Holy Cheerleaders

On October 19^th in “In the Pink”, a satirical political commentary blog created by Eileen Smith a local blogger, an article was posted titled “We’ve Got Spirit, The Holy Spirit.” It is a commentary about cheerleaders in an East Texas school district that have filed lawsuits against the school district for forbidding the cheerleaders to make religious oriented signs for school football games. A judge has signed an injunction siding with the cheerleaders allowing them to bring the religious signs. Furthermore Rick Perry expressed his support for the cheerleaders saying “We’re a nation that’s built on the concept of free expression of ideas,” Perry said. “We’re also a culture built upon the concept that the original law is God’s law, outlined in the Ten Commandments. If you think about it, the Kountze cheerleaders simply wanted to call a little attention to their faith and to their Lord.” Eileen Smith satires the story by making referring to her childhood as a cheerleader whose only interest were mundane teenage activities.

                While the article made me laugh and was well written it is obvious she believed the cheerleaders are ridiculous. But I have to disagree, while I am an atheist and believe in an extreme enforcement of separation of church and state, I am a firm believer in freedom of expression and if cheerleaders and audience members at a football game wish to show their belief and praise in a higher power that is by all means their constitutional right. Having said that, I would be very curious to see how quickly these same people would stand up for freedom of expression if someone should up to their game with a sign that reads for example “Allahu Akbar…GO KOUNTZE HIGH!!!!”  Rick Perry on the other hand is as comical as ever. His assertion that our law is based off the Ten Commandments, which is a very common misconception, is nonsense. Of the Ten Commandments only four are laws, only two of which are serious and all four have exceptions. My concluding point is if people are not willing to support freedom of expression without exception then there is not freedom of expression only freedom to be intolerant.