Monday, February 9, 2009

Bob Lies About the Stimulus

Today, Bob outright lied regarding the economic stimulus bill, currently pending before Congress. Here's a small portion of his rant. Bob stated that the bill will prevent public colleges and universities from allowing Bible study or "private prayer time" in the dorms, if that institution were to take stimulus money for building renovation. He even asserted that the ACLU would be able to prohibit "any kind of religious expression going on, even during private time."

What a load of horseshit.

The language in question reads as such:
No funds awarded under this section may be used for ... modernization, renovation, or repair of facilities (i) used for sectarian instruction, religious worship, or a school or department of divinity; or (ii) in which a substantial portion of the functions of the facilities are subsumed in a religious mission.
That language says nothing about prohibiting religious expression in any way, shape, or form! In fact, this language has been standard in federal education spending bills for nearly 50 years. Don't believe me? Here's some excerpts from statutes going back to 1963.

Has this language prevented Bible study in public universities? Has it prevented religious expression during "private time"? Has it prevented religious groups from using university facilities?

OF COURSE NOT.

Campus Crusade for Christ meets in buildings all over the MSU campus. The Muslim Students Association at Wayne State assembles every Thursday in the library. Hillel at Michigan makes ample use of the university's facilities.

This SAME provision has been used in spending bills for decades and doesn't do ANY of the things that Bob says it's going to do.

The truly insane thing is that Bob should be happy about the language of this bill. Since he is opposed to Mormonism, he should be pleased that the University of Utah can't use taxpayer money to build a Mormon Temple. Since Bob thinks Jehovah's Witnesses are a cult, you'd think he'd be tickled pink that the State University of New York can't build a Watchtower learning complex. And since Bob thinks that Muslims are all going to hell, why would he oppose language that keeps Wayne State from building a Mosque on the center of campus?

4 comments:

Kramer said...

I would like to believe that somebody with Bob's supposed christian belief's would be incapable of lying. The problem with my desire is that I dont think it possible for someone in a position like Bob's to be as misinformed, and ignorant, he just can't be that wrong that often and keep a job. So the only logical conclusion is that he is indeed lying.

tom sheepandgoats said...

Since Bob thinks Jehovah's Witnesses are a cult, you'd think he'd be tickled pink that the State University of New York can't build a Watchtower learning complex.

Someone suggested that they should?

Anonymous said...

tom,

Not that I know of. Of course, if a religious organization could use taxpayer money to advance their religion, without any interference from the government, I'm sure that organization would be all for it. (after all, who doesn't like free money?)

DJ said...

Nice catch Jeff.