In a move that could cause damage to his political career in the deep red state of Tennessee, Gov. Bill Haslam has vetoed a bill that would have made the Bible the official book of the Volunteer State.
But the governor’s action did not rely so much on the obvious constitutional argument as much as on the very sanctity of the Holy Book itself. Gov. Haslam felt that designating the Bible the state book would trivialize the great tome. He even cited the founding fathers in his argument. In a letter to Beth Harwell, the Tennessee Speaker of the House, he said:
Our founders recognized that when the church and state were combined, it was the church that suffered in the long run.
If Haslam had signed the bill, Tennessee would have been the first state to name the Bible as its official state book.
Many political observers are praising the governor for rejecting the controversial bill. They point out how hard it is for any Deep South politician to vote against the Bible. But all is not lost for the state as its legislators are hell-bent on passing the measure.
Sen. Steve Souterland, sponsor of the bill, said he plans to push for a veto override. House sponsor Rep. Jerry Sexton said the same and added that polls show the citizen of Tennessee support the legislation.
Supporters of the bill plan to override the veto as early as next week. All that is required is a simple majority in both chambers.
Considering the bill passed in the state house by a vote of 55-38 and in the senate by a vote of 19-8, an override seems a mere formability.
Tennessee may yet have that much-coveted distinction of being the first state in the union to make the Bible its official state book … whatever that means.
The Constitution? Separation of church and state? Just more easy work for our federal court system.
Photo | downtrend.com
This is so funny…except it’s not far from being completely true. Love it when these supposed defenders of values don’t realize the “values” they claim to be American are actually anathema to those true values. Then they yelp about countries imposing sharia law and wonder why we are seen as such hypocrites/assholes.
As one who walks into courtrooms daily that have large letters on the wall saying “In God We Trust,” and is offended by that, I guess I just have to get me some churchin up or something to understand.
Stephen, they do not see the hypocrisy. There is only one true religion in there eyes … theirs. Only when we make Jesus our savior will we be truly saved! They want to shove Jesus’s message of love ( which is alien to them) down our throats!
It makes you wonder where did these politicians learn their civics? On the back of a matchbook cover? Unbelievable. Its no wonder than Trump and Cruz are leading the party of Stupid.
Hey, as that Tennessee legislator said, the people of his state support the law!They are only following the will of the people … as dumb and uniformed they may be.
What is it about these Republican-controlled states that they do not understand the Constitution?
Republican politicians pandering to an ever decreasing base. In a way, it’s said to see the end of a political party… Not!
“Welcome to the good old fashion, religious valuing, homophobic, bible-thumpin’, corn-fed state of Tennessee, ya’ll. Bringing the dark ages back to life in the 21st century.” – Jon B.
“Tennessee is the state of 21st century growth by way of 13th century ethics.” – Jon B.
“The Southeastern United States seems hell bent remaining trapped in the 12th century. The Bible is a book that, at its best, is based on spurious and haphazard interpretation. It has been re-written, adulterated and altered more than 3,000 times in the past 4,000 years; a book that has been at the heart and the cause of more than 15,000 religious wars in the past 4,000 years that have butchered more than some 1.3 billion lives worldwide in romanticized bloodshed and human debauchery sanctimoniously justified under the guise and ruse known of as “The Holy Wars.” But what makes war holy? What justifies rampant bloodshed and murder in the name of God? Surely NOT God? Who told us to love one another and NOT to kill…and yet, viciously, egregiously and repetitively it is religion that does so even unto this very day! Only fools would dare to read the Bible verbatim. And if a fool and his money are soon parted, then how much sooner a fool and his life?” – Jon B.
“21st century religion, ladies and gentlemen! Bringing terror and tyranny to the world one heartless murder at a time.” – Jon B.
Southern evangelicals are not followers of the gospel of Christ (NT) but followers of the Torah, the OT. They are the “Christian” version of orthodox Jews.