skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Adopted in 1791 along with the remainder of the United States Bill of Rights, the 2nd amendment to the US Constitution has stood as a pillar of American Freedom. Yet the climate of the times, then and now, has changed radically.
The available arms of early America vs those in the year 2011 are oceans apart and I can hardly fathom that our founding fathers would feel comfortable with the sweeping language they used to pen the 2nd Amendment. “The right to bear arms” back in 1791 meant that citizens could own knives, swords and muskets, the simple arms of a simpler time. Had 1791 been able to produce the far more dangerous array of weapons available to today’s average citizen, the 2nd Amendment may have been written in far different terms or perhaps not written at all.
Food for thought... Now imagine the recent Tuscon tragedy happening all over again but only having the weapons of early America available. And picture, too, how different the current popular unrest of Cairo, Egypt might look if it was taking place here in the United States under today’s gun laws.
Perhaps it’s time to rethink our right to bear arms, eh?
The 2nd Amendment - Then and Now
Perhaps this is a good time to seek out new allies who might respond positively to the recent trend toward cultural changes favoring secularism. It’s no secret that our American society is far from being a homogeneous one-religion package. Our US history teaches us that the rise of American Christianity was a gradual one, advancing little by little to become a very big player in today’s knee-jerk behaviors and thinking - it’s become a cultural bias that most people seldom even recognize. Yet, finding willing helpers with a natural motivation and ability to stem further evangelical efforts (in plain words, to quit their religious recruiting) may not be so easy... or will it?
Of all the institutions of our society, both public and private, big corporations may be ripe to consider a new change of policy. For their own good, large corporations are very interested in maintaining a positive public image; their degree of acceptability is without question directly tied to earning profit. Consider, for example, how the hotel industry and its hand-in-glove relationship with Gideons International has evolved. Since 1899 when the Gideons first began supplying free Bibles for hotel rooms, the practice has remained virtually unchallenged. Showing favor to Christian evangelical interests has been good for business. Hospitals, too, have fallen into the habit of accepting and distributing Gideon Bibles as a routine part of their service and it has done them no harm. But now the question becomes: Has today’s religious climate changed enough to merit amending the old policies that favor just one religion? Have we reached a point where no religious bias should be shown?
Let’s get serious about our expectations with regard to religion, and let’s tell the corporate world we care about it. Write letters to Hilton, Holiday Inn, Best Western and Ramada. Say something (on paper) to the hospital association in your state. Tell CEOs and corporate decision-makers about your feelings of religious alienation, about being second classed, and suggest to them that their making a small change of policy will help. It’s time to speak up and be heard where it counts. Make some noise.
Reach Out For New Allies
If you came across an individual, someone of reasonable intelligence on most matters, who persisted seriously to boast that he could fly completely unassisted by any human invention, just like a bird, wouldn’t you laugh out loud to his face? It’s ridiculous, right? Well... plan on laughing long and heartily this spring. On May 21st, this year, there will be a lot of people, believers all, expecting to Rapture their way to the heavens. Yup! They’re anticipating “Judgment Day” once again and they’ll be flapping their little imaginary wings off to beat the band and to fly happily into the lap of their lord, Jesus.
So... Plan on having a side-splitting day, and in honor of all our believing friends, why not through a “Holey Crap" party just for laughs. And be sure to tell everyone - the joke’s on them.
Ridicule. Ridicule. Ridicule... And, LOL!
I’ve already dedicated several of my blog posts to starting up new secular/atheist community groups and to the importance of becoming personally involved as an activist for such projects. Here’s another and it’s darn near a slam-dunk, hands-down winner.
Without a doubt, today’s students are the leaders of tomorrow’s better society - a society that sets the nonsense of religiosity aside to favor secularism and it’s reality-based world view - all ripe with a newer set of youthful trend-setting critical thinkers and oodles of new reason-based decision makers. By extending your helping-hands, donations, and cooperativeness to a local Secular Student Alliance group on a college campus near you, the shape of tomorrow becomes insured. And if you find that the collage campus near you has no ready-made established group, there’s plenty of help available to start one up.
Look into getting involved right now... It’s important.!
Campus Groups - Today’s Better Tomorrow
With the question of government funded health care once again on the table before Congress, a new poll was conducted by the press, A/P. What a reasonable thing to do, eh? The results in - it was found that only 25% (one in four Americans) opposed the current law. So, why consider this issue with an aim to defeat it with a “Kill the Bill” proposal? Have some of our Congress people gone mad? And who are they representing if not the average American?
These questions ought to be tossed around the floor of the House on Wednesday this week and it may be fun to tune in on what’s said and on who said it especially since the recent air surrounding Tucson's disaster has been telling us that hard line party politics must be set aside. I wonder.
Back to it...
It’s been a long while since I’ve taken time to live my life as I’d like to, but I’m ready to get back to it. This illness and hospital stuff has been no fun at all. And, that said, let’s talk activism.
If you live in a state with several secular/atheist/agnostic groups already started, have you done anything to get those groups coordinated? Have you exchanged ideas? Have you spoken out for yourself and others? Have you done anything to encourage and develop even more groups? If so, good for you - do more of it. If not, “Let’s get on the ball, Buck-o.” Start networking.
Starting up a new group is easy. All it takes from you is a little time and perhaps a few bucks. Start by reaching out to stranded individuals who might fit the bill to join-up in a new group. Use the Internet and sites like Facebook - there are plenty of enthusiastic candidates out there. Then check out Meetup.com. Start your new group and see where it leads you. And don’t assume it’s any harder to do in a nearby neighboring town. It’s not! Getting new groups off the ground is great fun and it’s very usefully needed activism.
Likewise, creating interaction between groups and group leaders is just as easy... Announce an event - a leaders conference. Try using video conferencing and chat rooms to coordinate your plans, group to group. Whether you host a big or small meeting right off the bat is up to you. Do what you can do easily, but do something! Go for it.
So... do you feel motivated to become a secular activist? I hope so.
Posts
