George Takei: Lessons in the First Amendment and Kim Davis

[justiceischeap]

Mr. Takei made this post on Facebook and I'm still smiling at his reply to a comment.

Well this is a bit of a circus. So let us be clear: This woman is no hero to be celebrated. She broke her oath to uphold the Constitution and defied a court order so she could deny government services to couples who are legally entitled to be married. She is entitled to hold her religious beliefs, but not to impose those beliefs on others. If she had denied marriage certificates to an interracial couple, would people cheer her? Would presidential candidates flock to her side? In our society, we obey civil laws, not religious ones. To suggest otherwise is, simply put, entirely un-American.

https://www.facebook.com/georgehtakei?fref=ts

To which one Shawn W. Janke replied (and got 130 likes for saying):

George, learn the first amendment.

https://www.facebook.com/georgehtakei/posts/1357502010945915?comment_id=1357502527612530&offset=0&total_comments=9275&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R0%22%7D

So George decided to give a bit of a civics lesson that was AWESOME!

The FIrst Amendment has two clauses that are relevant here. One is the Establishment Clause, and the other is the Prohibition clause. Congress may not prohibit free worship, and that is what so many claim is being violated. But it is also not empowered to establish any religion, nor to enact any laws favoring one religion over the other. Permitting a state employee to foist her religion upon others, denying them a fundamental right as articulated by the U.S. Supreme Court in Obergefell, would be to give government, through this agent, the power to impose religious doctrine and viewpoint. That it cannot do. Ms. Davis is in effect establishing religion by using her governmental powers to impose her religion views. I know the First Amendment, Shawn. Do you?

https://www.facebook.com/georgehtakei/posts/1357502010945915?comment_id=1357502527612530&reply_comment_id=1357529060943210&total_comments=647&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R9%22%7D

Suffice to say, Shawn didn't reply back.

[randys1]

1. Shawn is an idiot but maybe smart enough to know when his clock is cleaned

[daleanime]

8. True....

[Act_of_Reparation]

15. 10 bucks Shawn will saying the same shit tomorrow.

Strategic forgettery for the win.

[randys1]

16. TO someone else who cant debate as good as George does.

[Act_of_Reparation]

18. Sounds about right.

If Shawn cries himself to sleep tonight, it won't be because he knows he's wrong, but because he thinks George Takei bested him with rhetoric.

Sneaky Hollywood libruls and all that bunkum.

[yuiyoshida]

33. I am rather surprised he didn't respond ...

they learn on FOX NEWS that shouting down their opponent makes them a winner!!

[starroute]

2. Kim Davis *is* the government in this case

That's the point that's almost always ignored, and George Takei is to be applauded for emphasizing it.

[Raster]

5. Davis was not in jail for practicing her religion.

Davis was in jail for attempting to the Rowan County Clerks Office to force others to practice her religion.

[DhhD]

31. Davis's shares the Seven Mountain Apostolic Movement religion with Ted Cruz, that is not

evangelical but based on being an Apostle and getting elevated to a Prophet, in their religion. Ted Cruz was anointed as The One which is the King of the Dominionist Latter Day Rain Movement of Canada.

[underpants]

19. Very well put

[Beartracks]

23. Plus. One. Thousand. n/t

[mnhtnbb]

3. Good for George!

It's all pretty easy to understand. These fundies just refuse to accept it.

[Raster]

4. Bravo George Takei!

[smirkymonkey]

6. Touche George!

[hifiguy]

7. I dearly do

George.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

9. They don't know the Constitution....

It's for thumping, not reading.

Like their Bibles.

[tomm2thumbs]

11. double DUzy!

a thump for each

[Lars39]

10. Thank you, Mr. Takei!

[DrBulldog]

12. Thanks for your comprehensive post, George!

I have posted a very similar post - although not as thorough as yours - many, many times to many willfully IGNORANT Americans who won't read the Constitution, and then have the insulting gall to tell others to do so. I actually had CIVICS in high school back then, and was taught right then what the first amendment really means.

