I could have easily picked to write on any of the acts of congress. I could have made it easy and picked a pro gun act and threw in the right to bear arms along with a couple dozen examples of why a gun toteing society is a peaceful society, like the old west. But when I saw how no one felt comfortable or confident enough to write on the Religeous Freedom Restoration Act, I knew I was the one to do this one. Religeon is a huge part of my life, myself being a Christian. I knew showing each of the main historical court cases showing people fighting for their freedom from religeous persecution in a brief description would be a compelling way to approach this act. It was pretty hard for me to think of someone who would oppose this Act of congress, to hit each of the points for this Blog assignment on this particular act of congress. But I like a good challenge, and I enjoyed this assignment.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Friday, April 30, 2010
Blog 4 Assignment
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act By: Jarred Graves
First off I would like to appologize, I had planned this assignment as a Voice Thread, Yet I am working with substandard technology. I believe this argument would have been more effective and would have shown more emotion and passion with a Voice Thread. I hope this Blog will have the same impact in words and not sound like a list of facts, once again I appologize for the inconvinience.
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act, is a United States Federal Law that protects the free exercise of religion. It also states that the United States Federal Government should not substantially burden religious exercise without compelling justification to restore the compelling interest test as set forth in Sherbert v. Verner (1963) and Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972) . Most importantly, the RFRA puts the burden of proof on the government to provide evidence of a compelling interest in cases of freedom of religion, rather than simply state it.
The following cases are summarized to give some history and examples why the RFRA came into existence…
Jonas Yoder and Wallace Miller, both members of the Old Order Amish religion, and Adin Yutzy, a member of the Conservative Amish Mennonite Church, were prosecuted under a Wisconsin law that required all children to attend public schools until age 16. The three parents refused to send their children to such schools after the eighth grade, arguing that high school attendance was contrary to their religious beliefs.
Adeil Sherbert, a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, was fired from her job after she refused to work on Saturday, the Sabbath Day of her faith. The South Carolina Employment Security Commission denied her benefits, finding unacceptable her religious justification for refusing Saturday work.
The Archbishop of San Antonio sued local zoning authorities for violating his rights under the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), by denying him a permit to expand his church in Boerne, Texas. Boerne's zoning authorities argued that the Archbishop's church was located in a historic preservation district governed by an ordinance forbidding new construction, and that the RFRA was unconstitutional insofar as it sought to override this local preservation ordinance. On appeal from the Fifth Circuit's reversal of a District Court's finding against Archbishop Flores, the Court granted Boerne's request for certiorari.
Two Native Americans who worked as counselors for a private drug rehabilitation organization, ingested peyote -- a powerful hallucinogen -- as part of their religious ceremonies as members of the Native American Church. As a result of this conduct, the rehabilitation organization fired the counselors. The counselors filed a claim for unemployment compensation. The government denied them benefits because the reason for their dismissal was considered work-related "misconduct." The counselors lost their battle in state court. But the U.S. Supreme Court vacated the Oregon Supreme Court's judgment against the disgruntled employees, and returned the case to the Oregon courts to determine whether or not sacramental use of illegal drugs violated Oregon's state drug laws (485 U.S. 660 (1988)). On remand, the Oregon Supreme Court concluded that while Oregon drug law prohibited the consumption of illegal drugs for sacramental religious uses, this prohibition violated the free exercise clause. The case returned to the U.S. Supreme Court in this new posture.
