{"id":3849,"date":"2016-04-26T09:28:55","date_gmt":"2016-04-26T14:28:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/?p=3849"},"modified":"2016-04-26T09:32:03","modified_gmt":"2016-04-26T14:32:03","slug":"oklahomans-vote-blaine-amendment-repeal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/skepticink.com\/backgroundprobability\/2016\/04\/26\/oklahomans-vote-blaine-amendment-repeal\/","title":{"rendered":"Oklahoma to Vote on “Blaine Amendment” Repeal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Via Religion Clause<\/a>:<\/p>\n

The Oklahoma legislature last Thursday gave final passage to SJR 72 (full text<\/span><\/a>) (legislative history<\/span><\/a>), referring to the voters of the state a proposed constitutional amendment to eliminate the state’s Blaine Amendment. \u00a0The amendment would repeal Art. 2, Sec. 5<\/span><\/a> of the Oklahoma constitution that prohibits public funds or property from being used for sectarian or religious purposes.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There is a healthy argument in the comments over whether the generic term “Blaine Amendment” is broad enough to encompass the specific language<\/a> which has always been part of the Oklahoma Constitution. I am not particular about the nomenclature used, but it should be noted that Blaine has been tarred as anti-Catholic to some effect.<\/p>\n

The people pushing this repeal would have you believe that the end\u00a0goal is merely to restore the Ten Commandments to the State Capitol; local media have been more than slightly complicit in helping this narrative along:<\/p>\n

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Oklahoma House, Senate pass Ten Commandments monument bills https:\/\/t.co\/GSmisjh7DZ<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/bONjHsDnFJ<\/a><\/p>\n

— Tulsa World (@tulsaworld) April 6, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n