Sometimes you just gotta wonder what our lawmakers are using for brains.
We listen to their campaign ads (no matter how hard we try to block out all the white noise) and we elect ‘em to go to Washington – or in our particular state’s case, Baton Rouge – and somehow expect them to become our representative rocks of responsibility and responsiveness.
And virtually without fail, we’re dismally disappointed, disillusioned and demoralized.
Okay, that’s it for the alliterations. But you get my drift.
Take the current hoopla on noncitizen voting, for example. Congressional right-wingers Sen. Mike Lee of Utah and Rep. Chip Roy of Texas are co-sponsoring a bill to make it ILLEGAL for non-citizens to vote in federal elections.
House Speaker Mike Johnson – one of several political hacks who represent Louisiana, by the way – is solidly behind the bill even though Arkansas was the very last state to pass just such a law prohibiting non-citizens from voting in federal elections – in 1926, almost a century ago.
The law is a little more vague for some state elections, but Lee’s and Roy’s bill does not address state elections. It specifically applies to federal elections, already quite well addressed and addressed AGAIN in 1996.
Johnson, as you may or may not know, fancies himself as a constitutional scholar. That being the case, why doesn’t he know that Lee’s and Roy’s bill is a tad redundant? The answer is, he does. He just doesn’t give a damn. It’s political rhetoric, pure grandstanding. Period.
That, then, raises a second question: why are Johnson, Roy, Lee, Trump advisor and racist in-residence Stephen Miller and nutcase, er conservative activist Cleta Mitchell pushing the bill so avidly? For that answer, I’ll allow two Republicans to respond. Republican consultant Charlie Black said, “The people who are promoting it know it is already illegal. But they hope by promoting the issue to convince voters that illegal immigrants are voting.”
Former Rep. Charlie Dent was even more succinct: “They’re trying to tie this to the border issue. It’s completely campaign-driven by challenging Democrats to vote against it.”
Louisiana voters even TIGHTENED restrictions on non-citizens in 2022 via a constitutional amendments – apparently the legislature’s urgent reaction to that stolen 2020 election.
For more reading on a law that’s already firmly established on the books, go HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE.
All of which begs yet another question: why the hell don’t these people just do their jobs and work for what is best for the country instead of what’s best for the party?
That, of course, will never be answered as long as big money running the political process and mentally deficient mouth-breathers representing us in Washington and Baton Rouge.
And that brings me to Baton Rouge and the Louisiana State Senate’s ill-advised bill passed by votes of 82-19 by the HOUSE and 30-8 in the SENATE that would require all schools receiving state aid to post the TEN COMMANDMENTS in each and every classroom.
It’s not that I believe the Ten Commandments themselves are ill-advised. Taken at face value and adhered to by every individual on the planet, I believe they would be the only laws necessary for civilization to exist and advance. Having said that, I don’t want any of the trolls out there to try and say I’m against the Ten Commandments.
But I couldn’t help but notice there was nothing in the bill requiring the posting of the Commandments in the halls, offices and chambers of the Louisiana State Capitol complex. That’s because, as the well-worn jokes goes, prohibiting lying, stealing, adultery and the worship of false idols (money) could create a hostile work environment.
But Rep. Dodie Horton (R-Haughton) might have been wiser put a little more thought into her bill before filing it and the Legislature probably should’ve done a little more research before passing it.
For example: which version of the Ten Commandments is to be posted in the classrooms?
I mean, Protestants have one version that is worded slightly differently than the Catholic version. And then there are commandments that are etched into the beliefs of Hindus, Buddhist and even Islamics. Here they are:
Protestant Ten Commandments
- You shall have no other gods but me.
- You shall not make unto you any graven images
- You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain
- You shall remember the Sabbath and keep it holy
- Honor your mother and father
- You shall not murder
- You shall not commit adultery
- You shall not steal
- You shall not bear false witness
- You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor
Catholic Ten Commandments
- I, the Lord, am your God. You shall not have other gods besides me.
