Americans should not pledge to ‘God’
Will Stafford asked the question of whether God was constitutional or not. He mentioned that The Declaration of Independence references God three different times, when it actually references an unspecified Creator. Other than the quote Mr. Stafford placed in his letter, I found this: “the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them.”
Obviously, two, not three. By the way, (since Christians of every sect, even my own Catholic) are so fond of leaving things to interpretation, “Nature’s God” could mean anything from Krishna, to Pan, to God, to the Horned God of the Celts.
As there is no state religion, it is at least unethical, if not unconstitutional, that a government-recognized pledge to our country’s flag should pledge that we are all under one particular God. The original pledge did not include “under God” anyway.
How would you feel if you were supposed to pledge to Allah or Shiva? Just because you like things the way they are does not mean they are constitutional. We have free will, and God would not appreciate being pushed on others. Other people’s minds are made for their own thoughts, not yours or mine. They make their own choices, and it is not for you or me to decide what is right for them.
Meaghen Couvillon
Freshman — Anthropology
Personal choice a reality in society
The fierce independence and personal strength America was founded on has given way to a country of spineless, finger-pointing blame shifters who refuse to take responsibility for the consequences of their actions. Did McDonald’s make you eat those biggie-sized, double bacon cheeseburgers that made you fat? Did Philip-Morris make you smoke those cigarettes that gave you cancer? The answer is no; you are free, and you had a choice. Forty-one thousand people a year die on the road; do we hold GM and Ford responsible?
Maybe we should sue ourselves since our tax money built the roads. Act quickly though, for the courts will soon be bogged down by dietary supplement lawsuits.
Yes, ephedra has been linked to several deaths; along with Viagra, nightclubs and the Sun. Wake up! We don’t live in Utopia and we cannot simply legislate America into one. Laws only provide grounds to punish a behavior; they don’t deter said behavior unless the public believes they are justified. Prohibition didn’t work; likewise a 15 mph speed limit sign on I-10 would receive the same sentiment. The U.S. government spends $10 billion on the drug war each year; in return, any socially connected individual can find a sack of grass in 30 minutes.
That is $1 million in aid to 10,000 schools for the mathematically challenged. I ask you, are we really getting our money’s worth? Prohibition and bans only foster the creation of illegal markets which fund illegal activities. Athletes use illegal steroids alongside ephedra to enhance performance now. If ephedra was illegal, they would use illegal steroids and illegal ephedra to enhance performance. Regulation brings negative aspects of society to the surface where they become easier to manage and thus easier to reduce the harm associated with them, whether it is cocaine usage or prostitution. If someone wishes to fry their brain/bodies by the time they’re 35, they DID have a say in the matter — STOP passing the blame. So regulate and educate; then let people reap the rewards or suffer the consequences of the paths they choose to follow.
Colter Gates
Senior — Biological Sciences
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