![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Most of my relatives seem to be conservative. Recently I was copied on an e-mail forward from a cousin, about the evil ACLU. It was about how they're the ones trying to abolish religion, and all that. They came up with a spamming strategy to shut them down, at least temporarily.
This is great – I’m sending one!!!!
>Pass this on to your church, co-workers, family, and friends. What do you have to lose but 44 cents, what do you have to gain ----------- more than you will ever know.
> > What a clever idea!
> > Yes, Christmas cards. This is coming early so that you can get ready to include an important address to your list.
> >
> > Want to have some fun this CHRISTMAS? Send the ACLU a CHRISTMAS CARD this year.
> >
> > As they are working so very hard to get rid of the CHRISTMAS part of this holiday, we should all send them a nice,
> >
> > CHRISTIAN card to brighten up their dark, sad, little world..
> >
> > Make sure it says "Merry Christmas" on it.
> >
> > Here's the address, just don't be rude or crude. (It's not the
> > Christian way, you know.)
> >
> > ACLU
> > 125 Broad Street
> > 18th Floor
> > New York , NY 10004
> >
> > Two tons of Christmas cards would freeze their operations because they wouldn't know if any were regular mail containing contributions. So spend 44 cents and tell the ACLU to leave Christmas alone. Also tell them that there is no such thing as a " Holiday Tree". . . It's always been called a CHRISTMAS TREE!
> >
> > And pass this on to your email lists. We really want to communicate with the ACLU! They really DESERVE us!!
> >
> > For those of you who aren't aware of them, the ACLU, (the American Civil Liberties Union) is the one suing the U.S. Government to take God, Christmas or anything Christian away from us. They represent the atheists and others in this war. Help put Christ back in Christmas!
I couldn't let this go by without responding.
I'm surprised at this message. This country was founded on the belief that everyone should have the right to express his opinion about religion or anything else. Freedom of religion and freedom of speech should not be restricted to Christians. The American Civil Liberties Union has always fought for the freedoms that our founding fathers wrote into our Constitution, and that our soldiers fight for.
The message below asserts that the "ACLU, (the American Civil Liberties Union) is the one suing the U.S. Government to take God, Christmas or anything Christian away from us." This is pure BS.
Check out these press releases from the ACLU...
What most people hold against the ACLU, is that they prevent the expression of religion in government situation, like schools and courts. That sounds like a bad thing, but what people fail to realize is that many people do not follow Christianity. Most Christians would be unhappy at being wished a joyous Hanukkah, so I don't understand why most Christians seem to take so much pleasure in wishing Jewish people a Merry Christmas. We wouldn't feel good being tried by a judge who professed to judge us by Allah's will, would we? How do you think a Muslim would feel being tried by a judge sitting in front of the Ten Commandments?
Maybe that doesn't bother you. How about this... Forcing our religion on others fosters an us-versus-them mentality. We don't need to set up another conflict. This sort of conflict is borne on the idea that might makes right. As soon as the "other side" believes that, they start gearing up for the conflict. And when they have the might, they will take the right. We don't want to foster this conflict. If the "other side" ever gains the might, we want them to grant everyone the right to practice their own religion. Let's do our part to grant them their religion now. Liberty and justice for all.
Love,
Kevin
I replied to all, and got only one response. That was from the one who originally sent it. He was apologetic, and explained that he agreed with me, and that he forwarded without thinking.
This is great – I’m sending one!!!!
>Pass this on to your church, co-workers, family, and friends. What do you have to lose but 44 cents, what do you have to gain ----------- more than you will ever know.
> > What a clever idea!
> > Yes, Christmas cards. This is coming early so that you can get ready to include an important address to your list.
> >
> > Want to have some fun this CHRISTMAS? Send the ACLU a CHRISTMAS CARD this year.
> >
> > As they are working so very hard to get rid of the CHRISTMAS part of this holiday, we should all send them a nice,
> >
> > CHRISTIAN card to brighten up their dark, sad, little world..
> >
> > Make sure it says "Merry Christmas" on it.
> >
> > Here's the address, just don't be rude or crude. (It's not the
> > Christian way, you know.)
> >
> > ACLU
> > 125 Broad Street
> > 18th Floor
> > New York , NY 10004
> >
> > Two tons of Christmas cards would freeze their operations because they wouldn't know if any were regular mail containing contributions. So spend 44 cents and tell the ACLU to leave Christmas alone. Also tell them that there is no such thing as a " Holiday Tree". . . It's always been called a CHRISTMAS TREE!
> >
> > And pass this on to your email lists. We really want to communicate with the ACLU! They really DESERVE us!!
