Another Shark Attack

Another shark attack was reported off the Florida Panhandle today. Fortunately the child survived, although one leg had to be amputated. This is the second attack in three days; the other victim, a 14-year-old girl, died.

One of my co-workers surmises that last year's hurricanes leveled the sand dunes just offshore with the end result that smaller fish are passing closer to the beach, with the attendant sharks in pursuit.

Supremely Stinky

Today's ruling from the Supreme Court about the constitutionality of displaying the Ten Commandments in government buildings smells like it emanated from the business end of a bull. Talk about "wiggle room": as long as the exhibit is deemed to have "historical significance," it is allowable. Just how you interpret "historical significance" will spur endless debate.

The cynic in me notes that it's a little coincidental that the Supreme Court grandfathered in its own images of Moses and the Ten Commandments depicted on the building's facade and the doors to the courtroom. I guess I can live with it since Moses is but one of many historical figures depicted in the frieze. I also understand he appears elsewhere in the building, again in a group of historical portraits. As for the engraving of the Ten Commandments on the courtroom doors, I have scoured the Web unsuccessfully for a clear picture of the doors in order to get an idea of just how the engraving fits in contextually. Despite the fact that I lived in the D.C. area for a number of years, I haven't seen them in person, so I can't pass judgment on it.

At any rate, be prepared for another round in this ongoing battle at some point in the unforeseen future.

Personally, I long for a true separation of Church and State. Demographically speaking, the United States of the 21st century has very little in common with the United States of 1787. I'm not trying to state the obvious, but look at the variety of people living in this country: the rising numbers of Indians, Arabs, Asians, African-Americans, Hispanics, the list goes on. And all of these people bring with them their own belief systems that contribute to this glorious hodgepodge of a country.

I really believe we as a society are better off accepting and embracing the fact that this is no longer just the white man's country. It's for everyone, of all beliefs. The better to keep religious beliefs out of policymaking.

Whether or not the Constitution really dictates that a separation of Church and State should exist, I don't really care. The way the First Amendment was written certainly leaves a lot to interpretation. I still believe (and I know quite a few God-fearing Christians who feel the same way) that everyone has a right to practice whatever kind of religion they want to, just leave it out of the courts. And government. And schools. And so on. Morality and faith (religion) are not synonymous; you can have one without the other. But some people don't quite get that concept.

Back to the Constitution: while it set forth some great and revolutionary concepts, it is a living document, that can be—and has been—changed over time. We are not to be bound and prevented from progressing as a society by the philosophy a group of mortal, fallible——for all their ideals——men (not women, men) who lived over two centuries ago. Times were different then; slavery was practiced, women couldn't vote, men wore wigs and makeup, for crying out loud. (These times, they're a-changin'.)

Some people out there need to realize that it is possible to love this country and what it stands for and want to see the Constitution grow along with us.

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"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

These were the words written by one man: James Madison. I wish he could have been a little more specific, particularly about the religion part. I draw an inherent contradiction from this statement: that our government will not favor any one religion yet at the same time not prohibit its free expression. So just where do you draw the line between separating faith from policy and not impeding an individual's right to its practice? Say I'm an Alabama judge and I want to display the Ten Commandments in my courthouse....sound familiar? It just goes on and on.

Turns out that, according to the State of the First Amendment survey, released by the First Amendment Center each year, "70% of Americans would OK the posting of the Ten Commandments in government buildings, and 85% would approve if the commandments are included as “one document among many historical documents” when displayed in public buildings."

Ouch, very ouch.

Scarier still is the fact that you can order your own miniature replica of the infamous Alabama Ten Commandments monument. Guaranteed to be a collector's item, I'm sure.

Okay, I'm done heaping scorn. For now.