Separation of church and state

Today I received an email which claimed (paraphrased), "Nowhere in the Constitution is there any  statement pertaining to Separation of Church and State."

    Amazingly, it seems that the sender has completely overlooked the First Amendment:

"Congress should not establish a religion and enforce the legal observation of it by law, nor compel men to worship God in any manner contary to their conscience, or that one sect might obtain a pre-eminence, or two combined together, and establish a religion to which they would compel others to conform (Annals of Congress, Sat Aug 15th, 1789 pages 730 - 731)." JAMES MADISON

Every time I receive one of these supposedly informed emails pertaining to religion, it makes my skin crawl.  If only these same people would actually read the Constitution and the words of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, among others, they would perhaps understand that the Founding Fathers wrote expressly that there should indeed by a separation of church and state.  It's right there in front of them, but they refuse to see it due to their blind faith in what they perceive as the only "true" religion.  

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.

George W. Bush Library

Subject: G.W.Bush Library
I'm including an opportunity for you to donate to a worthy cause here below.

The G W Bush library....

Dear Fellow Constituent:
The George W. Bush Presidential Library is now in the planning stages and accepting donations.

The Library will include:
The Hurricane Katrina Room , which is still under construction.
The Alberto Gonzales Room, where you won't be able to remember anything.
The Texas Air National Guard Room, where you don't even have to show up.
The Walter Reed Hospital Room, where they don't let you in.
The Guantanamo Bay Room, where they don't let you out.
The Weapons of Mass Destruction Room, which no one has been able to find.
The National Debt Room, which is huge and has no ceiling.
The Tax Cut Room, with entry only to the wealthy.
The Economy Room, which is in the toilet.
The Iraq War Room. (After you complete your first visit, they make you to go back for a second, third, fourth, and sometimes fifth visit.)
The Dick Cheney Room, in the famous undisclosed location, complete with shotgun gallery.
The Environmental Conservation Room, still empty.
The Gift Shop, where you can buy an election.
The Men's Room, where you can meet some of your favorite Republican Senators.
The Decider Room, complete with dart board, magic 8-ball, Ouija board, dice, coins, and straws.
The library will feature an electron microscope to help you locate and view the President's accomplishments.

The library will also include many famous quotes by George W. Bush:

'The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country.'
'If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure.'
'Republicans understand the importance of bondage between a mother and child.'
'No senior citizen should ever have to choose between prescription drugs and medicine.'
'I believe we are on an irreversible trend toward more freedom and democracy - but that could change.'
'One word sums up probably the responsibility of any Governor, and that one word is 'to be prepared'.'
'Verbosity leads to unclear, inarticulate things.'
'I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future.'
'The future will be better tomorrow.'
'We're have the best educated American people in the world.'
'One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures.' (during an education photo-op)
'Illegitimacy is something we should talk about in terms of not having it.'
'We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur.'
'It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.'
'I stand by all the misstatements that I've made.'

PLEASE GIVE GENEROUSLY!
Sincerely,
G.W. Bush Library Board of Directors

Coldplay Viva La Vida

I thought this was a great song a while back, but I never knew who was singing.  I heard it maybe twice, but it stuck in my head.  Not being a rock fan, I didn't think all that much about it until today when I heard the band Coldplay was being sued by Joe Satriani.  Well, at least I found out who the artist is.  Then I found the lyrics.  Pretty great lyrics, too. If you can, give the song a listen. Powerful stuff, and here are the lyrics:http://www.metrolyrics.com/viva-la-vida-lyrics-coldplay.html

They seem to me to be a direct reference to pre-9/11 America, or perhaps even post-WWII to 9/11 America.  We once ruled the world with good intentions.  Everything went our way.  The world looked to us for the right path.  Then the world changed and America changed.  We live in a castle made of sand.  We buried the tyrant old kings, only to become tyrant kings ourselves.  

"People couldn’t believe what I’d become

Revolutionaries wait

For my head on a silver plate

Just a puppet on a lonely string

Oh who would ever want to be king?"

Let us remember the greatest VP in American history, #44 -- J. Danforth Quayle. I quote, explaining his views on deterring nuclear war: 

"Right now we have a theory of mutually assured destruction that supposedly provides for peace and stability, and it's worked.  But that doesn't mean that we can't build upon a concept of MAD where both sides are vulnerable to another attack.  Why wouldn't an enhanced deterrent, a more stable peace, a better prospect to denying the ones who enter conflict in the first place to have a reduction of offensive systems and an introduction to defensive capability.  I believe that is the route this country will eventually go."

"What a waste it is to lose one's mind. Or not to have a mind is being very wasteful. How true that is." J. Danforth Quayle USA Today 5/10/1989

"A politician is a person who approaches every subject with an open mouth." Adlai Stevenson

W Goes to Texas

As he prepares to leave office and head back to Crawford, let us not forget that W. was one of our funniest presidents.  Here is proof:

During a debate, Bush said to Gore: "Mr. Vice President, in all due respect, it is -- I'm not sure eighty percent of the people will get the death tax.  I know this: A hundred percent will get it if I'm the president."

When John McCain dropped out of the 2000 election, he and Bush had a meeting during which Bush said, "I think we agree, the past is over."

Bush to Chris Matthews on Hardball, ""I'm gonna talk about the ideal world, Chris.  I've read -- I understand reality.  If you're asking me as the president, would I understand reality, I do."

Asked once if he would take back any comments he made, Bush said, "I think if you know what you belive, it makes it a lot easier to answer questions.  I can't answer your question."

Bush was discussing Internet millionaires, those "who have become rich beyond their means."

One day before the 2000 election, Bush said, "They misunderestimated me."

"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully."  Yes, he really said that.

Bush said this of Al Gore, "The fact that he relies on facts -- says things that are not factual -- are going to undermine his campaign."

"If you don't stand for anything, you don't stand for anything.  If you don't stand for something, you don't stand for anything."  Yep, he said it.

"Now, by the way, surplus means a little money left over.  Otherwise it wouldn't be called a surplus."

You can't make this stuff up!  We'll miss you W.  NOT.

Interesting Facts of the Day

Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour.
(Who volunteers for these tests?) 

The ant can lift 50 times its own weight, can pull 30 times its own weight and always falls over on its right side when intoxicated. (From drinking little bottles of?) 

Butterflies taste with their feet. (Ah, geez.) 

An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
(I know some people like that.)

Starfish don't have brains.
(I know some people like that, too.)

And, the best for last?
Turtles can breathe through their butts. 
(And I thought I had bad breath in the morning!)