- You shall not take the name of the Lord God in vain
- Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day
- Honor your father and your mother
- You shall not kill
- You shall not commit adultery
- You shall not steal
- You shall not bear false witness
- You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife
- You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods
Hindu Commandments
- Satya (Truth)
- Ahimsa (Non-violence)
- Brahmacharya (Celibacy, non-adultery)
- Asteya (No desire to possess or steal)
- Aparighara (Non-corrupt)
- Shaucha (Cleanliness)
- Santosh (Contentment)
- Swadhyaya (Reading of scriptures)
Buddhism Ten Commandments
- Abstinence from destroying life.
- Abstinence from taking what is not given.
- Abstinence from unchastity.
- Abstinence from falsehood.
- Abstinence from spirituous liquors, strong drink, intoxicants, which are a cause of negligence.
- Abstinence from eating at the wrong time [i.e. after noon].
- Abstinence from looking at dancing, singing, music, and plays.
- Abstinence from wearing garlands, scents, unguents, ornaments, and adornments, which are a cause of negligence.
- Abstinence from a high or large bed.
- Abstinence from accepting gold and silver.
The Ten Commandments of the Qur’an 29
- Your God is one God. There is no God but him, the Gracious, the Merciful
- Do not call upon another god alongside Allah. There is no God but him. Everything will perish but his countenance. Judgment belongs to him, and to him you will return.
- Unto Allah belong the best names, so call upon him by them and leave those who violate the sanctity of his names.
- O you who believe, when the prayer is announced on Friday, then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew. No one takes a bath on Friday, purifies himself as much as he can, uses oil or perfume in his house, then proceeds for prayer and does not separate two persons sitting together, then prays as much as is written for him and remains silent while the prayer leader is delivering the sermon, except that his minor sins between this Friday and the previous would be forgiven.
- Worship Allah and associate nothing with him, and be good to parents and relatives.
- The believers are those who do not call upon another god alongside Allah or kill the soul which Allah has made sacred except by right of justice.
- Do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Verily, it is immoral and an evil way.
- Do not consume the wealth of each other in falsehood.
- O you who believe, fear Allah and always speak the truth.
- Do they envy people for what Allah has given them of his bounty?
So, Rep. Horton, which one is it gonna be? Or do you propose posting all five in every classroom?
If you choose just one, you’re going to be in direct violation of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution which says quite explicitly: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” (emphasis mine)
I think I can safely predict that if you omit even one of the above versions, the Gret Stet of Looziana is gonna find itself embroiled in some nasty and expensive litigation of (excuse the bad pun) Biblical proportions. Of course, it’ll be a financial windfall for the contract attorneys who made significant campaign contributions to the right candidates.
Louisiana Voice 
This is an excellent treatise on the subject. Thank you for this edification.
Great article! I will not put in response any of my stories/jokes, well one, “Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself, just do not covet his ass” thanks ron thompson
The new Louisiana Attorney General better get the civil litigation team into fighting trim. Being that she’s just a clone of Jeff Landry in a skirt, she should be only too happy defend the state in the many lawsuits that may arise from legislation in this session. Unconstitutional? (the ten commandments in classrooms) The state overstepping the federal government (FDA says abortion meds are safe, not controlled dangerous substances). Cruel and unusual punishment? (physical castration of some sex offenders) Refusal to ensure safe and warm school buses? (bill to require heat and other safety features in school buses voted down). No problem. We’ll just spend oodles of taxpayer dollars litigating the outrages instead of spending a little to make Louisiana a better place for children and other living things.
But that’s okay. All the money will be spent on expensive outside law firms that make big campaign donations to Landry and Murrill.
To be a “Republican” in the MAGA mob requires one to bear false witness. It requires ignoring the fact that your leader steals, covets, and committs adultery. It requires one to demand that other Americans live up to a standard “Republicans” can’t/won’t live up to in their own life. It requires one to revel in the hypocrisy of his/her moral, ethical, and spiritual bankruptcy. To be a “Republican” in the MAGA mob requires the utter absence of self-awareness.