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presidents because they supposedly represent we, the people. It's not just O that is being scrutinized. Past presidents were too, along with movie stars, sports figures, you name it. If you have a big name, are in the public eye, you will have your life spread all over the media.

or associate Democrats with christianity.  It's actually down and has been consistently going down.  Of course, I know a lot of Christian Democrats.  None of them seem to post here, but I know many in my private life. They are far to the right, though, like Democrats use to be

I  have heard so much about our education system and I'm sure some of it is true.  However, I would like to relay a recent experience I had......

Living in a small community that is loaded with history, I and a couple of other "older" ladies hosted the local 4th and 5th grades on a field trip regarding the history of a couple of landmarks.......anyone interested can visit my website http://www.ozarkmountainmemories.com and read about them. 

I was to do the historical presentation on the Cane Hill College Building.  My good friend was to do the presentation on the Old Mill.  Before I knew that there were 212 students plus teachers and parents, I opened my big mouth and said I would make cookies and Kool-Aid for the kid's field trip.  I ended up having a lot of help there!!!

Both my friend and I were very apprehensive about this field trip.  Well, I want to tell you that those were the best behaved kids I have seen in a long time.  This field trip was to prepare them to write an essay for the Arkansas Historical Society.  They were attentive and, asked very pertinent and intelligent questions.

One of the teachers called me yesterday and said that she was going to bring me some of the essays the kids had written.  She read one to me and it started out with "You may think the Cane Hill College is just a 2-story brick building...." and the student proceeded to write what  I would consider a very excellent essay.  I will post some of these on my website when I have them in hand.

I might also say that there were a good many parents present for the field trip.  I came away from that field trip with a whole different perspective on the local school, which is reputed to be one of the worst school districts in the state with the highest teen pregnancy rate.  I think if these 4th and 5th graders continue through high school with teachers such as I met and parents who are involved in their education, each and every one of them will be just A-okay.

The Bible is without question the most recognizable and known literary works in the history of literature. It has been read time and time again by people of all races, nationalities and religions all over the world for hundreds and hundreds of years. It is the most prominent, dominating pieces of writing in cultures around the globe.

Yet apparently, it is exempt from that pesky little law of the separation of Church and State in the United States of America.

In Boca Raton, Florida, at West Boca Raton High School, the book of Genesis is on the required reading list for all incoming 11th graders to the school. It is not suggested or recommended, but is mandatory.

The school claims that no laws have been broken, as state law permits studies of the Bible as long as it is studied for its literature purposes, rather than as history. And this is the loophole which is allowing the school to force its students to read from the Bible, as it is seen as preparation for literary reading in the school year to come.

Wait a second … Students are being forced to read the Bible, because the school thinks it is pertinent to their reading in their particular grade level? And no one sees the problem with this?

Separation of Church and State was established to prevent religious beliefs and practices from interfering with activities within the government. And last time I checked, public schools fall under the category that is protected from religious teachings. While the Bible may have many great stories, and the style of writing and language may be absolutely fascination, why must students be required to read it? It is clearly the most blatant symbol and teaching tool for religion, despite its values as literary work.

Students should be recommended to read the Bible if the school feels so strongly in its “practical” use as literature teachings. Or have the teachers explain the important stories and style of writing, suggesting that the students follow along if they wish. But to down right require students to read it is a slap in the face to everyone who has valued the importance of keeping religion out of the government.

Would the school ever consider requiring the reading of the Koran? Or what about the book of Mormon? Of course these literary works would never be considered, mainly because of the overwhelming influence Christianity has on today’s society.

What could students possibly get from reading the book of Genesis that they couldn’t get from any other great work of literature? I managed to breeze through my 11th grade English class without ever having to pick up a bible, and I seem to be doing okay as far as literature knowledge goes right now.

Also, what will happen to the students who refuse to partake in the required reading? They school already stated that their will be quizzes and tests on the material (the book of Genesis), so does that mean if a student feels it is wrong to be forced to read the bible and doesn’t do it, he is out of luck come test time? If so, wouldn’t you think that those students wouldn’t care less of their grade by that point? If that was the case, then the school’s ploy to teach students the writing of the Bible would be a lost cause.

Requiring students to read books to better understand the English language and literature as a whole is a normal part of school. Teachers are supposed to assign work … that is their job. But to force religious teachings and preaching onto students isn’t the work of teachers or a school board … it is the work of pastors/ministers/priests.

And until West Boca Raton High School becomes a private school, requiring teachers to take the place of spiritual leaders is a crime.

We at the Noyse are furious and disappointed that this is taking place. While we value and respect the religious beliefs of everyone, we do not feel it appropriate to force religion or religious teachings upon anyone.

