Wiggle Room

Nobody asked but …

How many times will politicos exploit the wiggliness of words to create fictional compartments in the minds of their followers?  As the Jason Robards character said in the 1989 movie, Parenthood, “It’s like your Aunt Edna’s ass. It goes on forever and it’s just as frightening.”  In recent days, apparently, POTUS has signed a new Executive Order to give religious institutions more freedom.  Here’s my problem — there is a separation of church and state in this country.  The government, including its executive chief, cannot interact with the churches in ANY official capacity.  Let’s go to the document, the Constitution.

First Amendment – Religion and Expression. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

What other freedoms can religion have beyond this?  Yet there we have POTUS with a signing ceremony on the White House greensward, basking in the glowing grins of seeming representatives of  handpicked religio-politico elements.  Politicians can only give what the laws allow them to give. Yet here is POTUS pretending as if he is handing out bonuses.  A few weeks ago, I complained, in the joint product of Kenny Kelly and I, that the NRA was “protecting” things that they have no charge to protect, but they collect donations, a ton of donations, for claiming to protect them anyhow, and they make compromises that they have no authority to make.  Aren’t there still laws against fraud in this country, or has someone given them all away?

— Kilgore Forelle

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