How many times have we said it? If a school board plays favorites with religion and rejects one which is lesser known (The Satanic Temple) yet still recognized as a religion, they'll be taken to court, LOSE, and end up paying the legal fees and court costs. It's pretty clear that the Memphis-Shelby County Schools weren't listening when we told 'em, and now they're going to be out $15,000 that could have gone to school supplies or teachers' salaries or SOMETHING far more constructive. One can hope that the school board and faculty have learned something from this little contretemps.
OTHER school systems? They might take note, but I'm not sure I'd bet on it.
“One can hope that the school board and faculty have learned something from this little contretemps.” Say what? Not a chance. Crazy zealots do not learn.
The Satanic Temple is like a superhero-pirate that descends to punish the wicked wherever tales of Christian villainy are told. It swoops down, puts a $15,000 dent in the district's wallet, then flies off with the bounty, leaving believers dazed and confused. "What in the name o' sweet-ass Jesus was THAT?!"
It's high school level civics that our secular government cannot choose one religion over another, and public schools are a sub-division of government. Christian privilege is alive and well in today's America. These folks cannot seem to get past the idea rights are not matters of majority rule. Rights exist to protect the individual from the tyranny of the majority.
"Just because the law is the law we don't have to accept it."
You actually do have to accept it, Calvo. New Testament scripture tells followers to obey all earthly laws and authorities. Did they not read that part in your bible study?
Trump was convicted of 34 felonies. He's still facing other legal issues. And while he was President, SCOTUS slapped him down (once unanimously over his contention that he could not be prosecuted for any crimes he committed while in office. Even his own picks refused to back him).
I think they keep trying to violate the constitution, hoping that eventually one of these right wing judges will ignore the constitution and find in their favor. We’ve seen that happen at the federal level and in the Supreme Court.
He was not the most hated. There was one we had just before lunch. He always ended his classes by recounting the semester he did on gastronomy history where students had to bring specialities from their countries or régions of origin. Each lesson was actually a feast…
I'm disappointed that they intend to dissolve the club if the GNC dissolves. It validates the accusation of trolling. They should continue to meet as long as there is student interest, because this is supposed to be about offering the students the benefits of ASS, not an adult agenda.
It's not a matter of trolling, it's a matter of religious plurality, which is a highly held value of theirs. The Satanic Temple will not go into schools that don't have other religious clubs because a school that hosts only one religious group, even if that group is TST, would not constitute a religiously pluralistic scenario.
Having only one club doesn’t invalidate plurality. Differences in access does. As long as the school prevents neither a GNC or ASS (or a Hindu, Jewish, Muslim) and treats them equally, it doesn’t matter how many there are.
Plurality meaning more than one. It would invalidate plurality(at least from TST's perspective) if one religion and one religion only were occupying space in a public school.
You're free to personally disagree with that position, but that is the stance that TST takes on the matter and it is the reason they only offer clubs in schools that have other religious clubs. Not because they are trolling.
Then there's the very likely scenario that the GNC club dissolves so ASS does too, only for GNC to re-form a couple of years later and ASS run into the problem that there is no longer parental support to re-form the club. It's much easier to continue than to start over.
Plurality of access. It is trolling if the students are not the primary consideration. If you can provide value to the students *and* make the point, great. But if all you're doing is making a point then you're trolling.
Student clubs are about the students, or at least should be, not the adults' agenda, whether I agree with the agenda or not.
"...but given the backlash this group often inspires, I wouldn't want to put my family in danger by going public about signing up my kids for this either."
Something that has never been said about signing kids up for GNCs nor ever will be said about signing kids up for GNCs. Christians constantly attempt to bully/pressure/silence their competition to keep their chokehold on people, especially kids. It is clear that it's the "Religion of Love" that is the danger.
Glad to see their total capitulation in this instance. You don't back down from bullies. You fight them.
It is nice to see that this is a settlement, if the school district lost at trial they would be hell bent on appealing to SCOTUS just to get their way. With this settlement, it is done, kaput, over, finito, and that means they lose. The sad part is that the students of that district lose because their educators are too willfully ignorant to do the right thing. That includes the parents and other community members that fought, or threatened violence over this club.
