Student removed from graduation ceremony for wanting to mention "Christ" and "God"

Freedom of speech is under attack for Christians in this country. As our young people continue to be muzzled in their free speech, it is our responsibility to stand up for their rights.

From The Fox Nation comes this disturbing news:

John Whitehead, founder of the Institute, says many people were scheduled to speak at the 2008 Butte High School graduation. Some chose serious subjects, others humor, he says.

"Renee Griffith, who is a Christian, wanted to mention Christ once and mention God once in one of her very short remarks, and the school said she couldn't do it," he explains. "She [insisted she] wanted to do it, so then they actually removed her from the graduation ceremony and did not allow her to speak."

According to a Rutherford press release, the co-valedictorian was ordered to replace two phrases in her speech -- "sharing Christ" and "lived with a purpose from God with a passionate love for Him" -- with the following phrases: "sharing my faith" and "lived with a purpose, a purpose derived from my faith and based on a love of mankind."

Mr. Whitehead added:

Whitehead maintains that students have constitutional rights -- but warns that "if we don't begin protecting the right to free speech in the schools, we are going to lose the right to speak entirely."

Mr. Whitehead's words bring to mind the famous quote from German anti-Nazi activist Pastor Martin Niemöller:

In Germany they first came for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me —
and by that time no one was left to speak up.

'Nuff said.

Posted at Graduation Shoppe

OK: Bill passed to display Ten Commandments in State Capitol

This is taking a step in the right direction:

On the morning of National Prayer Day, State House members have approved a Ten Commandments monument to be placed on the state capitol grounds with only two dissenting votes.

This will be good news for former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Judge Roy Moore who fought to keep the Ten Commandments in the Alabama state house. Mr. Moore, who appears to be very popular in his unannounced-yet governor's race, has continued to speak on the importance of the document and to share his conservative views since being dismissed from his position on the state high court.

Kaine chops citizens' right to petition government

Brian Kirwin reports on Tim Kaine's removal of a vital part of a bill that was passed unanimously by the House and Senate:

Has our Governor lost his mind?

Gloucester citizens circulated petitions to recall members of their Board of Supervisors, and a judge responded by slapping the citizens with $80,000 of court costs for exercising their first amendment freedoms “to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Judges in my lifetime are impossible. They read things into the Constitution that were never there, but ignore things that are written in plain English.

Tamara Dietrich of the Daily Press wrote an excellent column here, and she makes a great point.

Kaine omitted the part of the bill that protected anyone who signed or circulated the petition from “any costs associated with removal proceedings conducted pursuant to the petition, including attorney fees incurred by any other party or court cost.”

He omitted the point of the bill, one that passed both the House and the Senate unanimously.

Kaine actually added procedures where citizens could be nailed with giant legal bills, including paying for those they tried to boot from office.

Brian goes on at Bearing Drift to explain what the governor did to the bill ... a slap in the face to any law-abiding citizen who wants to exercise their right to speak out.

Liberal prof: "Ask God what your grade is"

Update: See Mike Adams' updated blog entry about this.

This attitude of, "Free speech for thee but not for me," by instructors and professors at our public schools and universities has got to stop.

A California community college student's professor refused to allow him the opportunity to conclude his pro-family public speaking assignment in front of the class.

The incident occurred in November 2008:

Less than a month after voters in California decided to amend their state constitution and protect traditional marriage, Jonathan Lopez -- in a public speaking class -- shared his beliefs on faith and marriage. David French of the Alliance Defense Fund picks up the story.

"Jonathan talked about his faith -- and one of the things he talked about in context of his faith was...marriage," says French. "He read from the dictionary definition of marriage. The professor stopped the class, called him a 'fascist b_____d' -- [he] used the expletive -- [and] told the class that anyone who wanted to could leave if they were offended...."

According to an ADF press release, when no one got up to leave, the instructor simply dismissed the class, effectively ending Lopez's speech -- which violated the student's free-speech rights, adds the attorney, especially since other students made speeches on other subjects.

The professor reportedly refused to grade Mr. Lopez's speech and wrote on the back of his report, "Ask God what your grade is."

"Freedom of speech" ... is it only for those who agree with the liberal professors?

Campus evangelism now a crime?

God seems to be moving farther away from the public square.

Take the case of Yuba Community College (California) student Ryan Dozier who was handing out Christian tracts to fellow students when he was told to stop by a campus policeman. For his "crime" he could be expelled or arrested, he was told. The college followed up ... and it is now in the court system.

America was built on religious freedom and freedom of speech. I remember as a young girl in the 1960s hearing in Sunday school how Russia and Germany crushed down on Christians and did not allow them the freedom to worship ... and the implication was it could someday happen in America.

"No way," I thought ... and the youthful, innocent child believed it ... but many things are beginning to change my mind.

As we enter the Christmas season it will be interesting to see how much Christmas ... that time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ ... comes under assault again.

Edmund Burke, Irish orator, philosopher, and politician (1729-1797), said:

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

As we continue to do nothing, our rights are eroding.

Wake up, America!