Blaine Amendment

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Here's a proposed amendment we need to bring back.

In 1875, something called the Blaine Amendment was approved by the House and almost approved by the Senate. It declares:

"No State shall make any law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; and no money raised by taxation in any State for the support of public schools, or derived from any public fund therefor, nor any public lands devoted thereto, shall ever be under the control of any religious sect; nor shall any money so raised or lands so devoted be divided between religious sects or denominations."

In fact, 38 of the 50 states have something similar in the state constitution.

But it needs to be nationwide, to overturn the miserable Zelman v. Simmons-Harris decision that upheld unconstitutional private school vouchers.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Nah.  Anti-Catholic bigotry isn't my thing.  In any case, it wouldn't stop voucher programs, just those that allowed church-affiliated schools to be part of the program.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Nah.  Anti-Catholic bigotry isn't my thing.

This amendment isn't anti-Catholic.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Nah.  Anti-Catholic bigotry isn't my thing.

This amendment isn't anti-Catholic.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaine_Amendment

[Bandit3 the Worker]

Nah.  Anti-Catholic bigotry isn't my thing.

This amendment isn't anti-Catholic.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaine_Amendment

It would stop handouts to all religious schools, not just Catholic schools.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Speaking as someone whose secular credentials are pretty well established , this is an issue I honestly don't really get. If a religious institution is performing a function which the government considers should be subsidized, and does it in manners that the government deems appropriate, there is no reason why they couldn't attract the same public subsidies that are assigned to secular institutions. Of course this also implies that the government mandates strict guidelines in order to avoid funding indoctrination efforts, but this is a matter of political will, not constitutional principles.

[Randy Bobandy]

This is probably even less acceptable in 2014's America than in 1875's America. Sad.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I hope you realize the reason for the "acceptability" of such in 1875 was probably mostly because of anti-Catholic bigotry, which was the point that was attempted to be made earlier.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

I hope you realize the reason for the "acceptability" of such in 1875 was probably mostly because of anti-Catholic bigotry, which was the point that was attempted to be made earlier.

The Blaine Amendment wasn't inspired by anti-Catholic bigotry though.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I hope you realize the reason for the "acceptability" of such in 1875 was probably mostly because of anti-Catholic bigotry, which was the point that was attempted to be made earlier.

The Blaine Amendment wasn't inspired by anti-Catholic bigotry though.

Thanks!  I needed a good laugh.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

I hope you realize the reason for the "acceptability" of such in 1875 was probably mostly because of anti-Catholic bigotry, which was the point that was attempted to be made earlier.

The Blaine Amendment wasn't inspired by anti-Catholic bigotry though.

Thanks!  I needed a good laugh.

This from Wikipedia:

"Blaine's mother and her forebears were Irish Catholics who emigrated to Pennsylvania in the 1780s.[5] Blaine's parents were married in 1820 in a Roman Catholic ceremony, although Blaine's father remained a Presbyterian."

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

So you are saying that every one of the voters who brought it so close to passing had Irish mothers?

All those racist Suddeners known for complaining about state's rights who probably joined with WASP New Englanders, did so out of a righteous motivation to preserve public education? Yeah. 

If it passed the House in 1875, my guess it had to have support of Southern Democrats (I highly doubt Irish supporter Northern ones would vote for it), though you didn't say when and they didn't take office until December back then. I cannot remember the majority the Republicans had from 1872 but I do know the Democrats won in 1874. Either way some Democratic support was probably necessary in either Congress. 

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I hope you realize the reason for the "acceptability" of such in 1875 was probably mostly because of anti-Catholic bigotry, which was the point that was attempted to be made earlier.

The Blaine Amendment wasn't inspired by anti-Catholic bigotry though.

Thanks!  I needed a good laugh.

This from Wikipedia:

"Blaine's mother and her forebears were Irish Catholics who emigrated to Pennsylvania in the 1780s.[5] Blaine's parents were married in 1820 in a Roman Catholic ceremony, although Blaine's father remained a Presbyterian."