"The ST supports children to think for themselves". I have no doubt that the parents who oppose the after school club viewed this quote as an existential threat to the religious indoctrination of their children.
Watch how fast they enact gun control when they realize that just because liberals want to limit the availability of weapons of mass killing, doesn't mean they're unarmed or don't know how to hit the center mass.
"A lawsuit against the district documented a clear trail of discrimination against Satanists."
Well, waddaya know? A real case of persecution in America. Only it's not Christians who were being persecuted. It was Satanists. The Christians on the school board were the ones doing the persecuting. Thus is it ever.
How many times have we said it? If a school board plays favorites with religion and rejects one which is lesser known (The Satanic Temple) yet still recognized as a religion, they'll be taken to court, LOSE, and end up paying the legal fees and court costs. It's pretty clear that the Memphis-Shelby County Schools weren't listening when we told 'em, and now they're going to be out $15,000 that could have gone to school supplies or teachers' salaries or SOMETHING far more constructive. One can hope that the school board and faculty have learned something from this little contretemps.
OTHER school systems? They might take note, but I'm not sure I'd bet on it.
Ha ha! You said “learned”!
Yeah, yeah, I know. Hope springs eternal and all that. Then, too:
𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑛. 𝑂𝑟 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡 𝑙𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔.
-- Robert A. Heinlein, The Notebooks of Lazarus Long
In Lynn Flewelling's 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳 series it's, "Learn and live."
Too bad she stopped writing after this series.
😄
+++ They never learn.
I think they want a case to be taken to the SCOTUS who will decide the school can play favorites as long as the favored one is Christianity.
“One can hope that the school board and faculty have learned something from this little contretemps.” Say what? Not a chance. Crazy zealots do not learn.
The Satanic Temple is like a superhero-pirate that descends to punish the wicked wherever tales of Christian villainy are told. It swoops down, puts a $15,000 dent in the district's wallet, then flies off with the bounty, leaving believers dazed and confused. "What in the name o' sweet-ass Jesus was THAT?!"
Unfortunately it’s the taxpayers who pay and those responsible aren’t held accountable.
It's high school level civics that our secular government cannot choose one religion over another, and public schools are a sub-division of government. Christian privilege is alive and well in today's America. These folks cannot seem to get past the idea rights are not matters of majority rule. Rights exist to protect the individual from the tyranny of the majority.
Their god is the biggest bigot in the universe.
Also the hide and seek champion of the universe.
i'm thinkin' hide & slack :-)
He sure is......and so are his followers.
𝐸𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑛𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑆𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑐 𝑇𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒, 𝑖𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑚𝑠, 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠 𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑦 𝑐𝑎𝑛’𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑙𝑒 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑝𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑑𝑜𝑛’𝑡 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑆𝑎𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑟𝑢𝑙𝑒𝑠.
They can't handle sharing, period. How much blood have they spilled over the centuries demonstrating this attitude?
"Holy Hatred" by James A. Haught. A bit dated, but a good history.
"Beyond the Crusades and and "Mostly Harmful" by Paulkovich are good for kkkatlik atrocities.
Instead of blood, radical Christians spill their own capital on lost causes.
They do both.
"Just because the law is the law we don't have to accept it."
You actually do have to accept it, Calvo. New Testament scripture tells followers to obey all earthly laws and authorities. Did they not read that part in your bible study?
They only remember that one when the law allows them their unearned privilege.
Bullshit. You do not have to accept the law if you are Trump and have SCROTUS watching your back
Trump was convicted of 34 felonies. He's still facing other legal issues. And while he was President, SCOTUS slapped him down (once unanimously over his contention that he could not be prosecuted for any crimes he committed while in office. Even his own picks refused to back him).
They rely on the SCOTUS reading their bibbles.
I think they keep trying to violate the constitution, hoping that eventually one of these right wing judges will ignore the constitution and find in their favor. We’ve seen that happen at the federal level and in the Supreme Court.
"It’s especially satisfying give how much resistance the administration put up against what should have been a simple request."
It's not satisfying. It's 15 000 $ wasted by the school board.
She later referred to The Satanic Temple and the After School Satan Club as the “enemy.”
It is but not in the way dhe implies.
"They had to know a judge or jury would never side with them."
Ahem....
(Can't sleep. Can someone help me with a two by four ?).
