Samuel Alito made news through insensitive remarks but hey. There’s something here to think about.

I listened to Samuel Alito’s speech in Rome, on religious freedom.

It’s forty minutes, but here are the key takeaways:

1. The sun revolves around earth. This is deeply rooted in both History and Tradition.
   You have a constitutional right to believe it.
2. Speaking of the sun. It’s fucking hot in Rome this summer.

-Alito remarks that, while it is usually hot in Rome in summer, this year is much more so. (It’s almost 100 degrees F at 6 am!)

Alito did not mention the obvious, that a recent Supreme Court decision struck down efforts to halt global warming. I’m certain the audience noticed this bland dismissal of climate change. Or maybe not.

3. American football is still the most important subject in the western world.

Football is a bridge to understanding. (Really?)

-Alito drew parallels between religious belief and American football fans. (“Cheese-heads” and headscarves: the same?)

-Sunday football vs Sunday mass, quite leaving out the range of thinking and creativity of the rest of the population immune to these distractions. (See #1. Sun revolves around Earth.)

4. Religious freedom is “embattled” and must be fought for. (It’s not, of course. Religious practice has just declined, despite the tremendous perks granted in the First Amendment.)

Yes, despite the fact that religious practice is protected, and that is clear in the Constitution, Alito blames “secular society” for what he sees as a limitation on religious freedom- that other people have different beliefs, too, he finds objectionable. (See #1, sun revolving around earth, again.)

-That belief systems must co-exist is not a battle, however. Coexistence is the opposite of a battle, in reality.

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(If true, that religion is “embattled”, the judge has definitely chosen sides. He has a prejudicial view, and takes up the cudgel for a particular religion, despite law and precedent. Impartiality, what good is it?)

Alito acknowledges his own view that the religious question is for him adversarial. It’s a struggle for power. Nothing but.

Alito, in addressing religious freedom, ignored the fact that the US Capitol was attacked by those who consider themselves Christian Soldiers.

-Leaders, like Mike Flynn, spoke “evangelical” to rallies, in order to heat up the movement to the J6 assault on American Democracy. Many in the crowd were led in prayer for the miracle that would overturn the election.

The large Dec 12, 2020 MAGA rally in Washington, just one week before plans were put in place for the J6 assault, was led in part by evangelical activists and Alex Jones, one of the Space Laser Community.

5. Alito shifts to an argument that goes without saying, that, of course, religious practice promoted charity and social justice. Abolition and civil rights.

-And yet, right now, states are figuring out how to enforce the Dobbs decision against women and girls and men and doctors and neighbors.

(Alito did not note that the power of the State to determine human rights based on religion was a foundation for totalitarianism in Nazi Germany. He did footnote the Holocaust, however, as something bad that happened.)

Alito did not explain the inherent bigotry of such a world view, how utterly parochial it is, nor that Republicans contemplate using military, national guard, martial law, to enforce it. No mention was made by Alito of the attempted Muslim Ban in USA.)

So who is embattled by whom, one wonders?

And then the Alitos had a really nice dinner while Rome burned in the summer heat.

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There is one point implicit in Alito’s remarks on religious freedom. He’s not too keen on freedom of thought as an inalienable right. Perhaps he sees secular society as a lot of cheese-heads. Misguided fans of culture.

He sees believers wandering in a fallen secular world, unable to express the full extent of their personal beliefs. Welcome to Planet Earth.

Alito did credit those- James Madison among them- who surveyed human rights and included results from a wide range of approaches to government from ancient history to modern life, an effort to determine what rights of all are most important to include in declarations of human rights.

So we see that, historically, it was secular scholars who made provisions for religious freedom- not the other way around.

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I’m certain Alito’s remarks were intended to be light in tone and not challenging to his audience.

But he signaled his dislike of society and his deep bias and the limited comprehension expressed of the real world- the world which many of us actually do cherish. Including the right to be free, truly free.

When I see Alito I’m not seeing freedom. I’m seeing social injustice and tanks in the street.

Vote Blue.

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jameskoehnsf’s Blog

Chief Justice John Roberts.

He took a rare opportunity the other day to comment on the opprobrium directed at the Court after the overturning of human rights, saying disagreements about an opinion do not reflect on the legitimacy of the Court.

That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard from a conservative- ever.

The Dredd Scott Court in 1857 was “legitimate.” That didn’t grant it integrity, when it upheld slavery.

It’s the decision, stupid.

To indignantly defend an opinion that was not set in precedent, that was written out of acrimony, and that includes hate speech, and was based in the thinking of an era of witch burning; that was issued immediately upon seating a corrupt court, with two stolen seats, nominations by presidents that did not reflect the popular will; that includes the spouse of an insurrectionist that lobbied for the overthrow of government, and then who ruled on her case.

John Roberts. He just ended the last vestiges of legitimacy with one word.

Americans are not in the mood, John Roberts, to be lectured on respect for a court that has not earned it or delivered justice and fairness and constitutional protections that are the right of every citizen- all without a hint of foundation in the actual reality of this year.

Totally illegitimate Supreme Court.

The problem is lack of respect for the opinions of mankind. Lack of respect for every American.

That’s how out of touch they are.

Roberts’ indignation proved the case against the Court.