[Tristan Lall]

Regarding the constitutionality of this action, I wonder what would occur if someone were to propose a law in Texas in clear contravention of the text and case law surrounding the 2^nd amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Probably an outcry, perhaps even a riot. So why aren't the defenders of liberty who support the constitutional right to bear arms equally vexed with the flouting of the constitutional mandate that prohibits the state from promoting religious observances?

It seems to me that the legislators of Texas (those who favoured this resolution, all 266 of them) are rather unmindful of their obligations as agents of the state. Maybe they've been led to believe that democracy is the ne plus ultra of all forms of government, and that they should therefore represent their constituency's opinions without regard for any other considerations. In fact, it wouldn't be a surprise if they themselves hold those same opinions. Or maybe they lust for re-election, and will prostitute their legislative powers to anyone who'll grant them a favour or secure a block of voters. Whatever the faults of the legislative clowns who brought this to fruition, the fact that Texas stands for this kind of foolishness can't help but cast its populace in a negative light.*

Particularly bad is the manner in which most Texan FIRST participants will see the results of this change—repeated every morning for the rest of their participation in school. Under the old pledge, the recitations were patriotic (in a saccharine way), but mostly harmless. (America is rife with saccharine patriotism as well, but that's a different beast.) By contrast, the recent modifications render it a form of mandatory prayer—this is unconscionable by any rational standard. How convenient, then, that when people are at their most impressionable—as children—it is suggested daily that their responsibilities as citizens are subordinate to their devotion to the Abrahamic god. This is not a recipe for sound public policy, and at worst, subliminally reminds everyone that it's alright to believe that the source of Texan greatness is a deity with a poor track record.

In any event, there's a well-supported stance propounded by some American linguists that the phrase "under God" was used in the 1800s to mean "God willing", and not "subject to God", as it is contemporarily understood. The 1951 modifications to the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance recall the Gettysburg Address of 1863, in which Lincoln apparently used that phrase in this context. What if the Texas Pledge said instead: "...I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state inshallah..."? After all, that's the same thing, said a little differently. What do we suppose would transpire, if that were proclaimed to open a session of the Texas Legislature? Ask, then, whether this is really about the god of Abraham (who Muslims also worship), or just promoting Christianity in general.

More broadly, this is a reckless attempt by religous bigots to inflict their own insubstantiatable beliefs upon everyone. The fact that they choose to practice their religion among themselves is tolerable; the fact that they use the state's slogan to proselytize in a manner inconsistent with the role of the state is not. Slogans of these nature are the stuff of holy books and bumper stickers, and cannot be the official positions of tolerant, equitable societies. You can pray when you feel compelled to do so, and you can declare your fealty to your pantheon of choice any time, but you shouldn't waste everyone else's time while you indulge your religious fervour.

Originally Posted by artdutra04

I don't care there's a Christmas Tree (it's not a holiday tree!) in front of a Town Hall or other government building, as long as they give equal support to Judaism for a Menorah next to the Christmas Tree, or Islam during Ramadan, or Buddhism, or any religion during their holy times of the year. (Now there is an extent to this, as there's a fine line between being respectful and going to extremes to stay politically correct...)

I've got to take issue with the notion that respectful treatment means equal treatment. I can contrive any combination of frankly stupid notions, and call them my heartfelt religion. Worse, it's not out of the question that I might trick others into taking up my ridiculous cause. Why must society suffer the burden of accomodating these fantasies, when I declare it to be Holy Time? There's nothing wrong with prominently displaying the uncontroversially positive (or neutral) aspects of a culture, such as that tree with presents underneath, or the big shiny candelabra. The trouble arises when you do so in a manner that implies that the insubstantiatable beliefs that spawned the tree and menorah are themselves as real and venerable as the icons themselves. That's promoting religion, and that's the crux of the problem.

Originally Posted by EHaskins

Can you post a list? I'd like to confirm that.

Here is a list of some of the offending statutes.

*Present company excepted, because here we seem willing to argue these things civilly, rather than force them upon our neigbours.