I could put you in touch with my college history professor. He'd almost certainly put you to sleep, despite your interest in history.
I think I got his brother. Did he speaks in a monocorde, barely audible tune ?
No, that's my BIL, the retired psychology professor. I understand there was a sigh of relief from the student body when he retired.
He was not the most hated. There was one we had just before lunch. He always ended his classes by recounting the semester he did on gastronomy history where students had to bring specialities from their countries or régions of origin. Each lesson was actually a feast…
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8e72f7805d6a5ebb3a4f7ef160c2ed2727dad32989860970f6d3302183f0c778.png
Tom Hiddleston is a gem, ain't he?
Missing the first frame which says atheists are going to hell.
I'm disappointed that they intend to dissolve the club if the GNC dissolves. It validates the accusation of trolling. They should continue to meet as long as there is student interest, because this is supposed to be about offering the students the benefits of ASS, not an adult agenda.
It's not a matter of trolling, it's a matter of religious plurality, which is a highly held value of theirs. The Satanic Temple will not go into schools that don't have other religious clubs because a school that hosts only one religious group, even if that group is TST, would not constitute a religiously pluralistic scenario.
Having only one club doesn’t invalidate plurality. Differences in access does. As long as the school prevents neither a GNC or ASS (or a Hindu, Jewish, Muslim) and treats them equally, it doesn’t matter how many there are.
Plurality meaning more than one. It would invalidate plurality(at least from TST's perspective) if one religion and one religion only were occupying space in a public school.
You're free to personally disagree with that position, but that is the stance that TST takes on the matter and it is the reason they only offer clubs in schools that have other religious clubs. Not because they are trolling.
Then there's the very likely scenario that the GNC club dissolves so ASS does too, only for GNC to re-form a couple of years later and ASS run into the problem that there is no longer parental support to re-form the club. It's much easier to continue than to start over.
Plurality of access. It is trolling if the students are not the primary consideration. If you can provide value to the students *and* make the point, great. But if all you're doing is making a point then you're trolling.
Student clubs are about the students, or at least should be, not the adults' agenda, whether I agree with the agenda or not.
I agree!
If Christians had been treated the way they treated TST, you could hear their holier-than-thou screaming in space.
1 huge question.
https://scontent-ord5-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/452420891_1719539375499084_865668926135814643_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=tKz1XPAXV9EQ7kNvgG0w7xK&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-1.xx&oh=00_AYDyb1c4n0qidHzBf9PpaP81UX4r6ZARmuHwSbKe7-xjKw&oe=66A46CC2
About 147 seconds. (147 is a sacred number).
"...but given the backlash this group often inspires, I wouldn't want to put my family in danger by going public about signing up my kids for this either."
Something that has never been said about signing kids up for GNCs nor ever will be said about signing kids up for GNCs. Christians constantly attempt to bully/pressure/silence their competition to keep their chokehold on people, especially kids. It is clear that it's the "Religion of Love" that is the danger.
Glad to see their total capitulation in this instance. You don't back down from bullies. You fight them.
It is nice to see that this is a settlement, if the school district lost at trial they would be hell bent on appealing to SCOTUS just to get their way. With this settlement, it is done, kaput, over, finito, and that means they lose. The sad part is that the students of that district lose because their educators are too willfully ignorant to do the right thing. That includes the parents and other community members that fought, or threatened violence over this club.
$15K? I guess the devil really does get his due! <snicker>
"The ST supports children to think for themselves". I have no doubt that the parents who oppose the after school club viewed this quote as an existential threat to the religious indoctrination of their children.
So we don't need to follow laws we don't like? Excellent! I won't follow any of your bible laws.
Bible "laws" aren't binding on those who aren't cosplayers of that particular mythology. 🙂
Yet.
Good point.
That 2A applies to me as well. 😁
Watch how fast they enact gun control when they realize that just because liberals want to limit the availability of weapons of mass killing, doesn't mean they're unarmed or don't know how to hit the center mass.
Good point.
Hail the first amendment.
"A lawsuit against the district documented a clear trail of discrimination against Satanists."
Well, waddaya know? A real case of persecution in America. Only it's not Christians who were being persecuted. It was Satanists. The Christians on the school board were the ones doing the persecuting. Thus is it ever.