Podcast Link.
June 28, 2008 – Guest: Champion of the First Amendment: Jim McCollum
Another ode to the defeat of prayer in schools (not that I disagree on the subject) The episode featured audio segments that many long time listeners probably have heard before. If you’re new to the long history of the battle between religious believers, and those of us who cherish our secular institutions, then this is a reasonably good introduction to the subject.
This is the 60th Anniversary of McCollum vs. Board of Education. I’d like to personally thank Vashti McCollum for her years of struggle on this issue.
2007 Archive episode.
June 30, 2007 – Special Guest: Kristin Lems
The announcement concerning the Supreme court travesty of justice that most Americans aren’t even surprised by these days (I think they’ve gotten one case right in the last how many years?) That in Hein v. the Freedom From religion Foundation it was ruled that taxpayers do not have the right to challenge the constitutionality of expenditures by the executive branch of the government. This is a departure from historical precedent.
The audio from this video clip was played in response to the decision.
Jon spins the Justice Kennedy Wheel for an update on Supreme Court decisions.
(the gag really doesn’t work without the visuals)
The only remaining remedy for us to end the office of faith based initiatives (another extra constitutional office, this one instituted by a purported conservative President. We’ve come a long way since Reagan and ending the education department, haven’t we?) is to lobby Congress to defund the office. One more activity that I’m not going to hold my breath over.
I regret to say that I had never heard of Kristin Lems before this episode. Considering that I was raised in the buckle of the bible belt that is the Great Plains region, I guess that’s to be expected. Days of the Theocracy makes the episode worth listening to by itself.
Of course, this comes from a guy who can quote large sections of Alice’s Restaurant from memory, with great pleasure.
2006 Archive episode.
July 1, 2006 – “Let There Be Light”
Phillip Appleman is the interviewee. Dan shows off his musical chops, setting some of Appleman’s poems to music. As the blurb on the FFrF site suggests, the Noah poem is the highlight of the episode.
