Bowing at the altar of political correctness

By: American Decency Staff

Written by Lisa Van Houten Included in the great blessings God has given us as Americans are the “Blessings of Libertyâ€Â – as stated in the Preamble and the First Amendment to our Constitution.  With great wisdom and Divine Guidance, our Founding Fathers established these fundamental principles of freedom, securing them not only for themselves, but for us and all future generations – their “posterity.â€Â I remember learning the words to the preamble to a little ditty that played during Saturday morning cartoons in the 1970s – “Schoolhouse Rockâ€Â.  I can still sing that catchy song and so recite the words to the Preamble to the Constitution.  I also remember having to memorize the First Amendment in a high school government class.  Those words, too, are still in my memory bank. I wonder today how many school children are learning these important statements.  Sadly, I’m afraid not many. It’s important for all of us to be reminded of these foundational principles. The Preamble: We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. The First Amendment: 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. Our Founding Fathers knew what it was like to be denied these freedoms and were determined to insure them for us.  And so we have had these freedoms – including the blessing of free speech. Contrast that with a regime where personal speech is monitored.  Where individuals are told what to think and believe.  Where citizens must “toe the party lineâ€Â or face intimidation and dire repercussions. I could be describing the old Soviet Union, or today’s Iran or communist North Korea. But I’m not.  I’m referring to what is now happening in the United States of America. As reported by Fox News and other sources, a Florida public school teacher with 22 years of acclaimed teaching experience has been suspended and could be fired for speaking out against  gay marriage on his own Facebook page. Jerry Buell, a veteran American history teacher at Mount Dora High School, was removed from his teaching duties this week as school officials in Lake County investigate allegations that what he posted was biased towards homosexuals. … Buell has taught in the school system for 22 years and has a spotless record. Last year, he was selected as the high school’s “Teacher of the Year.â€Â But now his job is on the line because of what some have called anti-gay and homophobic comments. Buell told Fox News Radio that he was stunned by the accusations. “It was my own personal comment on my own personal time on my own personal computer in my own personal house, exercising what I believed as a social studies teacher to be my First Amendment rights,â€Â he said.  … Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/08/19/florida-teacher-suspended-for-anti-gay-marriage-post-on-personal-facebook/#ixzz1VsCFQrZR This teacher is being represented by the Liberty Counsel which provides pro bono legal assistance in the areas of religious liberty, the sanctity of human life and the family. Harry Mihet, Senior Litigation Counsel for Liberty Counsel, stated:  “Public school teachers are not constitutional orphans. They, like all Americans, enjoy the freedom to engage in discourse about matters of public concern. Mr. Buell is being investigated and punished for communicating his mainstream objection to homosexual marriage, an objection shared by a large majority of his fellow Floridians who have outlawed homosexual marriage through a constitutional amendment. If the First Amendment does not protect Mr. Buell’s right to voice his personal opinion, on his personal time, from his personal computer, on his personal Facebook page, then the First Amendment means nothing.â€Â Mihet told OneNewsNow.com: "It is an outrageous insinuation that somehow being against homosexual marriage disqualifies you from being a public servant.  [That's] an idea that is so repugnant to the Constitution and to the First Amendment freedom of speech, one of our most cherished freedoms that is supposed to enable us to speak out on matters of public importance." Mihet also told Fox News:  “All he did was speak out on an issue of national importance and because his comments did not fit a particular mold, he is now being investigated and could possibly lose his job. What have we come to?â€Â Indeed, what have we come to? The “blessings of libertyâ€Â which our Founding Fathers secured are no longer very secure.  We now live in a time when increasingly speech that doesn’t toe the party line of “political correctnessâ€Â will lead to intimidation and repercussions for those who don’t bow at its altar. For this is not the first case of political correctness trumping freedom of speech.  There are numerous accounts of individuals being censured and fired for holding a personal opinion regarding homosexuality or gay marriage. Our friends at American Family Association and OneNewsNow.com  have written about this growing trend in America.  Here are just two examples they have reported on: Several years ago, a Christian employee who worked for Allstate Insurance was fired after writing — on his own time and on his own computer — an Internet column arguing against "gay marriage" from a Christian perspective. http://www.afajournal.org/2005/september/905cover.asp And also this account: http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=1376678 If our freedoms are to remain secure we must be diligent in defending them – just as our Founders did – who pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.   Will we do the same? For those living in Florida, Liberty Counsel reports that on Thursday, August 25^th, they will host the Florida Awake! at the First Baptist Church of Leesburg, where teacher Jerry Buell resides. This event will gather support from individuals in Florida to take a stand for their constitutional rights. The rally seeks to motivate, educate, and equip the public to restore our nation’s values, as our founders originally intended.   For more information click here:  Florida Awake! ========================================================== Your support is important to our ability to make a difference. Donate online at: https://secure4.afo.net/ada/donate.php American Decency Association is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. American Decency Association Bill Johnson, President P.O. Box 202 Fremont, MI 49412 ph: 231-924-4050 www.americandecency.org http://www.twitter.com/billwjohnson

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