Insight

Jared Bowes, Kansas, And Axial Tilt

Just when I thought Festivus was finally over, the ACLU in Kansas noted that Jared Bowes, of the Kansas Department Of Commerce had disappointed them in the year 2013 by using his government email account to remind everyone that jesus is the reason for the season and that he is king of somewhere, and that if everyone has been good this year, Santa Claus would leave presents under the Winter Solstice Tree, or something like that. No worries about those who truly don't believe in christianity, and no sensitivity to those who might feel pressured, upon reading the newsletter from the department, to act if they believed in something they do not, in order to avoid any discrimination that may result from not being christian.

Doug Bonney, of the ACLU states that he has received a lot of complaints about the "overly christian-centric atmosphere" in Kansas government. This comes as no surprise to me. It also does not surprise me that Jared Bowes's statements about christianity were edited out of the newsletter; sadly, not before it was read by some of the recipients. Here is what Bowes had to say for himself:

"Let me be forthright in saying that my sole intent was to extol King Jesus as the 'reason for the season."

Here's what Bonny had to say about the whole mess: “People might, for example, say, 'I’m a Jew; I’m not really welcome here,' " Bonney said. "That’s the danger and that's the purpose of the (Constitution's) establishment clause. It’s to keep religion out of government because there is no official government religion in the United States. There cannot be. We’re a pluralistic society, and people have all kinds of religious beliefs.”.....Topeka Capital Journal

We are a pluralistic society. This is what Kansas, collectively, just doesn't understand, from the silly little school my children attended in Frankfort, Kansas, before I found that I could tolerate no more; to the insensitivity of a vocal government employee who uses his government email account for the presentation of imaginary icons as fact. The reason for the season has a lot more to do with axial tilt than it does with Judeo-Christian mumbo jumbo, and the only appropriate way to attribute spirituality to the season is to remember to keep Sol in Winter Solstice!

Community Reaction To New Hope Baptist Church In Seneca, Kansas

It looks like Reverend Knapp has made some new friends! After his sermon last week,  at New Hope Bapstist Church, in Seneca, Kansas, he had some visitors! It is good to see Kansans sending a counter-message to the conventional bigotry and hate that is commonplace enough in Kansas to pass for traditional lifestyles of the republican and brainwashed. Chris Knapp really thought no one would raise an eyebrow at his guff here in Kansas. Wake up, Knapp! The times, they are a-changin'!