This originally started as a comment on another thread, but I thought the observation deserved an article of its own, so here we go.

The latest and greatest 'FOX NEWS ALERT' flashing across the screen every 3 minutes (for the last couple of days) complete with alarmingly bright graphics, suspense-building musical scores, and breathless announcements concerns a high schooler who got a 'zero' on his art assignment because he included a cross and a bible verse on it.

In my opinion it's a mountain being made out of a molehill, yawn.  The kid's got legal representation, he'll win, and he'll walk away with a nice sum of money for his troubles.  In the first place, one cannot make a legally enforceable contract with a minor, so no matter what the teacher had him sign at the beginning of the year, that defense is not going to fly.  In addition, you can only waive your Constitutional rights under certain circumstances, this isn't one of them.  The teacher hasn't the legal authority to accept that waiver and no minor has the right to make it.

Yet some people act as if through the actions of this one overzealous and ill informed teacher, the entire apparatus of the United States Government (aka Big Brother) has declared war on Christians and the pogroms will begin as soon as the public beatings are over.

Uhmm, ya'all can relax, please.  Our nation is still overwhelmingly populated by Christians of one flavor or another and almost every seat of power is occupied by the same.  While this kid may have been done wrong by his teacher, our balance of powers is still in place and any injustice done to him will be rectified and compensated in a court of law.  We still have the right to petition our government for redress, and that's exactly what's happening here.

No system of government can prevent wrongs from being done or injustices from being perpetrated.  People are shitheads.  They are often ill informed and act on erroneous beliefs, as this teacher has obviously done.  But a decent government will provide a resource for redress, compensation, and punitive measures against these perpetrators of ignorance.  Ours has.  Things are working exactly as they should, at least in this case.

I find the reaction of the Christian Right very interesting though.  They weep and wail and gnash their teeth, declare the end times upon us (and openly hope that they are) and bemoan being singled out for such treatment.  After all, the teacher accepted 'DEMONIC' drawings and pictures of Buddah, so it's only the poor Christians who are being rooted out.

Here is what I said to one such Chicken-Little-Christian:

Ahh, after how many centuries of 'rooting out' non-believers for torture and death do you now find the tables turned, Christian?  You don't care for it much now that it's you being rooted out, although I dare mention a failing grade on an art project is not as harsh as punishment as say...being burned at the stake.

Indeed.  If Christians are being expelled from public life, oh well.  Be glad you aren't being slaughtered wholescale, as you've (as in the collective 'you'-- before any 'one' of you protests) not only historically done the same to non believers, but still currently oppress and intimidate your fellow citizens by your sheer number and the political power you wield in this nation. 

There's some version of a Christian church on damn near every corner of every decent-sized town or city in this country, and Christian symbolism is almost everywhere you look, from the bills and coins we use as legal tender to those retarded looking jesus fish on people's cars. (Which is really a symbol of the 'age of pisces' but no Christian wants to hear about all that 'demonic' stuff.)

The 'Christmas' season begins immediately after the 4th of July and lasts through January, at which time preparations for 'Easter' begin.  Many businesses are closed on Sunday, (and certainly ALL government services are, how's that for separation of church and state, hmm?) and in many States you still can't purchase a bottle of beer or a martini on Sundays.

Even the potential next President of the United States claims as a 'mentor' a Christian Reverend whose nonsense includes accusing the government of deliberately creating and injecting African Americans with the AIDS virus in some super-secret effort at genocide and stirring up racial hatred by declaring that the KKK runs the entire nation.  Says Obama, in a campaign appearance earlier this month, "I don't think my church is actually particularly controversial."

And you know what?  He's right.  Other Christian churches advocate witholding medical care from children, even to the point of death.  Some handle snakes to prove their faith in God.  Others still frequent the funerals of American Soldiers to remind all and sundry that 'God Hates Fags.'  And then there are the ubiquitous 'Televangelists' who ride around in diamond-studded limousines with fluffy poodles on their laps while informing you to send in your donations NOW, even if you can't make the rent this month because of it.  Jesus will bless you if you do.

Uh-huh.

Get over yourselves, you Chicken-Little-Christians.  If the sky is falling, then let it fall.  Turn your face up to it and let it bash your skull right in.  The end times are near, and that's good news for you all, for you will finally get to lounge around with Jesus while watching all us heathens suffer eternal torments.  And isn't that all you want in the first place?

I only wish it was.