So we are taking action. We are doing this for all the unheard voices of the upcoming 11th grade class, who will read the book of Genesis because they have to and are unable to say no … or unable to be heard when they do say no. We are doing this for all the students who are bound to fail their tests because they refused to read the Bible as instructed. We are doing this for everyone who believes in the first amendment: The freedom of speech, the freedom of press and the freedom of religion. We are doing this for everyone who is frustrated with the State misinterpreting and reshaping the beliefs of the Separations of Church and State. And we are doing this for everyone who thinks this is down right wrong.

We are prepared to go to war over this issue. We are not afraid to make noyse, and are anticipating being heard only after we hear a lot in return. We are going to fight, and will not back down, slow down or shut up until this issue is brought into question by those with the authority to remedy the problem.

First off, we have started a petition, that we encourage everyone to sign if they wish to help us in this battle. You can view the petition here. Please, sign it and pass it along to everyone you know. The more voices who speak up, the louder we will be.

Also, we will be sending a letter to West Boca Raton High School, as well as the school district, stating our grievances, intentions and expectations. We will give them an opportunity to respond to our mission if they so choose to do so. We will inform them that while we may be a small army, we are not easy-influenced or easily intimidated, and will not go away quietly.

We will also be sending out press releases to all local media outlets (news stations, newspapers, etc.) in the Boca Raton area, exclaiming our business and informing them that a battle will be waged and to prepare for us to make some noyse. Also, everyone and anyone reading The Noyse who wishes to stand on the battle lines with us will be encouraged to contact their local media outlets as well and inform of them our mission.

Students heading into the 11th grade will be notified of our intentions and informed that they can either submit to the requirements, or stand up and make noyse along with us.

And finally, the government of Florida will be notified of the problem we see in this situation, and asked to reevaluate it as a whole. We will not beg, not plead, but insist that action be taken to prevent the students at West Boca Raton High School to be required to read the bible.

We don't have to keep it in our homes or our churches.  Freedom of religion covers that too!

That guy sure knows how to raise mountains of money.  Small donors, big votes.  Innovative and successful.  Now that's what I'm talkin' about.  T-minus 18 and counting. 

Down the drain?  Beware of Obama's plan to 'spread the wealth around'

By Betsy Newmark
High School History and Government Teacher/Blogger

If the McCain campaign can’t use this Obama quote to raise doubts about his attitude towards wealth and success, then they deserve the shellacking they seem headed for.

“Your new tax plan is going to tax me more, isn’t it?” the plumber asked, complaining that he was being taxed “more and more for fulfilling the American dream.”

“It’s not that I want to punish your success. I just want to make sure that everybody who is behind you, that they’ve got a chance for success too,” Obama responded. “My attitude is that if the economy’s good for folks from the bottom up, it’s gonna be good for everybody … I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody.”

Plumbers of the country, unite! Forget about the work and effort you put into building up a business or the scummy work that you do that many of us don’t know or don’t want to do. If you have succeeded, you should be willing to give up more of what you earn to help those who haven’t had the great good luck that you have had to be a successful plumber. Remember how Obama is going to give 95% of all of us a tax cut even though over 30% of the population doesn’t pay taxes?

He might call it a tax credit, but what he’s really doing is his vision of “spreading the wealth around.” It sounds a lot like Huey Long’s 1935 plan to “Share the Wealth.” And when he finds that he can’t tax the top 5% of the population to gain enough wealth to spread to the 95% of the rest of us, do you really think that he’ll stop with that 5%?

Remember…This is the guy who said in the ABC debate during the primary season that his approach to raising tax on capital gains is not based on whether it would provide more revenue but on his idea of what is fair:

GIBSON: All right. You have, however, said you would favor an increase in the capital gains tax. As a matter of fact, you said on CNBC, and I quote, “I certainly would not go above what existed under Bill Clinton,” which was 28 percent. It’s now 15 percent. That’s almost a doubling, if you went to 28 percent.

But actually, Bill Clinton, in 1997, signed legislation that dropped the capital gains tax to 20 percent.

OBAMA: Right.

GIBSON: And George Bush has taken it down to 15 percent.

OBAMA: Right.

GIBSON: And in each instance, when the rate dropped, revenues from the tax increased; the government took in more money. And in the 1980s, when the tax was increased to 28 percent, the revenues went down.

So why raise it at all, especially given the fact that 100 million people in this country own stock and would be affected?

OBAMA: Well, Charlie, what I’ve said is that I would look at raising the capital gains tax for purposes of fairness.

Just what we need in these fragile economic times — a guy who wants to raise taxes because he thinks it’s a matter of “fairness” and time to “spread the wealth around.”

That will be some incentive for other plumbers who want to work hard and build up a successful business.

