O'Donnell questions church/state separation

[lonesomexloveus]

Just when you thought she couldn't say anything dumber than she's already said!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/19/AR2010101902501.html

WILMINGTON, Del. -- Republican Senate nominee Christine O'Donnell of Delaware on Tuesday questioned whether the U.S. Constitution calls for a separation of church and state, appearing to disagree or not know that the First Amendment bars the government from establishing religion.

The exchange came in a debate before an audience of legal scholars and law students at Widener University Law School, as O'Donnell criticized Democratic nominee Chris Coons' position that teaching creationism in public school would violate the First Amendment by promoting religious doctrine.

Coons said private and parochial schools are free to teach creationism but that "religious doctrine doesn't belong in our public schools."

"Where in the Constitution is the separation of church and state?" O'Donnell asked him.

When Coons responded that the First Amendment bars Congress from making laws respecting the establishment of religion, O'Donnell asked: "You're telling me that's in the First Amendment?"

Her comments, in a debate aired on radio station WDEL, generated a buzz in the audience.

"You actually audibly heard the crowd gasp," Widener University political scientist Wesley Leckrone said after the debate, adding that it raised questions about O'Donnell's grasp of the Constitution.

Erin Daly, a Widener professor who specializes in constitutional law, said that while there are questions about what counts as government promotion of religion, there is little debate over whether the First Amendment prohibits the federal government from making laws establishing religion.

"She seemed genuinely surprised that the principle of separation of church and state derives from the First Amendment, and I think to many of us in the law school that was a surprise," Daly said. "It's one thing to not know the 17th Amendment or some of the others, but most Americans do know the basics of the First Amendment."

[danthemjfan23]

A+. i would totally vote for this girl.

[xjustinxschwierx]

wow.

[¯\_(ツ)_/¯]

thats only one page of three from that article that you quoted. she's a moron though

[themullet89]

Love this.

[lonesomexloveus]

thats only one page of three from that article that you quoted. she's a moron though

I didn't feel like quoting that much, hence the link to the article!

[Guest]

Whatever. At least she has gone out and said she is not a witch. How many other public officials have stated they aren't witches? Exactly, none. So by logical procession, we are left to assume that all elected officials are witches. Thank God for Christine O'Donnell and her stand against the overtaking of our government by witches.

PALIN / O'DONNELL 2012!!!!

[lonesomexloveus]

Whatever. At least she has gone out and said she is not a witch. How many other public officials have stated they aren't witches? Exactly, none. So by logical procession, we are left to assume that all elected officials are witches. Thank God for Christine O'Donnell and her stand against the overtaking of our government by witches.

PALIN / O'DONNELL 2012!!!!

this would be funny if it wasn't the actual viewpoint of half of America, including the lady who sits next to me at work, who calls them Aunt Sarah and Aunt O'Donnell.

[masjohn]

I know way too many people that actually think like this... it's scary.

[adamlikesmusic]

Read about this earlier this morning. Chicks a moron.

[xjustinxschwierx]

Whatever. At least she has gone out and said she is not a witch. How many other public officials have stated they aren't witches? Exactly, none. So by logical procession, we are left to assume that all elected officials are witches. Thank God for Christine O'Donnell and her stand against the overtaking of our government by witches.

PALIN / O'DONNELL 2012!!!!

this would be funny if it wasn't the actual viewpoint of half of America, including the lady who sits next to me at work, who calls them Aunt Sarah and Aunt O'Donnell.

We need to get you out of rural Pennsylvania.

[blackswanns]

Wow and she wants to be an elected official. That's scary.

[kirbypuckett]

[lonesomexloveus]

i like when the crowd gives a 'wtf?' laugh reaction to her repeatedly questioning coons and him just ignoring her and she laughs along like she thought she got a zinger in.

[brotherkyle]

It just amazes me how fucking stupid people are. I know this is a blanket statement, but the majority of people on the right are batshit crazy.

[saxamaphone]

Jumpin' Jeezus on a pogo stick... What a dumb dumb dummy.

[goraiders]

Lets spend some time talking about what Angela Merkel said and how completely insane she sounds. "Multiculturalism does not work"

[thedeadlyrhythm]

This woman is totally evil, but although it may imply it and be intended to be as such, it really doesn't say anything about "separation of church and state" in the first ammendment. I believe that this is a loophole used in situations exactly like these by people like Christine O'Donnell and the religious right that has this country's balls in a vice grip. Around 85% of congress is Christian. (54.7% protestant, 30.1% catholic) They use shit like this to seem less insane and appeal to their equally, if not more crazy fanbase of moronic nationalist/racist cheerleaders. I should note that I am staunchly anti-religion and in summation: Fuck Christine O'Donnell.

[mcm1610]

I don't know how to get around the actual phrasing though. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free speech thereof;" To me, that means that Congress should be more or less indifferent to religion.

[travis]

Every week Bill Maher has clips of this chick on his show. Shes such an easy target but its hilarious.

[adamlikesmusic]

Was just browsing the TPM comments on Christine O'Donnell, and thought this one was pretty funny...

Limbaugh: College dropout.

Beck: College dropout.

Hannity: College dropout.

Rove: College dropout.

O’Donnell: Constitutional scholar.

[xxmartinxx]

I have to wonder just what the fuck she was thinking.

Has she never heard of the concept of "the separation of church and state"? Has she heard of it but really didn't think it was written? Is she trying to make a case that the Bill of Rights and the Constitution are not the same thing? Did she think that the 1st Amendment only dealt with free speech? I'm so confounded by her stupidity and/or insane logic.

[blackswanns]

This should be the countries argument against cutting our nations education budget when they should be investing in it.

[hankmurphy]

Fucking semantics...

I think we should give these nuts what they want. Break out the list of "recognized religions" in the United States and teach the kids about ALL of them.

See how religious parents like their kids being taught scientology and wicca.

[steventangent]

I can't believe that I'm about to say something that is going to seem defensive of this stupid bitch but...

...in as much as the constitution is a document that is open to wide interpretation, she is correct in that the "establishment" and "free exercise" clauses do not equate a "separation of church and state" explicitly.

The phrase "separation of church and state" is usually attributed to Thomas Jefferson, and he was using it to assuage the fears of the Baptist Church - not those who want to keep religion the hell out of government.

All that said, fuck religion, and fuck this stupid bitch for being naive enough to think it's a good idea to be a smug asshole in front of everyone about the intricacies of a constitutional principle that is constantly being shaped by the decision of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, as well as those of us who live in this country.