An Outrage

http://www.tulsaworld.com/opinion/article.aspx?subjectid=213&articleid=20121230_213_G1_CUTLIN298777

Religion in schools and public spaces is a touchy topic. 

I do agree with the author of the above article though. It is baffling to believe that simply bringing religion into schools could have any affect what-so-ever on such terrible events. Believe it or not, people have different beliefs from another. 

Schools should not have a mention of religion anywhere outside of a purely academic context. Schools should be places of secular learning. Yes. Secular. Worldly and temporal. As it should be in a country founded on the tenement of religious freedom. Yet some people, more accurately  some politicians utter the word, "secular," and "atheist," as if it were some pox upon the world. 

As the author of the article says, feel free to pray over your food, in private or among like-minded peers. Just don't force it upon those with different or no association with religion. 

What I find particularly disturbing is that some people would use the school shooting as an excuse to push for more religion in schools, a place where religion is supposed to be nothing more than a day or two of study and mention in history class. I personally believe the usage of such an event to voice such an unfeasible and frankly nonsensical idea upon children to be somewhat in poor taste. 

That's all I have to say on that matter. 

Re: A Controversial Position

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/31/opinion/lets-give-up-on-the-constitution.html?pagewanted=all&_r=2&

Now, time to hear about and opinion about an opinion. 

While I agree the current situation in DC is aggravating, I believe simply abandoning our Constitution is not the right course. Yes, there were times in the past in which the Constitution is bent or even outright ignored, and we see such cases as justified and right, affording us the life style we have today. But I believe we should simply follow this model of bending when needed. No need to eliminate or nullify the Constitution and follow its law through respect as the sole binding factor. 

When should we bend and ignore the Constitution? When the people's will demands it. If people want something, even if it flies in the face of the Constitution, they should get it. Of course, several portions of the Constitution must remain constant, such as several of the amendments. On a whole, I agree more with the author's idea that "if we are not to abandon constitutionalism entirely, then we might at least understand it as a place for discussion, a demand that we make a good-faith effort to understand the views of others, rather than as a tool to force others to give up their moral and political judgments." 

I would rather we not worship the Constitution as holy scripture, the end all in all argument, but use it as a guideline for our democracy, shaping and forming our government, rather than constraining and restricting. 

Over the Cliff We Go

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-20877375

Working as intended indeed.

Well, it looks like we're going over the cliff. I can't honestly say I didn't expect this to happen. There is some good news though. The parties will compromise soon after. They must. I doubt any of the two parties are so bull-headed so that they would allow the US to fall into recession once again. Even though some may argue that going over the cliff is the best long term remedy to the ailing economy, we will be popping some pills to relieve the pain momentarily.

So what's going to happen now? Not much. Not really. Technically we will be experiencing higher taxes and major cuts. In reality, those won't be hitting us until Wednesday, and won't adversely affect the majority of the public until people get their January pay-checks.

Seeing as how I'm typing this up right at the moment of negotiations among the parties in DC (as a side note, procrastination isn't a good thing kids, for both students and congress), a deal could be struck up right now for all I know. Point is, we'll fall off the cliff but we won't feel the impact.

Obama probably won't be getting his single, comprehensive plan for reducing the deficit and reforming what needs to be reformed, but we'll avert the worst for now as we chug into this new year.

Happy new years everyone.