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Sunday, July 04, 2010

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA


"Let's all be careful out there!"

THE TEXAS BOARD of EDUCATION...

And its  religious conservative members have decided it high time to revise the history of America...



As a matter of historical fact, America entered into the Treaty of Tripoli in 1797 which included in part the following statement:
"the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion ."


Thomas Jefferson, until this year, was revered in American history textbooks as the Founding Father who wrote the Declaration of Independence. His document is the reason we celebrate the fourth of July as this country's independence day. This is a holiday to remind Americans about the history and significance of that document.
But earlier this year, religious conservative members of the Texas Board of Education decided to push for a revision of this history by downplaying Jefferson's influence in the founding of our nation because the notion of the "separation of church and state" has been traced to him. These religious rightists believe this country was founded as a Christian nation and decided to make their point by revising American history in their public school text books. The effect of this kind of revision of American history would be to celebrate the founding of this country as a religious event rather than the secular event it is.


"Let's all be careful out there!"