We have heroes like him today but they are being drowned out by all the noise. The internet has made it so that everyone can express their ideas to a wider audience. Television has expanded to a mind-numbing number of channels and programming. Tell me in 1982 about the internet or how many choices of programs I would have and I would think about how bright the future would be with the sharing of ideas.
Instead, we have the sharing of misinformation and the normalization of bigotry. People pushing for a better future are just a small portion of the overall noise.
All from the authoritarian playbook. 'My way is the only way'. If you don't keep the kids and the faithful busy praying all day, every day - they might to start to reflect how silly and preposterous it all is. Can't have that, can we?
Public schools are a sub-division of government, and Mixing religion and government is the same terrible idea it has always been. Never the less, America’s evangelicals keep insisting they know how to do theocracy right and should be allowed to do so. They should put down their Bibles and read some history. The Bible-belt South has some of the worst social metrics in this country, so it’s pretty hard to see what good their performative religiosity has done for them.
It is wonderful that the NYT honored Mr Jaffree. It is also great that they honored Ms McCollum after the nudge from FFRF. But, the fact that these deaths were noteworthy but not covered in the first place is a disgrace. What's happening in "our world" should just be considered part of what's happening in the world generally. It should not have taken a nudge from the FFRF.
One would think that the litigants in major Supreme Court cases like this would be followed by news outlets. I can understand Mr Jaffree being missed, it appears as though he went back into obscurity, hence the somewhat lat obit by FFRF. But Ms McCollum? Her case was one of the ones cited by the Christian Nazionalists when they complain (loudly) about how God was taken out of schools. One would think that the NatC ghouls would have been dancing on her grave.
It is long past time that "our world" is seen as just part of 𝘁𝗵𝗲 world.
Wow. What a great fighter Ishmael was for State / Church separation and what a loss that he is gone. I had never heard his story until now, and I feel enriched to know who he was and what he did.
Since God is a much tougher sell to adults who can think for themselves, religion targets the most vulnerable: Children. In addition to being physically molested by xtian adults, kids also face mental molestation at school.
God in school? How many children prayed during school shootings? Where was God? All he had to do was jam the shooter's weapon to keep it from firing, but he couldn't even be bothered to do that. Instead, metal detectors and bulletproof backpacks have to do what the xtian deity failed to do.
What you have to understand is that prayers in public school is about conservatives trying to get everyone to be just like them. It's about religion only because conservatives are religious. Note that religious liberals don't have a problem with separation of church and state - in fact, they support it!
Note that Mr. Jaffree was not an atheist, but believed in God (via Islam). But, I understand the point that mandatory Christian prayer in public schools would be a problem for other religions including atheists.
How we could use Jaffree today. Christians continue to push for school prayer, violating Jesus' admonishment against praying in public.
We have heroes like him today but they are being drowned out by all the noise. The internet has made it so that everyone can express their ideas to a wider audience. Television has expanded to a mind-numbing number of channels and programming. Tell me in 1982 about the internet or how many choices of programs I would have and I would think about how bright the future would be with the sharing of ideas.
Instead, we have the sharing of misinformation and the normalization of bigotry. People pushing for a better future are just a small portion of the overall noise.
Something tells me that it isn't about violating Matthew 6:5, but about power, control, and forced conformity.
Of course, it's about conformity. These Christians can't deal with non-conformity at all.
And if they were to try it with any of us, they would quickly wish they hadn't.
It's all about trying to impose rote conformity. You can't let kids get the idea they can think for themselves.
All from the authoritarian playbook. 'My way is the only way'. If you don't keep the kids and the faithful busy praying all day, every day - they might to start to reflect how silly and preposterous it all is. Can't have that, can we?
edit: changed spell check 'his' to 'how'
Worse, they might start THINKING FOR THEMSELVES! EEEEK!
As we all know on this forum, the whole point of formal prayer is "to be seen of men." Yeah, I've read the book.
Public schools are a sub-division of government, and Mixing religion and government is the same terrible idea it has always been. Never the less, America’s evangelicals keep insisting they know how to do theocracy right and should be allowed to do so. They should put down their Bibles and read some history. The Bible-belt South has some of the worst social metrics in this country, so it’s pretty hard to see what good their performative religiosity has done for them.
𝐼𝑡’𝑠 𝑎 𝑟𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑚𝑎𝑗𝑜𝑟 𝑛𝑒𝑤𝑠 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑡𝑠 𝑑𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑐𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑒 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑑𝑜𝑛’𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡’𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝑢𝑛𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑤𝑒 𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚.
It is wonderful that the NYT honored Mr Jaffree. It is also great that they honored Ms McCollum after the nudge from FFRF. But, the fact that these deaths were noteworthy but not covered in the first place is a disgrace. What's happening in "our world" should just be considered part of what's happening in the world generally. It should not have taken a nudge from the FFRF.
One would think that the litigants in major Supreme Court cases like this would be followed by news outlets. I can understand Mr Jaffree being missed, it appears as though he went back into obscurity, hence the somewhat lat obit by FFRF. But Ms McCollum? Her case was one of the ones cited by the Christian Nazionalists when they complain (loudly) about how God was taken out of schools. One would think that the NatC ghouls would have been dancing on her grave.
It is long past time that "our world" is seen as just part of 𝘁𝗵𝗲 world.
Wow. What a great fighter Ishmael was for State / Church separation and what a loss that he is gone. I had never heard his story until now, and I feel enriched to know who he was and what he did.
Thank you for this post, Hemant!
Since God is a much tougher sell to adults who can think for themselves, religion targets the most vulnerable: Children. In addition to being physically molested by xtian adults, kids also face mental molestation at school.
God in school? How many children prayed during school shootings? Where was God? All he had to do was jam the shooter's weapon to keep it from firing, but he couldn't even be bothered to do that. Instead, metal detectors and bulletproof backpacks have to do what the xtian deity failed to do.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DNyR5X0XM1c/?igsh=ejdzZW1iMmhxZXVt
What you have to understand is that prayers in public school is about conservatives trying to get everyone to be just like them. It's about religion only because conservatives are religious. Note that religious liberals don't have a problem with separation of church and state - in fact, they support it!
Nevertheless, it's good to see this man honored.
Pete Hegseth still being stupid and offensive, quotes from a murderer in Pulp Fiction.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2026/04/16/pete-hegseth-quotes-violent-prayer-from-pulp-fiction-references-bible/
“Pete Hegseth is doing to Christianity what Al-Qaeda did to Islam,” Christopher Hale, editor of the popular Letters from Leo Catholic newsletter,
"Pete Hegseth is doing to Christianity what Al-Qaeda did to Islam"
It isn't a bug, it is a feature.
Lol
Xtian drunken wife abuser says what?
Quoting Pulp Fiction? Does he know that its writer/director (Tarantino) has identified himself as atheist?
Pete Hegseth is no Samuel Jackson.
Sam's a Christian but he doesn't let his beliefs get in the way of the work. Good on him.
Rest in power, Jaffree.
Xtian hypocrites falsely accuse others of grooming children while actively continuing their push to groom children. They must be fought at all times.
Note that Mr. Jaffree was not an atheist, but believed in God (via Islam). But, I understand the point that mandatory Christian prayer in public schools would be a problem for other religions including atheists.
Jaffree presented his case to a Supreme Court which actually gave a shit about the First Amendment. Good luck with that today!
Now, Ishmael has been removed from heaven and sent to Hell. Executive Order. The one pardoning all crimes against the Proud Boys for Jan 6.