Declaration: 'All Men Created':
Not Kansas, Washington!
 [name withheld]

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S-3206.2

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SENATE BILL 6500
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State of Washington

57th Legislature

2002 Regular Session

by Senator Hochstatter

Read first time 01/18/2002. Referred to Committee on Education.
     AN ACT Relating to the teaching of the theory of evolution in the common schools of the state of Washington; and adding a new section to chapter 28A.230 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
 
     {+ NEW SECTION. +} Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 28A.230 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The legislature finds that the Enabling Act for the state of Washington requires that the state Constitution not be repugnant to the principles of the Declaration of Independence.
     (2) The Declaration of Independence declares the self-evident truth that all men are created. The Declaration of Independence also declares that our rights are endowed by the Creator, and that governments are instituted among men to secure these God-given rights.
     (3) The Preamble to the Washington state Constitution also acknowledges the Supreme Ruler of the Universe as the grantor of our liberties.
     (4) Article I, section 1 of the Washington state Constitution also declares that governments are established to protect and maintain individual rights, which rights are already acknowledged in the preamble as being granted by the Creator.
     (5) RCW 28A.405.030 requires all teachers to teach the principles of truth and to instruct their pupils in the principles of free government in the common schools of the state of Washington. The self-evident truth that all men were created and endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights and that governments are accountable both to the Creator and the people to secure those rights is the foundation of all political, civil, and religious liberty in America.
     (6) Both the United States Constitution and the Washington state Constitution were instituted to protect rights endowed by the Creator.
     (7) All state legislators in the state of Washington swear an oath to uphold the Constitutions of the United States and the state of Washington.
     (8) The legislature finds that the teaching of the theory of evolution in the common schools of the state of Washington is repugnant to the principles of the Declaration of Independence and thereby unconstitutional and unlawful.
     (9) All textbooks and curriculum that teach the theory of evolution shall be removed from the public schools forthwith and replaced with textbooks and curriculum that teach the self-evident truth of creation.

--- END ---

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From: "Positive Atheism Magazine" <editor@positiveatheism.org>
To: [withheld]
Subject: Re: Creationism "Self Evident Truth" -- Proposed Law
Date: January 24, 2002 4:05 PM

Gaud! it just had to come down to this, didn't it?

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... that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government ...
     -- excerpted from further down in the same sentence of the Declaration of Independence

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Just making sure we're still awake, I see!

This almost sounds like it was written by Discordians, as a satire of some sort! It's too funny! -- except that it's real!

However, since Washington is now 25 percent atheists (nontheists), this will never fly. Never.

Besides, since when was the Declaration of Independence law? When was it ever law?

And how come nobody has ever tried to force us to use the Declaration's understanding of God -- "Nature's God" -- the god of deism?

Cliff Walker
Positive Atheism Magazine
Six years of service to
     people with no reason to believe

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Material by Cliff Walker (including unsigned editorial commentary) is copyright ©1995-2006 by Cliff Walker. Each submission is copyrighted by its writer, who retains control of the work except that by submitting it to Positive Atheism, permission has been granted to use the material or an edited version: (1) on the Positive Atheism web site; (2) in Positive Atheism Magazine; (3) in subsequent works controlled by Cliff Walker or Positive Atheism Magazine (including published or posted compilations). Excerpts not exceeding 500 words are allowed provided the proper copyright notice is affixed. Other use requires permission; Positive Atheism will work to protect the rights of all who submit their writings to us.