individuality

Chris Knight's avatar

Today the Supreme Court of the United States is going to hear arguments in a case regarding the interpretation of the Second Amendment. Namely, whether possession of a gun is the right of an individual or whether it’s a “collective” one.

I would like to report that I am cautiously optimistic about how they will decide on this, but I can’t even muster up that much.

This is the same Supreme Court that a few years ago that effectively destroyed the security of owning personal property by way of the Kelo decision. They ruled in favor of “the community” then and against the rights of the individual. Why should we believe that they will do any differently this time, on this issue?

Actually, I must confess that part of me is secretly hoping that the Supremes will attack individual rights on this one. Maybe then some of the Christians ...

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Last night the Rockingham County Board of Education, after months of outright frustration on the part of parents, students and other citizens, voted 7 to 3 – and with 2 abstentions – to rescind its April vote to implement Standard Mode Of Dress (the euphemism for school uniforms) at Reidsville Middle and Reidsville High schools starting with this upcoming academic year.

Now for the full skinny on what went down, at least from the vantage point of one of the members of P.O.T.S.M.O.D. (People Opposed To Standard Mode Of Dress) …

After last month’s meeting, when members of the board refused to acknowledge citizens’ concerns about the uniforms and the legitimacy of the initial vote, I had vowed to show up at the July meeting dressed in my Jedi Knight costume: admittedly, and I even said this last night, as an “attention-getting device”. And that’s exactly what I did. ...

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Chris Knight's avatar

Am still working on getting the full report about last night’s meeting up. It’s written, but it’s taking a bit to encode the video of the news clips that I want to include with the report. That should be done in the next hour or so.

In the meantime, here is the full text of the remarks that I made – while wearing my full Jedi Knight costume – before the Rockingham County Board of Education last night.

Good evening. My name is Chris Knight, I reside at 1516 Sherwood Drive in Reidsville, and since most of us came here to discuss uniforms, tonight I’ve chosen to wear my own.

Your purpose, as part of this democratically elected republic, is to present a bulwark against the citizenry becoming overwhelmed by its own appetites. That your particular task involves the education of the next generation gives your charge considerably more crucial ...

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Chris Knight's avatar

I just got home. I am feeling quite rank after wearing a full Jedi Knight costume since 4 this afternoon.

Here’s the quick tally: with 7 “yes” votes, 3 “no” votes and 2 abstaining, the Rockingham County Board of Education rescinded the Standard Mode Of Dress – the euphemism for mandatory uniforms – at Reidsville Middle School and Reidsville High School this coming school year.

Sometimes, the good guys do win one.

More later. First I’ve got to eat and shower and probably go to Wal-Mart to pick up some Gatorade so I can restore some electrolytes 🙂

Full report, including lots of pics, real real soon!

EDIT 07-10-2007 4:30 a.m. EST: The report isn’t quite finished. Part of it is capturing/encoding video of the news coverage that this got, so it can be embedded as YouTube clips. I’m going to get a few hours sleep, and then come back ...

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I’ve never understood why most churches in this country put an American flag in the sanctuary, practically on par with the cross. As if the apostle Paul had the believers in Corinth prop up a Roman standard emblazoned with S.P.Q.R. in the corner of their meeting place.

A flag is a symbol of temporal power and authority. It has no place in a house of worship… unless what the flag symbolizes IS a focus of worship.

And if it is, then there is a problem.

Jesus called His followers the “salt of the earth”. Only a little salt will preserve the meat. But if the salt loses its saltiness, as Jesus said, then it is worthless. And it does nothing. The meat will deteriorate.

That’s what Christianity in America has become: it’s lost its salt. Because too many of those who boast of Judeo-Christian morals don’t realize the damage they ...

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