Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Learning Manners From Your Subordinates
Some good reading from yesterday's Washington Post:
"Business on the floor of the House was halted for 45 minutes yesterday [Monday] after Rep. John N. Hostettler (R-Ind.) accused Democrats of 'denigrating and demonizing Christians...'
The House was debating a Democratic amendment to the annual defense appropriations bill that would have required the Air Force Academy to develop a plan for preventing 'coercive and abusive religious proselytizing.'
Hostettler, speaking against the amendment, asserted that 'the long war on Christianity in America continues today on the floor of the House of Representatives" and "continues unabated with aid and comfort to those who would eradicate any vestige of our Christian heritage being supplied by the usual suspects, the Democrats.'
Yesterday, Hostettler had a choice: to agree to withdraw his words, or to stick by them and face a ruling from the chair that he had violated rules against disparaging another member on the floor. If the member's words are taken down, it is considered a serious offense and the lawmaker would not be able to speak for the rest of the day.
Eventually, Hostettler rose and read a sentence that had been written out for him in large block letters by a young Republican floor aide: 'Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the last sentence I spoke.'"
You can read the entire article here.
Perhaps Hostettler will think twice before he tries to score cheap political points in the future. Democrats, as we have always done, were seeking protection for all faiths. Maybe the FBI should check Hostettler's desk for a Taliban training manual. He, like many Republicans, seems to like the idea of a theocracy.
"Business on the floor of the House was halted for 45 minutes yesterday [Monday] after Rep. John N. Hostettler (R-Ind.) accused Democrats of 'denigrating and demonizing Christians...'
The House was debating a Democratic amendment to the annual defense appropriations bill that would have required the Air Force Academy to develop a plan for preventing 'coercive and abusive religious proselytizing.'
Hostettler, speaking against the amendment, asserted that 'the long war on Christianity in America continues today on the floor of the House of Representatives" and "continues unabated with aid and comfort to those who would eradicate any vestige of our Christian heritage being supplied by the usual suspects, the Democrats.'
Yesterday, Hostettler had a choice: to agree to withdraw his words, or to stick by them and face a ruling from the chair that he had violated rules against disparaging another member on the floor. If the member's words are taken down, it is considered a serious offense and the lawmaker would not be able to speak for the rest of the day.
Eventually, Hostettler rose and read a sentence that had been written out for him in large block letters by a young Republican floor aide: 'Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw the last sentence I spoke.'"
You can read the entire article here.
Perhaps Hostettler will think twice before he tries to score cheap political points in the future. Democrats, as we have always done, were seeking protection for all faiths. Maybe the FBI should check Hostettler's desk for a Taliban training manual. He, like many Republicans, seems to like the idea of a theocracy.