So?  The most virulently anti-Catholic person I know of is a former Catholic and Blaine wasn't even that, having been raised Presbyterian and later became a Congregationalist after he married.  While I know not of anything to indicate that Blaine himself was stridently anti-Catholic, he certainly was willing to appeal to the sensibilities of anti-Catholic bigots with his proposed amendment.  Nor did he distance himself from those in his party who during his presidential campaign denounced the Democrats as the party of Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion.  Considering the Protestantism that was openly espoused in the public schools of that era, to think support for the Blaine Amendment was anti-religious in impulse instead of anti-Catholic is foolish.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

So?  The most virulently anti-Catholic person I know of is a former Catholic and Blaine wasn't even that, having been raised Presbyterian and later became a Congregationalist after he married.  While I know not of anything to indicate that Blaine himself was stridently anti-Catholic, he certainly was willing to appeal to the sensibilities of anti-Catholic bigots with his proposed amendment.  Nor did he distance himself from those in his party who during his presidential campaign denounced the Democrats as the party of Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion.  Considering the Protestantism that was openly espoused in the public schools of that era, to think support for the Blaine Amendment was anti-religious in impulse instead of anti-Catholic is foolish.

The amendment wouldn't apply only to Catholic schools. Where does the amendment make any mention of Catholicism?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

So?  The most virulently anti-Catholic person I know of is a former Catholic and Blaine wasn't even that, having been raised Presbyterian and later became a Congregationalist after he married.  While I know not of anything to indicate that Blaine himself was stridently anti-Catholic, he certainly was willing to appeal to the sensibilities of anti-Catholic bigots with his proposed amendment.  Nor did he distance himself from those in his party who during his presidential campaign denounced the Democrats as the party of Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion.  Considering the Protestantism that was openly espoused in the public schools of that era, to think support for the Blaine Amendment was anti-religious in impulse instead of anti-Catholic is foolish.

The amendment wouldn't apply only to Catholic schools. Where does the amendment make any mention of Catholicism?

And of course segregation and anti-miscegenation laws impacted whites and blacks equally, so they weren't at all motivated by racism. If you want to keep playing the fool, go ahead and continue to delude yourself.

[Bandit3 the Worker]

So?  The most virulently anti-Catholic person I know of is a former Catholic and Blaine wasn't even that, having been raised Presbyterian and later became a Congregationalist after he married.  While I know not of anything to indicate that Blaine himself was stridently anti-Catholic, he certainly was willing to appeal to the sensibilities of anti-Catholic bigots with his proposed amendment.  Nor did he distance himself from those in his party who during his presidential campaign denounced the Democrats as the party of Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion.  Considering the Protestantism that was openly espoused in the public schools of that era, to think support for the Blaine Amendment was anti-religious in impulse instead of anti-Catholic is foolish.

The amendment wouldn't apply only to Catholic schools. Where does the amendment make any mention of Catholicism?

And of course segregation and anti-miscegenation laws impacted whites and blacks equally, so they weren't at all motivated by racism. If you want to keep playing the fool, go ahead and continue to delude yourself.

So you're saying 38 of 50 states are anti-Catholic?

[Sol]

So?  The most virulently anti-Catholic person I know of is a former Catholic and Blaine wasn't even that, having been raised Presbyterian and later became a Congregationalist after he married.  While I know not of anything to indicate that Blaine himself was stridently anti-Catholic, he certainly was willing to appeal to the sensibilities of anti-Catholic bigots with his proposed amendment.  Nor did he distance himself from those in his party who during his presidential campaign denounced the Democrats as the party of Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion.  Considering the Protestantism that was openly espoused in the public schools of that era, to think support for the Blaine Amendment was anti-religious in impulse instead of anti-Catholic is foolish.

The amendment wouldn't apply only to Catholic schools. Where does the amendment make any mention of Catholicism?

And of course segregation and anti-miscegenation laws impacted whites and blacks equally, so they weren't at all motivated by racism. If you want to keep playing the fool, go ahead and continue to delude yourself.

So you're saying 38 of 50 states are anti-Catholic?

Yep, or at least they elected state legislatures which were.