Hysteria Legislation

I was listening to Tell Me More on NPR yesterday when in the third segment, they brought up Missouri's "Prayer Amendment" which passed with 83 percent of the popular vote. What struck me was some claims made by MO Representative Mike McGhee. The way he made it sound, every school employee in outstate Missouri is an atheist suppressing religion. Here are the stories he told:  a girl was singing a hymn while on a swing, and a teacher made her change "Jesus loves me" to "Mommy Loves Me." A teacher told the student he couldn't bring the Bible into study hall. And I driver who wouldn't let a student bring a Bible onto the bus. In all cases, he gave no names, neither of the students or their oppressors. He followed these by saying that they had "numerous" people testify that students were told they couldn't bow their heads and pray. No names are given. Not of the school. Not of the students, and not of the prayer Nazis.

Rep. McGhee came out with these one after another, they were his entire argument that the right to pray was under attack. Because I would be surprised if any of this happened. I know something of Outstate Missouri. First, I know a school employee who did anything like this would be lucky to keep their job. Second, if they did this, it would end up being statewide, then nationwide news. It's that unusual.

Third, there may be secularists here or there who would try to enforce such a strict reading of the First Amendment, but not enough of them to create an entire wave of prayer suppression like this, and there aren't that many secularists to begin with, and not many of those who work in Missouri Schools.

I'd like to call Rep. McGhee this week for the missing details and check them out, because I would be surprised if any of this happened.  It doesn't pass the smell test. I can't tell who's lying and who's passing the lies along unquestioningly, but none of his claims passed the smell test.

So, in outstate Missouri, rumors are that Atho-Nazi Humanists are cracking down on Bibles and prayer. To remedy this wave of purported oppression, they come up with the cockamamie "prayer amendment." The people are smoking crack, buy the crackdown stories, and give it 83% of the vote.

And now were stuck with a more defective state constitution. One where the unlikeliest fears are addressed. But it's the way governing these days: either creating fear or responding to fear. Soon, the people are only responding to their fears with no input from reality.

There are no battles in the Culture War quite like the imaginary ones.