Wait just a minute, Mr. President ... (Editorials).Newspapers all over the country have recently spoken against President George W. Bush's latest efforts to undercut church-state separation through his "faith-based" initiative, including his plan to use tax funds to pay for construction at houses of worship. Some of these editorials are in the president's adopted home state of Texas. Here is a sampling: San Antonio Express-News The San Antonio Express-News is the daily newspaper of San Antonio, Texas. It is ranked as the third-largest daily newspaper in the state of Texas in terms of circulation, and is one of the leading news sources of South Texas, with offices in Austin, Brownsville, Laredo, and The Bush administration's proposal to give churches access to federal housing money to build or refurbish re·fur·bish tr.v. re·fur·bished, re·fur·bish·ing, re·fur·bish·es To make clean, bright, or fresh again; renovate. re·fur buildings where worship services are held further erodes the separation between religion and government.... The proposal is the latest of the Bush administration's faith-based initiatives designed to eliminate what the administration sees as bias against religious groups in the scramble for government dollars to fund social services social services Noun, pl welfare services provided by local authorities or a state agency for people with particular social needs social services npl → servicios mpl sociales . This so-called `bias' is, in fact, a barrier between church and state that must be protected. Those who attend churches, mosques and synagogues and want to build worship spaces should pay for them out of their own coffers. They, too, should be concerned about government encroachment An illegal intrusion in a highway or navigable river, with or without obstruction. An encroachment upon a street or highway is a fixture, such as a wall or fence, which illegally intrudes into or invades the highway or encloses a portion of it, diminishing its width or area, but into religious affairs. The taxpayers' money must be reserved for the taxpayers' business--in this case, social services. (Jan. 28, 2003) Fort Worth Star-Telegram The Fort Worth Star-Telegram is a major U.S. daily newspaper serving Fort Worth and the western half of the North Texas area known as the Metroplex. Its area of domination is checked by its main rival, The Dallas Morning News The concern with these proposals goes way beyond the libertarian argument --a good one, by the way--that the use of tax dollars undermines the entire notion of charity, which is unforced giving to those in need. Tax and voluntary are not synonymous.... Administration officials believe that faith-based organizations have been navigating rough waters when it comes to competing for federal grants to provide social services. This rule change, they argue, puts everyone on an even keel. The Bush administration is tacking dangerously close to a perfect storm if it stays a course of government getting into the business of financing religion. (Feb. 1, 2003) Providence Journal-Bulletin Are religious officials ready to become de facto [Latin, In fact.] In fact, in deed, actually. This phrase is used to characterize an officer, a government, a past action, or a state of affairs that must be accepted for all practical purposes, but is illegal or illegitimate. government agencies? The fact is that there is no precise way of separating funds used to build altars and those to build counseling rooms. Construction money is notably fungible A description applied to items of which each unit is identical to every other unit, such as in the case of grain, oil, or flour. Fungible goods are those that can readily be estimated and replaced according to weight, measure, and amount. . One federal dollar used to build a restroom frees up a church dollar to build the altar. Further, how to determine what a qualified religion is? Will Druid Druid Member of a learned class of priests, teachers, and judges among the ancient Celtic peoples. The Druids instructed young men, oversaw sacrifices, judged quarrels, and decreed penalties; they were exempt from warfare and paid no tribute. houses of worship or those where Black Masses are conducted qualify? Who will be in charge of certifying religions? What a mess. (Feb. 7, 2003) |
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