But don’t worry - according to Joe Biden, it’s the patriotic thing to do.

www.operationmilitarypride.com

I had the privilege and honor of seeing Mother Teresa some years ago in D.C. The audience was made up of a few ordinary people and mostly political and/or media types. The woman did not mince words. She did not hesitate to tell everyone in the audience how she felt that intolerance, indifference, selfishness, materialism and consumerism, the treatment of and attitudes towards the poor, the sick, the imprisoned run rampant were things that incited people to take up arms against each other, to hate one another, etc. and that Americans might want to look a good look at themselves and give some thoughtful prayer to what part they may play in the situations they so despised. Some of the people were so moved by her that they talked to her about going to India. They wanted to work in her clinics, her hospitals, on the streets. She laughed out loud and I will never forget what she said. She said, and I quote, ** You do not have to go to another country to do God's work. Take a look around you. Man's inhumanity to man is evident everywhere. Go into your own cities and find the poor, the needy, the imprisoned, the sick, the haters with hardened hearts, whatever. They will always be with us and they are everywhere. I believe sincerely that peace is God's work, perhaps in the highest form. You think we live in peace here in this country; as Mother Teresa said, look around you. The war is but 1 faction of a very very sick society, a sick world. I was born into peace and nonviolence. I have practiced it all my life. Protests are really quite a small part of my nonviolent lifestyle. There is plenty enough hatred, violence, intolerance and indifference to keep the peacekeepers busy until the end of time, right where they live, wherever that may be.  We also unfortunately have, in this country, warmongering and war profiteering and people in power who could care less about exploiting our troops and whomever they may be fighting. War is a big money maker for some folks. I do protest here but these days it is mostly letters to the editor, letters to senators, clergy, manning phones, that sort of thing. Another thing I believe is that the Creator is the changer of hearts and minds, not men, and that prayer changes things. You asked what I did besides whine on the other board, where were my legs...you asked for it, here it is.

1. I train service dogs for the disabled. I do this for all sorts of people, some of whom happen to be veterans whose welcome home from their government is, in my opinion, nothing short of betrayal. The wonderful projects, facilities that have sprung up to help these vets are all and I mean ALL privately funded, quite a few of the dogs I train have been purchased or **sponsored** meaning covering all costs and it is quite expensive,  from the bleeding heart liberal pinko commies as you refer to us. They pay the fee, anywhere from $12,000 to $25,000 so that people who cannot afford it or whose government does not think them or their service  important enough to provide them everything they could possibly ever need can get something they desperately need. My portion of this 2-year training program is the last leg, the month where trainer, new owner and dog are put together to learn the mechanics of what they are doing together and to learn each other. At this point the dog, its care, individualized training, all vet bills have been paid for. Normally I charge for this month of training that I do one-on-one.  I have NEVER charged 1 red cent to any veteran for my services and I never will. This is one of the ways I support the troops but not the mission. You see, it can be done.

2.  I have belonged to a prayer and meditation for peace group since I was a child. If I go somewhere where I can't find one, I start one or I hook up with the Mennonites or Friends, the original civil disobeyers. We PRAY for peace, for everyone, everywhere.

3.  I work with St. Vincent de Paul (Catholic organization for the needy),

4.  I do meals on wheels (substitute only now, too busy with everything else),

5.  I go with a group of Indians to elementary schools throughout the Tampa Bay area in full regalia with drums, flutes and stories to share with them to try to give them a good honest look at indigenous people. This seems to be going over very well. We have more dates than we can actually handle. I am very proud to do this work.

Those are my legs and I have had them for a long time.  As I recall, this is our board, the L board, so I can post whatever I like and you don't have to read my posts because you always find fault with whatever I said but I will continue to **preach to the choir** as long as I feel like it because it is the liberal board and the liberals don't mind hearing about nonviolence. As Ghandi said, an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind. And, for further perusal, here's a bit of history on Ghandi.

After one year of a none too successful law practice (in England), Gandhi decided to accept an offer from an Indian businessman in South Africa, Dada Abdulla, to join him as a legal adviser. Unbeknown to him, this was to become an exceedingly lengthy stay, and altogether Gandhi was to stay in South Africa for over twenty years. The Indians who had been living in South Africa were without political rights, and were generally known by the derogatory name of 'coolies'. Gandhi himself came to an awareness of the frightening force and fury of European racism, and how far Indians were from being considered full human beings, when he was thrown out of a first-class railway compartment car, though he held a first-class ticket, at Pietermaritzburg. From this political awakening Gandhi was to emerge as the leader of the Indian community, and it is in South Africa that he first coined the term satyagraha to signify his theory and practice of non-violent resistance. Gandhi was to describe himself preeminently as a votary or seeker of satya (truth), which could not be attained other than through ahimsa (non-violence, love) and brahmacharya (celibacy, striving towards God). Gandhi conceived of his own life as a series of experiments to forge the use of satyagraha in such a manner as to make the oppressor and the oppressed alike recognize their common bonding and humanity: as he recognized, freedom is only freedom when it is indivisible.

Aho.