Jan. 02, 2003 - 11:28 PST

THE WONDERING JEW

What's Afoot Now ?

From what I misunderstand from the paper, Mr. Bush's Guru is going to try to fly privatization of Social Security once again. Seems to me that a bad idea should be left to die. Especially with the stock market at an all time low, all we need now is for Socal Security funds following the downward flow of the market Is that a sensible philosophy ? Privatization of a government function is of benefit to us taxpayers ? Smoke and mirrors on hash -- pea under the walnut shell ?

Editorial in the Eugene, Oregon Register-Guard this morning, BREAKING DOWN THE WALL, deals with faith based funding. Jeepers, why should anybody's tax dollars go to fund another religious organization than their own ? Looks as if our administration is going for the gold. No privacy, no real civil rights, no medicaid or damn little, and now the separation of Church and State is under heavy attack.

Quoting in part, "Last month, the president, never one to loosen his grip on a bad idea, circumvented Congress by putting the bulk of his faith-based initiative into effect as an executive order. It's an arrogant and misguided move that Congress and the courts should not allow to stand."

"Faith-based funding has nearly as many problems as there are religious traditions in this country -- and they number in the thousands."

"First and foremost, there is the First Amemdment firewall between church and State, a barrier that has long protected Americans from government-sponsored religion (DOES THE NAME TALIBAN RING A BELL ?) and that also protects religion from the corrupting influence of government."

"The Constitution bars the use of government dollars to promote religion. Yet the White House has made it clear that religious programs operating with federal funding will be allowed to pray, proselytize, provide religious couunseling and engage in other overtly religious activities."

Further along it says, "Bush's plan will allow the use of tax dollars in programs that blatantly discriminate in hiring. Christian charitable organizations that hire only those who adhere to their particular denominational beliefs will be allowed to operate with federal funding. The same will be true of Muslim, Jewish and other religious traditions. Religious organizsations that refuse to hire gays and lesbians will qualify for funding, even though Americans have every right to demand that their tax dollars be denied to groups that discriminate in hiring or employment."

End of quotes here, but not end of my thoughts which roil and roll in my mind. Are we coming to the state of affairs in which we have to be a member of a certain church before we can be counseled, helped or advised ? Me being a Christian is probably a plus in some ways, but what if my only source of help is from a Muslim community ? Who is going to get the top tax dollar here ? Why ?

As a child I resented someone telling me I was doomed to hell of the hottest kind if I didn't beleive exactly to a tee as they believed. I shall resent even more having my taxes go to fund any religious organization.

Are we facing a time when some one can show up on our doorstep, flash a badge of government approval and proceed to harrangue me on some subject I feel totally different about ? So is our government going to faith-base terrorist religions that once were religions that operated under the Golden Rule principle, but do no longer ?

To my mind this is a terrible imposition to say the least on the citizens of the United States.

Probably my big question when I read tomorrow's newspaper will be What's Afoot Now ? . . . . . . . . .

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