> >
> > For those of you who aren't aware of them, the ACLU, (the American Civil Liberties Union) is the one suing the U.S. Government to take God, Christmas or anything Christian away from us. They represent the atheists and others in this war. Help put Christ back in Christmas!
I couldn't let this go by without responding.
I'm surprised at this message. This country was founded on the belief that everyone should have the right to express his opinion about religion or anything else. Freedom of religion and freedom of speech should not be restricted to Christians. The American Civil Liberties Union has always fought for the freedoms that our founding fathers wrote into our Constitution, and that our soldiers fight for.
The message below asserts that the "ACLU, (the American Civil Liberties Union) is the one suing the U.S. Government to take God, Christmas or anything Christian away from us." This is pure BS.
Check out these press releases from the ACLU...
Prompted by an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit, state prison officials in New Jersey have agreed to restore the right of a devout Christian prisoner to preach at weekly worship services and teach Bible study classes.
http://www.aclu.org/religion-belief/ordained-pentecostal-minister-can-preach-prison-after-aclu-lawsuit
"To deny prisoners their constitutional right to access religious materials is bad enough. But to attempt to do so in a way that skirts transparency and prevents the public from knowing what they are doing is entirely unacceptable."
http://www.aclu.org/prisoners-rights-religion-belief/aclu-demands-information-about-bureau-prisons-attempts-ban-religiou
"What the ACLU did do in 2006 was file a lawsuit seeking to protect the right of veterans and their families to choose religious symbols to engrave on headstones in federal cemeteries."
http://www.aclu.org/blog/free-speech-religion-belief/aclu-and-religion-dont-believe-everything-you-read-internet
"Nashville should always protect its residents' right to worship freely," said David Briley, ACLU-TN Cooperating Attorney. "The old Parks Department policy imposed unreasonable restrictions on our client's ability to hold church services for those in need..."
http://www.aclu.org/religion-belief/aclu-tn-successfully-advocates-behalf-student-preachers
What most people hold against the ACLU, is that they prevent the expression of religion in government situation, like schools and courts. That sounds like a bad thing, but what people fail to realize is that many people do not follow Christianity. Most Christians would be unhappy at being wished a joyous Hanukkah, so I don't understand why most Christians seem to take so much pleasure in wishing Jewish people a Merry Christmas. We wouldn't feel good being tried by a judge who professed to judge us by Allah's will, would we? How do you think a Muslim would feel being tried by a judge sitting in front of the Ten Commandments?
Maybe that doesn't bother you. How about this... Forcing our religion on others fosters an us-versus-them mentality. We don't need to set up another conflict. This sort of conflict is borne on the idea that might makes right. As soon as the "other side" believes that, they start gearing up for the conflict. And when they have the might, they will take the right. We don't want to foster this conflict. If the "other side" ever gains the might, we want them to grant everyone the right to practice their own religion. Let's do our part to grant them their religion now. Liberty and justice for all.
Love,
Kevin
I replied to all, and got only one response. That was from the one who originally sent it. He was apologetic, and explained that he agreed with me, and that he forwarded without thinking.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-12-20 04:59 pm (UTC)From:I imagine that these are the type of people that would think the majority in California banning gay marriage is democracy in action, yet would no doubt be horrified if a Latino majority (it's coming...) passed a law to the detriment of Caucasians.
Equality is too often the victim of "tyranny of the majority", and such tyranny is un-American.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-20 07:20 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-12-20 05:14 pm (UTC)From:If the state decides to offer "protection" or preferential treatment to any one religion over any others (or none) it risks mandating a state religion to the exclusion of others.
On the other hand, the cost of true freedom is eternal vigilance, humans can scarcely be trusted to always do the right things. Sects like violent extremists (islamists, christians, whateverians) scare me. So do police states. Lines do need to be drawn and enforced... but where, why, and how?
edit
lol... does that sound like the issue is complex enough to be confusing?
no subject
Date: 2009-12-20 07:24 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-12-20 06:01 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-12-20 06:32 pm (UTC)From:I hope people are able to put down defenses long enough to hear it.
defenses
Date: 2009-12-20 07:17 pm (UTC)From:If you read this and decide that God is more important than your country, that's fine. Just remember your decision when you're out waving your flag on the Fourth of July.
no subject
Date: 2009-12-20 06:41 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-12-20 08:50 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-12-20 10:48 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-12-21 01:08 am (UTC)From:And hey, I got a swell holiday card in the mail from you and Cindy! Thank you! *hugs and hugs and hugs*
no subject
Date: 2009-12-21 04:02 am (UTC)From: