“Our public schools are not Sunday schools.”
June 19, 2024 1:58 PM Subscribe
Louisiana requires Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom (NYT gift, Axios). The ACLU announced it will challenge the law. Gov. Jeff Landry told a Republican audience “I’m going home to sign a bill that places the Ten Commandments in public classrooms. And I can’t wait to be sued.”
I can't wait for smartass kids to start challenging the validity of historical figures' actions based on the Ten Commandments. "But teacher, Columbus claimed the land that already belonged to the Native Americans. Don't the Ten Commandments say 'Thou shalt not steal'?"
posted by Faint of Butt at 2:13 PM on June 19 [22 favorites]
posted by Faint of Butt at 2:13 PM on June 19 [22 favorites]
"And I can’t wait to be sued.”
When Rudy Giuliani, former lawyer to Gov. Landry's hero, was mayor of NYC, he was sued 34 times for First Amendment violations. He lost 26 times, and the other 7 cases either settled out of court or were withdrawn; Giuliani didn't win any of them.
I think we know where this boast came from, and if so I think we can predict how it will turn out.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:16 PM on June 19 [8 favorites]
When Rudy Giuliani, former lawyer to Gov. Landry's hero, was mayor of NYC, he was sued 34 times for First Amendment violations. He lost 26 times, and the other 7 cases either settled out of court or were withdrawn; Giuliani didn't win any of them.
I think we know where this boast came from, and if so I think we can predict how it will turn out.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:16 PM on June 19 [8 favorites]
"You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness" seems like one they could consider adopting.
posted by credulous at 2:18 PM on June 19 [8 favorites]
posted by credulous at 2:18 PM on June 19 [8 favorites]
This PBS.org article says it became law without Landry's signature?
white christian nationalist history vs Religion.
posted by rubatan at 2:20 PM on June 19 [3 favorites]
Although the bill did not receive final approval from Landry, the time for gubernatorial action — to sign or veto the bill — has lapsed.We'll find out if the "context paragraphs", and optional Mayflower Compact, Declaration of Independence or Northwest Ordinance might let a 6:3 SCOTUS/SCOTLA file this under
posted by rubatan at 2:20 PM on June 19 [3 favorites]
ps “If Trump is guilty on all of those 34 counts, then half of New York and all of Wall Street should be in jail,” Landry said.
Lock them up!
posted by rubatan at 2:20 PM on June 19 [11 favorites]
Lock them up!
posted by rubatan at 2:20 PM on June 19 [11 favorites]
I think I've figured it out now.
For Louisiana:
But he sure wasn't hurrying! :)
posted by rubatan at 2:31 PM on June 19
For Louisiana:
During Session: The governor must sign or veto legislation within 10 days of transmittal, or it becomes law without his/her signature. Post Session: Legislation transmitted with less than 10 days remaining in the session must be acted upon by the governor within 20 days of transmittal, or it becomes law without being signed.The bill was transmitted June 4th, after the session adjourned June 3rd. Thus, with no humorous gotcha irony, it seems Landry did sign it into law in time. Perhaps PBS missed the 10 day vs 20 day distinction.
But he sure wasn't hurrying! :)
posted by rubatan at 2:31 PM on June 19
Louisiana ranked 49th in public schools, I'm sure this will boost their rating.
posted by Marky at 2:38 PM on June 19 [31 favorites]
posted by Marky at 2:38 PM on June 19 [31 favorites]
The posters must be no smaller than 11 by 14 inches and the commandments must be “the central focus of the poster” and “in a large, easily readable font.”
Alright, but I feel like there is some room to have fun with fonts.
posted by coffeecat at 2:38 PM on June 19 [13 favorites]
Alright, but I feel like there is some room to have fun with fonts.
posted by coffeecat at 2:38 PM on June 19 [13 favorites]
Judging by the billboards I see along my recent I-10 drives, Louisiana is becoming even more crazytown than it usually is. It's weird to cross over into Texas or Mississippi and think "this seems more normal now"
posted by credulous at 2:40 PM on June 19 [5 favorites]
posted by credulous at 2:40 PM on June 19 [5 favorites]
This bill, like any such legislation, “requires a specific version of the Ten Commandments.”
...
This is not “The Ten Commandments” that can be found in any Bible. It’s “The Ten Commandments” that Hollywood used to promote DeMille’s 1956 blockbuster The Ten Commandments.
Fred Clark on the subject.
posted by Ickster at 2:43 PM on June 19 [40 favorites]
...
This is not “The Ten Commandments” that can be found in any Bible. It’s “The Ten Commandments” that Hollywood used to promote DeMille’s 1956 blockbuster The Ten Commandments.
Fred Clark on the subject.
posted by Ickster at 2:43 PM on June 19 [40 favorites]
I assume there aren't any other challenges in Louisiana and the money spent defending this really doesn't have a higher use! Must be nice to live in such a paradise.
posted by Carillon at 2:48 PM on June 19 [6 favorites]
posted by Carillon at 2:48 PM on June 19 [6 favorites]
So, this is ridiculous, and if it were ten or twenty years ago, I'd have disregarded it as posturing that would get struck down just like all other similar attempts have.
But this isn't then, this is now, and with the current SCOTUS and fascists ready to use it for all it's worth, this might actually be a serious attempt at breaking down the first amendment wall of separation, and I wouldn't necessarily bet against it being successful.
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 2:55 PM on June 19 [14 favorites]
But this isn't then, this is now, and with the current SCOTUS and fascists ready to use it for all it's worth, this might actually be a serious attempt at breaking down the first amendment wall of separation, and I wouldn't necessarily bet against it being successful.
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 2:55 PM on June 19 [14 favorites]
C'mon, kids don't pay any attention to posters on the walls after 1 day. And in that one day, they're probably mocking it. This is pure performative "I can do this just to make you mad." Forcing opponents to either swallow their anger and ignore it, or to spend time and resources fighting it - and he doesn't care if he eventually loses. It's not his personal time and money he's risking.
posted by ctmf at 2:57 PM on June 19 [9 favorites]
posted by ctmf at 2:57 PM on June 19 [9 favorites]
If this isn't really being done for the edification of the school kids (spoiler: it is not) then it is pretentious and I believe people of conscience and faith should say so loudly and often.
posted by Western Infidels at 3:15 PM on June 19 [6 favorites]
posted by Western Infidels at 3:15 PM on June 19 [6 favorites]
Utah has a similar provision, that if the governor doesn't sign or veto legislation after a certain period of time it becomes law anyways. Wondering if the Satanic Church will sue to include material from other religions too? I know that was a threat when the Utah Legislature considered doing this last session and dropped it.
posted by msbutah at 3:25 PM on June 19 [6 favorites]
posted by msbutah at 3:25 PM on June 19 [6 favorites]
Can't wait for the Satanic Temple to win the right to put a big glossy poster of Baphomet right next to the 10C.
posted by Sublimity at 3:27 PM on June 19 [25 favorites]
posted by Sublimity at 3:27 PM on June 19 [25 favorites]
Alright, but I feel like there is some room to have fun with fonts.
T̛̝̅h̟ͭ́ó̞̕͜u̘̮̓͡ ̵̞ͬ̈́͡s̨͇̬ͣ͒h͍̦̣ͦ̄͟͡ͅa̧ͦ͘͠҉̜̭̞l̸̸̛̬̞̠̪ͥ̔̀͛ͤt̨̛̼͍̤͓̉ͥ̔̿ͦ͜ ̶̷̧̧̣̻́̓͘ǹ̵̢̢ͦ̍̆ͩ̓͏̦o̡͎͎̩͌̀͜ţ̷̥̮̌̀͝ ̨̧̡̫̳̙̗ͩ̊ͧ̌̾̄͟͟c̶̣̞̪͖͑͞o̸̵̰͉̿̓v̵̨̡͆̓͒ͬ̾̿̚͏̧̡̨̼̪̪͚̭̩̫̝͡e̢̛͊͋̽͏̷̟́̕͜ţ̧̢̢̛̙̼͕̩̮͚̽̅ͨ̎̎́͝ ̵̤͚͙̱͎̓͑ͨ͟t̎͛̍ͦ̓̈̌ͧ̄͏̴̱̗h̘͙̳̻͉̼͖̩̻̭̽̔͋͌̒̍͛͛͞y̷̷̧̨̧̛͎̭̠̩̱̱̮͎̜̯̌ͬ͆ͫ̉̕͝ ̶͎̦̩̖̻̱͆̓̑̇̍
posted by chavenet at 3:32 PM on June 19 [15 favorites]
T̛̝̅h̟ͭ́ó̞̕͜u̘̮̓͡ ̵̞ͬ̈́͡s̨͇̬ͣ͒h͍̦̣ͦ̄͟͡ͅa̧ͦ͘͠҉̜̭̞l̸̸̛̬̞̠̪ͥ̔̀͛ͤt̨̛̼͍̤͓̉ͥ̔̿ͦ͜ ̶̷̧̧̣̻́̓͘ǹ̵̢̢ͦ̍̆ͩ̓͏̦o̡͎͎̩͌̀͜ţ̷̥̮̌̀͝ ̨̧̡̫̳̙̗ͩ̊ͧ̌̾̄͟͟c̶̣̞̪͖͑͞o̸̵̰͉̿̓v̵̨̡͆̓͒ͬ̾̿̚͏̧̡̨̼̪̪͚̭̩̫̝͡e̢̛͊͋̽͏̷̟́̕͜ţ̧̢̢̛̙̼͕̩̮͚̽̅ͨ̎̎́͝ ̵̤͚͙̱͎̓͑ͨ͟t̎͛̍ͦ̓̈̌ͧ̄͏̴̱̗h̘͙̳̻͉̼͖̩̻̭̽̔͋͌̒̍͛͛͞y̷̷̧̨̧̛͎̭̠̩̱̱̮͎̜̯̌ͬ͆ͫ̉̕͝ ̶͎̦̩̖̻̱͆̓̑̇̍
posted by chavenet at 3:32 PM on June 19 [15 favorites]
This is not “The Ten Commandments” that can be found in any Bible. It’s “The Ten Commandments” that Hollywood used to promote DeMille’s 1956 blockbuster The Ten Commandments.
I wonder if someone can finagle a way to post the commandments in the Paleo-Hebrew script they used in the movie. I imagine that would go over well.
posted by greatgefilte at 3:35 PM on June 19 [4 favorites]
I wonder if someone can finagle a way to post the commandments in the Paleo-Hebrew script they used in the movie. I imagine that would go over well.
posted by greatgefilte at 3:35 PM on June 19 [4 favorites]
If this isn't really being done for the edification of the school kids (spoiler: it is not) then it is pretentious and I believe people of conscience and faith should say so loudly and often.
One might even describe it as “virtue signaling”, I daresay.
posted by non canadian guy at 3:35 PM on June 19 [22 favorites]
One might even describe it as “virtue signaling”, I daresay.
posted by non canadian guy at 3:35 PM on June 19 [22 favorites]
So you have to post the poster, but nobody has to actually follow the commandments? In that sense, making them follow the Cecil B. DeMille text might be protective for the eventual 1st amendment suit. This isn't a "law concerning the establishment of religion," it's just a piece of merch from the governor's favorite movie.
posted by penduluum at 3:36 PM on June 19 [4 favorites]
posted by penduluum at 3:36 PM on June 19 [4 favorites]
We already had to say the pledge of allegiance every day. At least a poster can be quietly ignored.
posted by tofu_crouton at 3:42 PM on June 19 [5 favorites]
posted by tofu_crouton at 3:42 PM on June 19 [5 favorites]
If I was a Louisiana student, I would be very interested in seeing the finished product, so that I could replicate the font and print out and mass-reproduce my own poster with Commandments #11 - 20 on it.
"Thou shalt not take bureaucrats seriously" should be at the top.
posted by delfin at 3:51 PM on June 19 [6 favorites]
"Thou shalt not take bureaucrats seriously" should be at the top.
posted by delfin at 3:51 PM on June 19 [6 favorites]
Alright, but I feel like there is some room to have fun with fonts.
Wingdings
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:52 PM on June 19 [9 favorites]
Wingdings
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:52 PM on June 19 [9 favorites]
Ah. I see they’ve lit the Church of Satan signal!
posted by higginba at 3:52 PM on June 19 [17 favorites]
posted by higginba at 3:52 PM on June 19 [17 favorites]
Anyone defacing the posters will be severely punished.
posted by Saxon Kane at 3:53 PM on June 19 [2 favorites]
posted by Saxon Kane at 3:53 PM on June 19 [2 favorites]
So in seeing this I was remembering discussions i had with my mom years ago the last time something similar was an issue in the U.S. She is of a different culture and of a different generation and really doesn't get why this is a problem at all. Like she's seriously not mean-spirited or wanting to foist her religion on anyone else but A) Probably could not list all 10 commandments if asked and B) Thinks "well don't all religions think it's wrong to kill people and steal and stuff and no harm in resting once a week" so what's the problem?
So I was arguing with my mom in my head and trying to imagine an analogy of if another religion wanted to come in and put up their equivelent and even if it WERE the case that the content of the rules were unobjectionable, the fact of it being another religion's rules foisted upon you is problematic. But I don't know if there even ARE equiavelent sets of "here are the basic moral rules" in other religions so I googled it and I came upon this page. And I was reading these lists of moral precepts for other religions and thinking "huh...'how interesting that I've never even heard of these religions...maybe they're indigenous faiths?"I don't know...and then eventually I caught on that these are fantasy writers writing about their within-world religions.
So here's my idea. You have to display these. It doesn't say you can't ALSO display other moral codes. Get the font/style/size etc. and print out another 100 moral codes and wallpaper the school with a million moral codes. Yeah, each classroom will have the 10 commandments and 15 other lists of rules. At the high school level have teachers do lessons contrasting the sutble differences between them. Lean into it. Let's have these kids thinking about moral codes.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 4:03 PM on June 19 [12 favorites]
So I was arguing with my mom in my head and trying to imagine an analogy of if another religion wanted to come in and put up their equivelent and even if it WERE the case that the content of the rules were unobjectionable, the fact of it being another religion's rules foisted upon you is problematic. But I don't know if there even ARE equiavelent sets of "here are the basic moral rules" in other religions so I googled it and I came upon this page. And I was reading these lists of moral precepts for other religions and thinking "huh...'how interesting that I've never even heard of these religions...maybe they're indigenous faiths?"I don't know...and then eventually I caught on that these are fantasy writers writing about their within-world religions.
So here's my idea. You have to display these. It doesn't say you can't ALSO display other moral codes. Get the font/style/size etc. and print out another 100 moral codes and wallpaper the school with a million moral codes. Yeah, each classroom will have the 10 commandments and 15 other lists of rules. At the high school level have teachers do lessons contrasting the sutble differences between them. Lean into it. Let's have these kids thinking about moral codes.
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 4:03 PM on June 19 [12 favorites]
Oh Christ with this shit again.
posted by zardoz at 4:22 PM on June 19 [13 favorites]
posted by zardoz at 4:22 PM on June 19 [13 favorites]
Fred Clark on the subject.
From the article, as they cite from axios:
The new bill requires the text of the Ten Commandments be printed on a poster no smaller than 11 inches by 14 inches and that the words be “the central focus” of the document.
Sounds good...
Remember me not the not is thyself I shalt that Thou neighbor his his not God nor steal thy images shalt father not the which other bear in not any make thy shalt thy long cattle, his Thou shalt it take manservant, the giveth Name Lord nor nor against Thou and thy neighbor’s shalt no of day, keep Honor God Thou thy thy covet thy the not shalt Thou false not upon thee thy graven be shalt the Thou adultery covet Lord LORD vain before neighbor’s shalt that God Thou AM gods anything house days shalt neighbor's. maidservant, may to Sabbath the land holy thy kill have Thou commit mother, not Thou nor witness to wife, thy
Via the lord R...
posted by JoeXIII007 at 4:42 PM on June 19 [8 favorites]
From the article, as they cite from axios:
The new bill requires the text of the Ten Commandments be printed on a poster no smaller than 11 inches by 14 inches and that the words be “the central focus” of the document.
Sounds good...
Remember me not the not is thyself I shalt that Thou neighbor his his not God nor steal thy images shalt father not the which other bear in not any make thy shalt thy long cattle, his Thou shalt it take manservant, the giveth Name Lord nor nor against Thou and thy neighbor’s shalt no of day, keep Honor God Thou thy thy covet thy the not shalt Thou false not upon thee thy graven be shalt the Thou adultery covet Lord LORD vain before neighbor’s shalt that God Thou AM gods anything house days shalt neighbor's. maidservant, may to Sabbath the land holy thy kill have Thou commit mother, not Thou nor witness to wife, thy
Via the lord R...
Script
ten_coms = c("I","AM","the","LORD","thy","GodThou","shalt","have","no","other","gods","before","me",
"Thou","shalt","not","make","to","thyself","any","graven","images",
"Thou","shalt","not","take","the","Name","of","the","Lord","thy","God","in","vain",
"Remember","the","Sabbath","day,","to","keep","it","holy",
"Honor","thy","father","and","thy","mother,","that","thy","days","may","be","long","upon","the","land","which","the","Lord","thy","God","giveth","thee",
"Thou","shalt","not","kill",
"Thou","shalt","not","commit","adultery",
"Thou","shalt","not","steal",
"Thou","shalt","not","bear","false","witness","against","thy","neighbor",
"Thou","shalt","not","covet","thy","neighbor’s","house",
"Thou","shalt","not","covet","thy","neighbor’s","wife,","nor","his","manservant,","nor","his","maidservant,","nor","his","cattle,","nor","anything","that","is","thy","neighbor\'s.")
cat(ten_coms[sample(1:length(ten_coms), length(ten_coms))], collapse = ' ')
posted by JoeXIII007 at 4:42 PM on June 19 [8 favorites]
It as if the pharaohs have returned.
posted by credulous at 4:50 PM on June 19 [2 favorites]
posted by credulous at 4:50 PM on June 19 [2 favorites]
I am against this of course.
But I always wondered, without context the pronouns leave the 10 Commandments up to all sorts of fun. Who is "I" as in "thy God"? Without any pretext you could substitute anyone for "I". Maybe Barney the Dinosaur. Maybe the class teacher. Maybe Allah. Maybe the superintendent or janitor who had to put up the poster. Maybe Buddha. Maybe Vigo the Carpathian. Maybe Miette. Maybe YHWH. Maybe Tony Soprano. Maybe me? Or Peggy Sue. Maybe Shiva. etc
posted by mephisjo at 5:19 PM on June 19 [1 favorite]
But I always wondered, without context the pronouns leave the 10 Commandments up to all sorts of fun. Who is "I" as in "thy God"? Without any pretext you could substitute anyone for "I". Maybe Barney the Dinosaur. Maybe the class teacher. Maybe Allah. Maybe the superintendent or janitor who had to put up the poster. Maybe Buddha. Maybe Vigo the Carpathian. Maybe Miette. Maybe YHWH. Maybe Tony Soprano. Maybe me? Or Peggy Sue. Maybe Shiva. etc
posted by mephisjo at 5:19 PM on June 19 [1 favorite]
Lol. You could hardly find a better example of bearing false witness against your neighbor than Republican claims of election fraud. More to the point, Jesus very unequivocally said GIVE YOUR MONEY TO THE POOR. Maybe we need a law requiring that signs be posted to remind god-bothering Republican hypocrites of what it actually says in the Bible.
posted by Sing Or Swim at 5:23 PM on June 19 [11 favorites]
posted by Sing Or Swim at 5:23 PM on June 19 [11 favorites]
Louisiana doing what it does is far from "Best of the Web" but that write up of the history of the version is hilarious. I was centering a post about it for the front page but I'll massage it for a comment instead.
The version chosen by Louisiana was written by an Eagle. The original version was distributed by the Eagles as a poster to deter crime. The poster didn't number the commandments because the Eagles wanted to be inclusive and there are at least eight major versions of the commandments (that pick and choose between 12 declarative statements) and there isn't any consensus how to group them or what order they should go in. From wikipedia:
Wait, it gets better. Those concrete 10 commandments that have also been spread around? The first few were also marketing for The Ten Commandments. The first of six thousand bought by Cecil B. DeMille was opened by Yul Brynner who played *drumroll* the Pharaoh in the movie. I swear you couldn't make this stuff up.
posted by Mitheral at 6:13 PM on June 19 [22 favorites]
The version chosen by Louisiana was written by an Eagle. The original version was distributed by the Eagles as a poster to deter crime. The poster didn't number the commandments because the Eagles wanted to be inclusive and there are at least eight major versions of the commandments (that pick and choose between 12 declarative statements) and there isn't any consensus how to group them or what order they should go in. From wikipedia:
There are two major approaches to categorizing the commandments. One approach distinguishes the prohibition against other gods (verse 3) from the prohibition against images (verses 4–6):The wiki write up has a nice chart.Another approach combines verses 3–6, the prohibition against images and the prohibition against other gods, into a single command while still maintaining ten commandments. Samaritan and Jewish traditions include another commandment, whereas Christian traditions will divide coveting the neighbor's wife and house.
- Septuagint (3rd century BC), generally followed by Eastern Orthodox Christians.
- Philo (1st century), has an extensive homily explaining the order, with the prohibition on adultery "the greatest of the commands dealing with persons", followed by the prohibitions against stealing and then killing.
- Reformed Christians follow Calvin's Institutes (1536) which follows the Septuagint; this system is also in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer.
- Jewish Talmud (c. 200 CE), makes the "prologue" the first "saying" or "matter."
- Samaritan Pentateuch (c. 120 BCE), contains additional instruction to Moses about making a sacrifice to Yahweh, which Samaritans regard as the 10th commandment.
- Augustine (4th century), follows the Talmud in combining verses 3–6, but omits the prologue as a commandment and divides the prohibition on coveting into two commandments, following the word order of Deuteronomy 5:21 rather than Exodus 20:17.
- Roman Catholicism largely follows Augustine, which was reiterated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992) changing "the sabbath" into "the lord's day" and dividing Exodus 20:17, prohibiting covetousness, into two commandments.
- Lutherans follow Luther's Large Catechism (1529), which follows Augustine and Roman Catholic tradition but subordinates the prohibition of images to the sovereignty of God in the First Commandment and uses the word order of Exodus 20:17 rather than Deuteronomy 5:21 for the ninth and tenth commandments.
