War on Xmas UPDATE: gregoire and mckenna respond to o'reilly

  Despite Kirby Wilbur's (KVI m-f, 5-9a) appearance on The O' Reilly Factor to pledge his help in the fight to save Xmas as they'd like to know it, it seems the First Amendment wins...

Gov. Christine Gregoire and (Republican) Attorney General Rob McKenna have issued a joint, bipartisan statement on the atheist display in the state Capitol:

“Last year, after a federal lawsuit was filed against the state of Washington by the Alliance Defense Fund, the state’s Department of General Administration set forth a policy allowing individuals or groups to sponsor a display regardless of that individual’s or group’s views.

“The Legislative Building belongs to all citizens of Washington state, and houses the state Legislature, as well as the offices of several state-elected executives, including the governor. The U.S. Supreme Court has been consistent and clear that, under the Constitution’s First Amendment, once government admits one religious display or viewpoint onto public property, it may not discriminate against the content of other displays, including the viewpoints of non-believers.”

 Billo will respond.

Comments

[EvergreenRailfan]

Whoever is the State's phone service provider is going to get good work fixing the phone lines if they keep getting jammed by Bill O'reilly's viewers and listeners, and the emails going around.(Got one from a high school buddy of my late father suggesting my family do what everybody else is doing, which I am not. I am sure the phone lines in the LEGISLATIVE BUILDING where the Governor's office just happens to be). Anyway, are they going to tell people to ream out McKenna as well? I did not vote for McKenna the first time, but am not sure the 2nd time, but I think he is doing a good job lately, he seems to suddenly remember he is the Attorney General for all of Washington, not just the Attorney General for those who identify themselves as Conservative Republican.

[joanie]

Don't you love our First Amendment. I mean that it really does apply to everyone?

I voted for McKenna, too. No straight Democratic ticket for me. Obama barely got my vote when all the "centrist" stuff started coming out. Then I thought of the alternative...

Cute pic, Michael. Where did you find so many Santa booties?

[KS]

That can be interpreted as a picture of where the taste of the politically correct - (ie. the loony left) lies - up their ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies.

[EvergreenRailfan]

I often vote for the Republican for Secretary of State, trying to keep at least one Executive Branch office in the hands of a Dan Evans Republican. Anyway, noticed that there were not any problems for most of the time the Holiday Tree was in the Capitol. Only when the overt religious symbols were put in, did this get into the War on XMAS controversy. By the way, anybody object if any state employee would send some photos of two statues in the Legislative Building to Bill O'Reily? I wouldn't object, even though they won't change his mind. They are of Marcus Whitman, a doctor and Protestant Missionary, and Mother Joseph, a Roman Catholic Sister. These are our state's two statues in the Capitol in Washington D.C. I don't object, got problems with Marcus Whitman, but he is still part of the state's early history, and glad he's represented.

[The Other Kevin]

looks like the all the boys in the picture are ready for the gay poster for this site.. ha ha ha..

Ummmm ... "Gay Gary" admitted he was "Straight Gary" many weeks ago. Get with the times.

I voted for McKenna, too. No straight Democratic ticket for me. Obama barely got my vote when all the "centrist" stuff started coming out. Then I thought of the alternative...

Joanie - did you seriously almost vote for McCain? Even as a GOPer I could barely bring MYself to doing that!

[joanie]

No, a write-in for Paul.

[The Other Kevin]

Really? Interesting!

[joanie]

You new here, Bart?

