House resolution condemning denigration of religious items? Good for relations with Islam.

[skip fox]

And if the Tea Party won't sign, then it's good Democratic politics as well since Republicans will not be able to spin their way out of this one. (Most of the population condemns Pastor Terry Jones. People who might normally consider the Tea Party and far right valid will re-evaluate their potential support.)

It's not against free speech because no one is muting, much less impeding, anyone's free speech rights.

Win-win.

[FSogol]

1. They can call it, the "Don't be an Asshole Bill."

:shrug:

[onenote]

2. Not against free speech?

Would you say that about a resolution that condemned "denigration of the flag" because it doesn mute or impede anyone's free speech rights? What about a resolution condemning the "denigration of the decision to go to war in Iraq" or "denigrating the Republican party"? Those resolutions don't directly mute or impede anyone's free speech, but they sure as heck would have a chilling effect and that's enough to violate the Constitution.

[skip fox]

3. A house resolution is a not a bill denying rights.What better way to let Islam know that

the US does not only not condone but condemns such actions.

That way our enemies cannot point to Terry Jones's actions, and imply (or to explicitly say) that he represents the feelings of many, if not most, Americans.

(You might check on Constitutional law.)

[onenote]

4. I never said it was

But it is an action by the government that is intended to, and likely to, have a chilling effect on free speech. I noticed that you didn't respond to my questions. Let me try again: do you think it is consonant with the first amendment for the government to pass a resolution condemning anyone who doesn't believe in Jesus and attend a Baptist church every sunday? What about a resolution that condemns anyone who votes for a Democrat.

Whether or not a congressional resolution can be deemed to violate the first amendment has never, to my knowledge, been litigated. But when the Senate passed a resolution a couple of years ago praising Christianity, there were several Democrats who either refused to vote for it or voted against it because they felt it was inconsistent with the First Amendment's separation of church and state. I think they were right.