In the past few weeks, the Louisiana state government passed legislation requiring every classroom in every Louisiana public school and college to display the Ten Commandments. Normally, I would not devote time to addressing something so blatantly unconstitutional and unfair, but this decision was too egregious to ignore.
Since I imagine a significant chunk of my readers are Christian, and perhaps a few are Jewish, allow me to explain. What if the five pillars of Islam were placed in every classroom? I am sure America would benefit from the implementation of zakat (mandatory almsgiving or charity) and sawm (abstaining from, among other things, impure deeds and acts throughout the day during Ramadan). However, people would protest such an act as a violation of their freedom at least, and a dangerous overreach of some “woke” Islamist-supporting liberal ideology at most.
Theoretically, I could say the same thing about these Louisiana legislators, just by replacing certain adjectives. I could say “the institution of the Ten Commandments in classrooms throughout Louisiana is a dangerous overreach of some alt-right Christian-fundamentalist-supporting reactionary ideology.” I will not because I do not care if someone is a Christian fundamentalist or Islamist – so long as they do not harm, incite violence, or inspire hatred against other people, it is their choice to make. However, the one word I will use is “overreach,” because we should all have the right to ignore such a person trying to impose their religious beliefs on the rest of us.
The last thing religious parents who are not Christian or Jewish would want their kids reading in school on the way in the door is the fact there are “no other gods but me,” or you should not “make unto you any graven images” (assuming the kids know what that means). The only time kids should be able to read such wall décor is while visiting a friend’s house to play video games, not in a place that exists to educate children.
When confronted with such statements on the wall with peers who almost universally share such beliefs, a child may question their own faith. Unlike rainbow stickers, banned books and other “propaganda” that has never changed any kid’s future sexual behavior (unlike certain websites that kids can – and do – easily access from their own smartphones), this would constitute indoctrination: the uncritical acceptance of beliefs that are simply broadcast without discussion or qualification.
While this law is damaging to families of a variety of other faiths, what bothers me the most is its stupidity. It will get challenged in a court, and it will get struck down by a court – hopefully the first court that rules on the challenge, but I am not optimistic. This, to me, exemplifies the stereotype regarding politicians – people who waste time and taxpayer money to virtue-signal while nothing of any actual import or significance gets accomplished. If this is the standard for state legislators and governors, I should run for national office – oh wait.
Jokes aside, we have been a country for too long to forget what the First Amendment means – which I will note is an issue I have seen both liberals and conservatives demonstrate.
With so many people able to quote the Second Amendment, where are our First Amendment sticklers at?
Some are quick to utilize the First Amendment to justify grotesque or outrageous speech, but somehow a few of these same people forget to read the very first clause of the same amendment, which prevents the government from making a “law respecting an establishment of religion.”
This clause was created to reflect American values – not only are all religions welcome in America, but none are pre-eminent. Therefore, this Louisiana law does not reflect American values.
Janagan Ramanathan is a Sartell High School alum, former U.S. Naval Academy midshipman and current aerospace engineering major at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