[EvergreenRailfan]

I was watching this on the local news at 11 on King 5. They had it a few stories down the priority, behind(but not in order), the economy, School Closures, a Coup in Canada(three options, the session of parliament porogued(not a disolution, just a suspension for a month, but it kills the No Confidence Vote), a new election(2 months after the last one), or a coalition government(Reserve Powers, the Governor General does not exactly have to dissolve parliament after a No Confidence Vote, can ask the opposition party to give governing a try, the Liberals only have 76 seats, so a coalition with the NDP helps, and they even have the separtist Bloc Quebecois along on this one, they have toned down their rhetoric(the pro-soveriegnty rhetoric that is) in recent months.) I listen to some podcasts of both the CBC and Global(their election campaign was good comic relief from ours), and the rhetoric has been flying on the airwaves with local talk radio and TV, as well as the Question Periods going from shouting matches to near brawls, and I almost forgot, that was Canada, supposedly a nice country. What started the crisis? Oh, just the Conservative PM acting like a Conservative, going after subsidies to political parties(they get $2 per vote cast in the last election, of which the Conservatives stood to lose too), and going after Public Employees right to strike(for 2 years). That and a Economic Update statement that said nothing about Stimulus. It would be a shame, this is one of their longest serving PM's from the west in recent times that might be out of a job next week. Although this is not the Conservative party of Mulroney, that one went by a different name, the Progressive Conservative party, which still exists at least at the provincial level in some provinces.

The angle King 5 covered this as, was that our economies are intertwined, like it or not. Plus in a way, we are neighbors, and doesn't the inscription on the Peace Arch read "Children of a Common Mother"?

[The Beast Rabban (formerly Gay Gary)]

Although this is not the Conservative party of Mulroney, that one went by a different name, the Progressive Conservative party, which still exists at least at the provincial level in some provinces.

Technically provincial parties have distinct ballot status; the current federal PC Party was founded by old guard who refused the PC-Reform merger so is a new PC only a few years old.

The news is not reporting that the Canadian crisis puts an increasingly frail northland at heightened danger of fracture. If a Liberal-NDP coalition is formed they will have to bring Bloc Quebecois into government to maintain a majority. We're probably 5 years out from Canada splitting into 3: Ontario and the Maritimes, Quebec and BC/SK/AB/MB. If the last group is annexed, as would likely happen, this would add 4 solid Republican seats (AB and SK) and 4 competitive seats (BC and MB) to the US Senate which would open the way for DC and Puerto Rico to receive statehood with 4 solid Democratic seats.

(Since this post is off-topic it will probably be deleted.)

[EvergreenRailfan]

Sorry about taking this OT, I was just trying to mention some other things I saw on the news that at least King 5 felt was more important to put ahead of this manufactured controversy over holiday displays that seemed to start with a tree, put up by a pro-business group 19 years ago. Wasn't Gardner Governor at the time, anyway? How is O'Reilly's ratings doing, Olbermann must be gaining again.

As for talk radio in Canada, the CBC might be onto something, no Rush Limbaugh's or Mike Malloy's on their national payroll at least. They only have 1 nationwide, live call-in show, plus co-ordinating it across the country's time zones, from Newfoundland to Pacific, is a big undertaking. Picking which time to start in the east that would be not too late and hope it is not too early for the west.

[Tommy008]

I used to enjoY oreilly but hes become so taken with himself, it's sickening. the constant bragging about being a war correspondent, his pompous patronizing prattle about fighting for "the folks" and now this war on christmas obsession of his. hesjust been exposed as an ass whos hoots from the hip and obviously doesnnt do his research first. I f he had he'd know this onewasaloser sincethecourt rulings gave Gregoire no choice. Boorish Bill was insulting Gregoire while his little fatboy lackey Kirby gave him head.

[chucks]

I just actualy read the sign that the athiest guys put in the capital building. That is pretty insulting to those that believe in a God. Is that how all or most of you that are athiest believe?
Is that a part of what justifies all of the hate of and discrimination againt Christians?
Is it all Christians that are hated and ridiculed, or just special ones? How about Jews, Budhist?

[The Beast Rabban (formerly Gay Gary)]

That is pretty insulting to those that believe in a God. Is that how all or most of you that are athiest believe?

I am not an atheist but the sign does not offend me in the least. The atheists attack a poorly conceived idea of a personal religion that is not elemental to my beliefs. As one of our teachers, Inayat Khan, said: "Sufism without Islam is like a candle buring in the open without a lantern. There are winds which may blow that candle out. But if you have a lantern with a glass protecting the flame, the candle will continue to burn safely."

cars

In American History last hour we watched the auto bailout hearings.

