1st Amendment Fails in Indiana

After a notable history of book burning, Indiana is making waves with internet censorship. Last month the Indianapolis Public School System added two new categories to it's Inappropriate Content List; "Alternative Spirituality/Belief" and "Alternative Sexuality/Lifestyles." This means that school computers will now block all sites containing information on dangerous topics such as atheistic views, Witchcraft, voodoo rituals, "any other form of mysticism", LGBT information, fetishes and paranormal events.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is launching a campaign to protest this policy, claiming promotes it religion over nonreligion, which violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The FFRF Staff Attorney Rebecca Kratz also wrote that this policy discriminates against the 15% of the population that is nonreligious (the fastest growing segment of the American population), and limits student's capacity to expand their knowledge and acceptance of all individuals and beliefs."

Of course this policy limits student's capacity to expand their knowledge and acceptance, but only on INAPPROPRIATE topics; that's the whole idea...If atheists really are the fasting growing segment of our population, then what better way to reverse that trend than making sure children can only read about the mainstream religions?

Note: this post may be unavailable in the state of Indiana.

United Nations Saves Cellphones

Did you know the U.N. had meetings about cellphones? I didn't. Last month in Geneva, Switzerland, the UN telecoms agency passed a law that will make all cellphone chargers universal by 2012.

This policy is international and aims to cut down on global waste (and production) of cell phone chargers. With every type of phone using the same charger, no one will need a new charger when they switch phones. You will also be able to use a friend's charger, or a charger at work if you don't have yours in a pinch!

the Future of Afghanistan under President Hamid Karzai

You may have heard that Afghanistan canceled their upcoming election, granting the Presidency to the remaining candidate Hamid Karzai. Even without an election, the US has backed his new term.

Becoming President without an election seems bad enough, yes? BUT did you know the "new" President also supports stripping women of their human rights? Last August his office passed a law known as the "marital rape" law. It allows husbands to starve their wives if they refuse sex. It also requires a wife to get her husband's permission before taking any jobs and makes it impossible for a woman to have custody of her own children.

How did a law like this ever pass? Well, apparently the public did protest the original version heavily. That version removed a women's ability to consent to sex in marriage and simply stated that she MUST have sex with her husband every 4 days.

I guess the Afghan public now feels lucky the law was toned down. Just like they feel lucky that their President supports drug traffickers, standing armies of warlords, and bringing some of "the wonderful people in the Taliban" back into government.