TO RICK PERRY: SAY WHAT?

What connection does gays serving in the military have to religion in school, Mr. Perry? Or, to Christmas, for that matter? Call me confused, but I don’t think they have one, single thing to do with each other. And yet, in Rick Perry’s new ad, he claims, “there’s something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military, but our kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school.”

So, if kids can’t pray in school (which they can, and do, if they attend a Catholic or a similarly religious school), then gays shouldn’t be allowed to serve in the military? That’s an odd connection, to say the least.
And, what on Earth is he talking about with the statement that kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas in school? Does he mean that kids are somehow barred from giving each other gifts while in school? I don’t remember hearing about any such rule or suggestion of legislation from the Obama administration. Or, does he mean that the story of the birth of Jesus isn’t covered in public schools? If so, then again, it can be and is, if the school is a religion-based one.
Of course, let’s all remember that prayer and other religion-based teachings were removed from the public school curriculum LONG before President Obama ever took office. Long before the name Barrack Obama really meant something on a national level.
Why were these things removed from non-religious schools, kindergarten through grade 12? Because some children come from households that practice Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, or any number of other faiths, as well as may consider themselves to be Agnostic or even Atheist. Shoving prayer and the story of the birth of Jesus down those children’s throats violates their freedom of religion (or lack of one, if they so choose). Plainly stated, it is a violation of their constitutional rights.
Whether Mr. Perry becomes president or not, religion and prayer will never be reintroduced into the general public school education. It’s not an attack on Christianity to leave such things to religion-centered schools and services; it’s a protection of the rights of others to choose to follow a religion that is not of the Christian faith, or no religion at all, without fear of persecution by people like Rick Perry.
--Statler, forum moderator