Wait, it gets better. Those concrete 10 commandments that have also been spread around? The first few were also marketing for The Ten Commandments. The first of six thousand bought by Cecil B. DeMille was opened by Yul Brynner who played *drumroll* the Pharaoh in the movie. I swear you couldn't make this stuff up.
posted by Mitheral at 6:13 PM on June 19 [22 favorites]
If anyone is going to add commandments #11-20, or even just #11, please add "thou shalt not rape" to the list. I guess they kinda forgot about that one in the first draft.
posted by abraxasaxarba at 6:25 PM on June 19 [3 favorites]
posted by abraxasaxarba at 6:25 PM on June 19 [3 favorites]
Can't wait for the Satanic Temple to win the right to put a big glossy poster of Baphomet right next to the 10C.It’s a funny image but it’s a mistake to think that Republicans play by the rules. Assuming this isn’t being coordinated to get a 5-4 SCOTUS ruling that this was the Founder’s clear original intent, I would bet on repercussions for any teacher who allowed the Baphomet poster or whoever is supposed to mature sure mandatory posters are up “forgetting” to check for it, or simply that the police mysteriously won’t find anyone who makes death threats. Political instincts from the 90s are an active hindrance now.
posted by adamsc at 6:26 PM on June 19 [7 favorites]
Isn’t there some kind of child abuse thing introducing the subject of Adultery into elementary schools? “Teacher! What’s adultery? Is that my parents, the adults?” And coveting your neighbor’s wife?
posted by njohnson23 at 6:49 PM on June 19 [7 favorites]
posted by njohnson23 at 6:49 PM on June 19 [7 favorites]
“The Ten Commandments, ranked by how applicable they are to the average public school classroom,” Garrett Bucks, The White Pages, 19 June 2024
posted by ob1quixote at 6:59 PM on June 19 [3 favorites]
posted by ob1quixote at 6:59 PM on June 19 [3 favorites]
Oy Vay iz Mir. Drives me bonkers when then they leave out the other 603 commandments. I mean if you're gonna reference Moshe do it up right.
posted by brookeb at 7:00 PM on June 19 [14 favorites]
posted by brookeb at 7:00 PM on June 19 [14 favorites]
Brookeb, my thoughts exactly. My favorite one to get theatrical about when I was doing post-bat mitzvah Torah study with my fellow teens was Leviticus 19:35. It’s about how you’re not allowed to lie about weights and measurements. Many jokes about dick measuring follows, teenaged snickering abounds, etc etc. If these poor kids are gonna have to deal with religion all up in their faces at public school, at least give them the full set of material to work with.
posted by Mizu at 7:36 PM on June 19 [6 favorites]
posted by Mizu at 7:36 PM on June 19 [6 favorites]
Mizu, and I'm assuming Louisiana will be installing mezuzot on all the doorposts at all public schools. Or we can just keep religion for actual religious spaces and everyone can carry on with their actual jobs - teaching and learning.
posted by brookeb at 7:55 PM on June 19 [1 favorite]
posted by brookeb at 7:55 PM on June 19 [1 favorite]
The only commandment that matters: "You are a joke of the Universe. You have no right to be here. And whether you can hear it or not, the Universe is laughing behind your back."
posted by zaixfeep at 8:03 PM on June 19 [9 favorites]
posted by zaixfeep at 8:03 PM on June 19 [9 favorites]
Yes brookeb, and also they will be updating the dress code to ensure linen and wool cannot be worn together, of course. And obviously, sex ed courses will be required and have mandatory quizzes on the many elaborate and contradictory rules about menstrual calculations, and when the female students and teachers must ritually bathe.
Or, you know, we could spend time and resources in public schools on damn near anything else.
posted by Mizu at 8:13 PM on June 19 [5 favorites]
Or, you know, we could spend time and resources in public schools on damn near anything else.
posted by Mizu at 8:13 PM on June 19 [5 favorites]
Why don't they just put up the Rules of Acquisition and be done with it?
posted by CynicalKnight at 8:47 PM on June 19 [16 favorites]
posted by CynicalKnight at 8:47 PM on June 19 [16 favorites]
How cute that they need the rule book to tell them what number of murders is OK.
posted by emelenjr at 9:53 PM on June 19 [2 favorites]
posted by emelenjr at 9:53 PM on June 19 [2 favorites]
Or they can just write the poster in cursive.