According to The Costitution of The United States of America, the 1st Amendment states: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Personally I don’t care what religion one may be, they should be able to practice without persecution, of course under reasonable circumstances. The only people that would disagree with this act, in my opinion, would be people with no religion that might look at a reason for leave or practice of religion as an unrealistic waste of time or production speed bump. As a Christian, I believe in fighting for these rights because these issues are of the utmost importance to me in my life, as they are to the persecuted in these cases.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
Blog Assignment March 1st: Q#5
Though it may seem like contravercial to teach youth indepth subjects at such an early age I believe subjects like critical thinking skills should be taught as early as First Grade. Because First Grade is where you learn to apply the basics of reading writing and arithmetic, all very basic yet essential skills in life. Critical Thinking is a very essential skill, to be able to tell subliminally whether or not one is trying to manipulate your choices, knowing whether the source is valid, or to just question your decisions before you self-indulgently follow through with them blindly. Learing these skills in the most susceptable ages of learning will be easier to exhibit in later life as a learned habbit. I was fortunate to have parents that would teach me these skills throughout my life, yet most people in my experience do not attribute these abilities. How else do you explain people left and right getting suckered into purchasing products they simply don't need, and the constant commercial on TV, magazines and Online trying to tell you what you need to buy to be successful, desirable, better-looking or truely happy. Children need to learn do they really need that brand new shinny toy that everyone else is getting for acceptance or is it just going to be thrown in with the rest of the toys in a week. Its making rational conscious decisions that truely make us individuals, investing in what we think makes us happy and not what someone else tells us will make us happy. In conclussion I believe Critical Thinking is a subject that should be taught an early age, such as Primary School along with the rest of the essential classes. Another class that I might suggest is money management skills in economics, such as how to balance a checkbook or how CDs, loans, stocks and bonds work. I wish I had a class like that in High School if not earlier.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Blog Assignment
For my latest blog I chose to discuss one way technology has changed the way we do things in modern human society. The one way I have chose is the rapidly advancing means of communication being made available daily. From telegraphs to telephones and letters in the mail in a matter of days or weeks to E-Mails, Texts, and Blogs in seconds...it never stops. I furthermore chose to focus the closest on the latest Facebook/ MySpace/ Twitter/ Blogger craze. Though I see that it keeps us in closer contact with the ones we love as well as meeting new people and making friends, I have the same old fasion beliefs I do on the latest greatest movies and their "awesome" CGR special effects. What ever happened to the real life explosions, the great dare devils and stunt men from days of old? What happened to that great overwhelming chance to be taken or the pride you have in conquering such a great feat? If you you were to shy to talk to that one in a million guy or girl you missed out on that chance of a lifetime, but if you did take that chance...what a monumental story it was in the history of You. And what about the places and experiences you would talk to these people...now at the convienience of your own home! I am not a bright and shining example of my own theory, I only give the advice, dont waste too much of your time living your life with your head in the digital sand... Be a modern day dare-devil, Live it in the Real World.
Friday, February 12, 2010
HUM 101 Week 4 Poo Culture Survey
1.) The reason I picked the examples I picked is because these are the things that I ended up preoccupying my time either directly (such as reading a magazine or watching a movie) or indirectly (such as background music). Music is a big part of my life, it either pushes me through a tedious or boring task, mellows me out after a stressful day, or pumps me up for a late night of partying. Motorcycles are a growing passion in my life so I read as much as I can on them to enrich my knowledge about them. My other passion is movies, I probably own as much as 2,500 movies, enough to open my own video store, LOL.
2.) Though it was hard for me to ultimatly narrow my choices dow to a specific genre of influence, I belive the most influential partwould have to originate from Music. Like I said my answer to question 1, it can bring my mood up, mellow me out, or pump me up. A close second pick for me would be movies,. Alot of my slang and humor originates from movie catch phrases and scenes.
3.) I get through my life with humor, alchohol and porn, JK, but not really...or am I. Other than personal experiences, I get alot of my humor from movies old and new. As far as Political, Religeous, or serious influential choices I make pop culture does not directly influence my decision-making.
4.) Like I answered in the question above pop culture does not directly influence my decisions on serious matters in my life. It can however influence what cloths to buy, what movies to watch, what music I might enjoy. I am aware of the subliminal influences in advertising on what music to listen to what TV Show to watch, yet I have a certain taste for the classics. My "Free Will" dictates what I choose to watch and what I listen to.
3 Day Pop Culture List
- I read a couple of magazines- Hot Bikes and American Iron
- I watched the movie “Gamer” and “The Goods”
- I did a few Google Image Searches
- I searched You Tube for new movie trailers and I watched a few You Tube Videos
- I went shopping at Costco and Wal-Mart
- I listened to My Playlist while doing my homework
- I listened to some Sirius Satellite Radio while I cleaned the house
- I listened to Power radio on the way to work
- Talked to my coworkers and friends about music and movies.
- I listened to “The Jason Ellis Show” on the way to school