Maybe some Americans will also finally learn what the SECOND Amendment is saying as well.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

38. Just yesterday, I had to explain Marbury vs Madison

To a man from Virginia. I did seriously wonder if he had ever had a high school civics class. His interpretation of the Freedom of Speech clause of the First Amendment is of the "you should be able to say what you want without consequences" idiocy.

[Warren DeMontague]

13. Her First Amendment Right to believe and say whatever the flying fuck she wants, has in no way been

infringed upon.

That has nothing to do with her refusal to do her fucking JOB.

[tabasco]

14. I've seen dummies spouting the same garbage as "Shawn" right here on DU

LOL - they think the First Amendment allows a civil servant to discriminate against citizens because of religion.

[mindwalker_i]

17. Rock on, Sulu

Fire a couple of photon torpedos, right up Shawn's back door.

[TheOther95Percent]

20. People Like Shawn Are Why We Have An Establishment Clause

The very first words in the Bill of Rights reads "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion...

[Iwillnevergiveup]

21. Man, the trio in that video

looked like a scene right out of "Elmer Gantry."

You don't want to mess With George Takei.

[Beartracks]

22. Apparently, Shawn thinks same-sex marriage is a religion...

... and the government is imposing it on the populace?



===========================

[kacekwl]

24. Shria Law ,

isn't that in our constitution ?

[C Moon]

25. I'm sure Shawn of the dead said to himself, "Damn libs think they're smarter than everyone."

[Bubzer]

26. Game, Set, Match.

[TNNurse]

27. I follow George on Facebook

I cannot recall a post with which I disagreed.

[bulloney]

28. Hey Shawn! Don't bring a knife to a gunfight.

You teabaggers trying to argue topics like the First Amendment against people like George Takei makes for a pitiful mismatch.

[Tikki]

29. This woman was never denied a marriage licenses..

The only sting she could feel around marriage is her dysfunctional marriages .
So she found Jesus...I found something I love too.
And I talked to my mother-in-law before her passing and thanked her for
raising such a kind, loving, non-judgmental, liberal young man.

Tikki

[Fritz Walter]

30. The "Like" counter for Mr. Takai's take-down reply just passed 34,000

Let's see if it can't hit six figures before midnight!

[Skittles]

32. Thanking Mr. Takei

he keeps on fighting the good fight and we are with him

[allan01]

34. i love it when these so and sos get shut down and go sputter sput sputt or notheing at all :)

go george go! and that is why my new political cartoon mascot is an ostrach

[Geronimoe]

35. This isn't about Religious beliefs

This is about snake oil preachers trying to make money from the ignorant. Selling hatred, intolerance and ignorance. Giving followers a sense that they are the select few God loves and will get first class ticket to heaven for eternity.

Homosexual relationship were common during Jesus's time and he never spoke specifically about it. He indicated promiscuity was sinful and sex outside of marriage. Marriages were also handled by the government during his time, The church got into the game around 300 AD.

Kim's job was to issue secular marriage licenses. She has no idea if any of these couples will have religious ceremony or not. The Christian's God decides for himself what marriages are legit or not. We see this aspect when one wants an annulment from the church. A religious marriage would be handled by church and minister/priest. Kim plays no role in this at all.

Picking one issue out of the Bible that may be poorly understood, bastardized in translation and by the church is not practicing one's faith. rather an excuse to be a bigot.

[L. Coyote]

36. Simply put, she has freedom of religion, not freedom to impose her religion (religious freedom)

[WestCoastLib]

37. I sent him a PM on facebook

[Fantastic Anarchist]

39. I love it when a plan comes together like that.

It's a "proceed, Governor" moment when that happens.

[tabasco]

40. Takei is always a voice of reason

We need more like him.

[d_legendary1]

41. Eloquent response

accompanied with metaphoric slap across the head. I likes it!

[SleeplessinSoCal]

42. Copy and paste George's lesson everywhere! N/T

[Initech]

43. Ooooooooooooh myyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!

This is why George Takei rules!

[progressoid]

44. Rec!