In a few years none of the students will be able to read it.
posted by TrishaU at 2:39 AM on June 20 [4 favorites]
In a few years none of the students will be able to read it.
posted by TrishaU at 2:39 AM on June 20 [4 favorites]
Louisiana newspapers should start keeping track and publishing how often their politicians bear false witness. It's like the #1 thing the GOP does.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 5:27 AM on June 20 [5 favorites]
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 5:27 AM on June 20 [5 favorites]
Performative Christo-fascism, where the cruelty is the point. The idea that Charlton Heston's granite post-it note is still a thing is another sign that we are doomed as a species if we fail to shrug off the shackles of organised religion and its sidekick, rentier capitalism.
posted by aeshnid at 5:35 AM on June 20 [5 favorites]
posted by aeshnid at 5:35 AM on June 20 [5 favorites]
It’s a set up for a test case, but not a good one. I could see ACB, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh going for a law that permitted school districts to post the Ten Commandments - an expression of local parental values - but not a law that forces them to do so. District Court has to strike it down, and Fifth Circuit has to affirm - but SCOTUS will deny cert.
posted by MattD at 6:55 AM on June 20 [1 favorite]
posted by MattD at 6:55 AM on June 20 [1 favorite]
I came here to ask 'which commandments', but I find that's covered in TFA, along with the 'nice chart'.
I like the Wingdings idea- I assume that follows the law.
posted by MtDewd at 7:51 AM on June 20
I like the Wingdings idea- I assume that follows the law.
posted by MtDewd at 7:51 AM on June 20
I think we need to do our part to help with this valuable educational opportunity! I need someone who is good with art (or prompt engineering) to help me make my illustrated version:
Thou shalt have no other gods before me
Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven images
Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain
Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy
Honor thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee
Thou shalt not kill
Thou shalt not commit adultery
Thou shalt not steal
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his cattle, nor anything that is thy neighbor's
I'm sure the hive mind here can improve on these, the important thing is we have to take the opportunity to Teach the Controversy!
posted by pulposus at 8:57 AM on June 20 [11 favorites]
- An adoring crowd looks left, to Jesus, who is throwing the money lenders from the temple. Behind the crowd are their discarded MAGA hats, and to the far right, Donald Trump cries into a forlorn-looking Elon Musk's chest.
- Devon Henry takes down a confederate statue and/or commemorative plaque.
- Marjorie Taylor Green shouts incoherently about how God has some opinion on abortions, while Jesus helps a woman chose for herself.
- The CEO of Walmart closes the door on one of its stores, shaking the hand of a minimum wage worker who is leaving to praise the joy of free existence on a Sunday.
- A medical administrator waves away a couple's attempt to pay for the birth of their child, while Uncle Sam reaches into his pockets to pay the bill.
- Derek Chauvin kneels on George Floyd's neck, surrounded by a group recording the scene on their phones. The lights from the phone flashes make small haloes over those bearing witness. To the right, he is shown joining Kyle Rittenhouse and George Zimmerman in hell.
- Can we do a second one for Donald Trump? He's their favorite.
- Cops attempt to take Cristal Starling's savings for no reason, but are forced to return it by a crowd holding "Defund the Police" signs.
- Mike Johnson tries to claim that immigrants are responsible for the drug crisis, while true Christians who remember the teaching to love thy neighbor are welcoming them across the broken down border wall.
- Zionist settlers arriving with bulldozers, guns and fencing materials, are rebuffed from the West Bank by Christian people standing with Palestinians.
- Colonizers find a new land and upon encountering the First Nations there, either make friends and coexist, or go home.
I'm sure the hive mind here can improve on these, the important thing is we have to take the opportunity to Teach the Controversy!
posted by pulposus at 8:57 AM on June 20 [11 favorites]
If you think this obviously unconstitutional law won't be upheld by the courts, take a look at the Wikipedia page for "In God We Trust":
Some groups and people in the United States, however, have objected to its use, contending that its religious reference violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.[14] These groups believe the phrase should be removed from currency and public property, which has resulted in numerous lawsuits. This argument has not overcome the interpretational doctrine of accommodationism and the notion of "ceremonial deism". The former allows the government to endorse religious establishments as long as they are all treated equally, while the latter states that a repetitious invocation of a religious entity in ceremonial matters strips the phrase of its original religious connotation.[15] The New Hampshire Supreme Court, as well as the Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Circuits, have all upheld the constitutionality of the motto in various settings. The Supreme Court has discussed the motto in footnotes but has never directly ruled on its compliance with the U.S. constitution.[16]
"Ceremonial deism" basically means "this obviously Christian religious thing is not religious." It's kind of like "qualified immunity" or "enemy combatant" in that it's a two-word phrase the courts made up to make an illegal thing legal.
