, we almost had a law saying that if a student wanted to claim that the earth is 6,000 years old and that all life on it was made by an Invisible Spirit, then they could and they'd have no fear of being told they were WRONG.

Again, it amazes me and scares the hell out of me all at once, to think that something like this could go so far in our government.  If you're hitting someone over the head with a board, and we take the board away and tell you to stop, are we discriminating against you?

In his veto message, Brad Henry wrote that students are already allowed to express their faith through prayer and other activities during school.  He said the vague language of the measure "may trigger a number of unintended consequences that actually impede rather than enhance such expression." It could create a mountain of litigation because it charged educators with determining what constitutes legitimate religious expression.  Plus any fringe organization could masquerade as religions and advocate dangerous or offensive behaviors without penalty.  Hello, hate speech.

Louisiana, Florida, and now Oklahoma have had to deal with these measures.  Right now the bill is dead, but it might possibly get resurrected in the future (after all, this was the second time a bill with this wording was introduced).  We just need to keep watch and keep speaking out about this crap.

-STA