Senators Shelby and Menendez did a bang-up job of gang-banging the Big 3 CEOs (though Menendez, being the Democrat, did have to take 60 seconds at the end of the questioning to lay down and take a facial from the UAW).

Chris Dodd came across as a Big 3 sycophant-par-excellance. At one point I thought he was going to jump across the table and give Rick Waggoner a rimjob. Even when Dr. Zinsky said the companies would be back asking for $125 billion more in a few months the rictus smile didn't leave his triple-chinned face.

OK, will write more during my next break.

[AuthenticAndrew]

I think the message is dead on. Religion brings many people together but it set many more people apart.

Religion replaces wonder and curiousity overly simple answers involving evil fruit and rib women.

Actually I like what I said better. I fault those athiests for not having much tact.

[AuthenticAndrew]

Christians deserve the hate and ridicule. Lets not forget they insisted on puting their Christmas shit in the capitol building long before the athiests ever came along. Christians are always trying to inject prayer in school and God in the pledge, make churches into tax havens, force the poor to turn to religion if they want to eat, etc. Christianity has had the effect of giving the children the car keys.

[v-job]

This laughable if it wasn't taking up so much energy from the government which has no legal business picking between the religions or non-religious expressions to include in these patheitc displays.
If these religious types want to parade their junk n the public square like the sluts they are, they must be able to take the shit they will be pitched. It's equal opportunity, nothing sacred out here in secular-land... that is why they are just stupid to stick their spiritual necks out in such a place. It's wrong to sully the sacred non-sectarian rotunda with this flackery. all or none, and this mess pushes the argument towards the none.
As Michael has written, this is merely the manufactroversy of talk media.

[The Beast Rabban (formerly Gay Gary)]

As Michael has written, this is merely the manufactroversy of talk media.

... and blogs.

[Coiler]

I'm sure Billo is glad to have you all doing his bidding for him. He doesn't have to come up with a new shtick every year--this is his Black Friday period where is makes it or breaks it in the ratings. Fox is happy with him even if his ratings slide the rest of the year. People like O Reilly mirror the decline of America. We used to make a shitty car that was cheap, now we make most of them that way. We encourage low- lifes who talk about cost but have no value.

[AuthenticAndrew]

They had Pearl Jam for Dave Ross bumper music. Dave Ross doesn't seem like a Pearl Jam kind of guy. Another comical result of puting an AM station on the FM dial.

[EvergreenRailfan]

Breaking news out of the 6th Legislative District. State Representative Ahern has lost in the hand recount of the close race. This gives the Democrats one of the house seats in Senator West's former district.

http://spokesmanreview.com/breaking/story.asp?ID=18087

Also, Olbermann did a good mocking of O'Reilly last night, interupted only for one thing, lighting a Christmas Tree!

[mungo]

Hey Chucks,

I'm an athiest, and I don't feel that way bout Christians. Hell, I've voted for em the past 6 presidential elections...I'm sure the majority of my brethern have done the same...How many Christians do you think would vote for an athiest for Pres?

What's all this "discrimination against Christians" you talk about?

Damn, Gay Gary is not gay? Next thing ya know you'll be tellin me his name's not really Gary...and he's not a 17 yr old....what's the world acomin to?

[Justin]

I think many atheists are forgetting that it is a NATIONAL HOLIDAY in the United States of America. If you do not like it, suggest your own holiday. As far as a tree goes, it is nonsecular anyway. What if I put up a 'White Power' sign up on Martin Luther King day? Surely it would not be seen as okay. Maybe that is what we have to do. Make everything 'fair'. Why does everyone have to be equal in everything?

[Tommy008]

bORNAGAIN Christian religion DOES harden hearts as the sign said. my neighbor is a parishioner of boragain zealot Pastor Joe Feeten, and he is withour compassion or humanity for his fellow man.He calls Barney Frank "Barney Fag".