posted by AlSweigart at 9:01 AM on June 20 [7 favorites]
Some groups and people in the United States, however, have objected to its use, contending that its religious reference violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.[14] These groups believe the phrase should be removed from currency and public property, which has resulted in numerous lawsuits. This argument has not overcome the interpretational doctrine of accommodationism and the notion of "ceremonial deism". The former allows the government to endorse religious establishments as long as they are all treated equally, while the latter states that a repetitious invocation of a religious entity in ceremonial matters strips the phrase of its original religious connotation.[15] The New Hampshire Supreme Court, as well as the Second, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Circuits, have all upheld the constitutionality of the motto in various settings. The Supreme Court has discussed the motto in footnotes but has never directly ruled on its compliance with the U.S. constitution.[16]
"Ceremonial deism" basically means "this obviously Christian religious thing is not religious." It's kind of like "qualified immunity" or "enemy combatant" in that it's a two-word phrase the courts made up to make an illegal thing legal.
posted by AlSweigart at 9:01 AM on June 20 [7 favorites]
Not trying to dwell on the "which commandments" thing, but it's very confusing to me that the list of Ten Commandments as specified in the language of the law appears to contain at least eleven separate commandments. One wonders if the bill drafters learned to count in Louisiana public schools?
posted by nickmark at 9:24 AM on June 20 [1 favorite]
posted by nickmark at 9:24 AM on June 20 [1 favorite]
Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven images
Lest we forget the lesson of Big Butter Jesus
posted by MtDewd at 10:10 AM on June 20
Lest we forget the lesson of Big Butter Jesus
posted by MtDewd at 10:10 AM on June 20
So here's my idea. You have to display these. It doesn't say you can't ALSO display other moral codes. Get the font/style/size etc. and print out another 100 moral codes and wallpaper the school with a million moral codes. Yeah, each classroom will have the 10 commandments and 15 other lists of rules. At the high school level have teachers do lessons contrasting the sutble differences between them. Lean into it. Let's have these kids thinking about moral codes.
I nominate the constitution of Užupis:
Original in Lithuanian
Google Translate (click « Lithuanian / Lithuanian (Original)» to expand)
If anyone is going to add commandments #11-20, or even just #11, please add "thou shalt not rape" to the list. I guess they kinda forgot about that one in the first draft.
Yep, they got that!
20. A person has no right to rape.
posted by khedron at 11:08 AM on June 20 [2 favorites]
I nominate the constitution of Užupis:
Original in Lithuanian
Google Translate (click « Lithuanian / Lithuanian (Original)» to expand)
If anyone is going to add commandments #11-20, or even just #11, please add "thou shalt not rape" to the list. I guess they kinda forgot about that one in the first draft.
Yep, they got that!
20. A person has no right to rape.
posted by khedron at 11:08 AM on June 20 [2 favorites]
Hey! Great news, everybody! This is one of the less horrifying education bills that passed on the same day.
posted by polecat at 4:51 PM on June 20 [5 favorites]
posted by polecat at 4:51 PM on June 20 [5 favorites]
Lest we forget the lesson of Big Butter Jesus Link rot killing the highlights
posted by achrise at 7:46 PM on June 20
posted by achrise at 7:46 PM on June 20
This law already contradicts the true 10th commandment: "You shall set up these stones, which I command you today, on Aargaareezem."
posted by Pyrogenesis at 3:36 AM on June 21
posted by Pyrogenesis at 3:36 AM on June 21
Your least favorite all-caps social media poster yesterday:
I LOVE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, AND MANY OTHER PLACES, FOR THAT MATTER. READ IT — HOW CAN WE, AS A NATION, GO WRONG??? THIS MAY BE, IN FACT, THE FIRST MAJOR STEP IN THE REVIVAL OF RELIGION, WHICH IS DESPERATELY NEEDED, IN OUR COUNTRY. BRING BACK TTC!!!
posted by box at 9:03 AM on June 22 [1 favorite]
I LOVE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, AND MANY OTHER PLACES, FOR THAT MATTER. READ IT — HOW CAN WE, AS A NATION, GO WRONG??? THIS MAY BE, IN FACT, THE FIRST MAJOR STEP IN THE REVIVAL OF RELIGION, WHICH IS DESPERATELY NEEDED, IN OUR COUNTRY. BRING BACK TTC!!!
posted by box at 9:03 AM on June 22 [1 favorite]
What if my neighbor has a really nice ass?
posted by kirkaracha at 11:03 AM on June 22 [2 favorites]
posted by kirkaracha at 11:03 AM on June 22 [2 favorites]
Don't covet it; go get it. It's a command for action.
posted by The corpse in the library at 11:36 AM on June 22 [2 favorites]
posted by The corpse in the library at 11:36 AM on June 22 [2 favorites]
Don't covet it; go get it. It's a command for action.
As Spock would say, "Live long and get some."
posted by kirkaracha at 4:03 PM on June 25 [1 favorite]
As Spock would say, "Live long and get some."
posted by kirkaracha at 4:03 PM on June 25 [1 favorite]
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