Quote of the Day: “Religious” Does Not Equal “Christian”

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From the Livingston Parish News, reporting on Rep. Valarie Hodges’ sudden U-turn on Gov. Bobby Jindal’s voucher program for private schools in Louisiana:

Hodges mistakenly assumed that ‘religious’ meant ‘Christian.’

Hodges, it turns out, thought the voucher program was just fine when it meant that state money would be going to Christian schools that deny evolution and sprinkle their lessons with lots of Bible verses. Then she found out that our pesky Constitution treats Islam as a religion too, which meant that Islamic schools would also qualify for vouchers.

Oops. But not to worry. I have little doubt that School Superintendent John White will figure out a way to “muddy the waters” so that Islamic schools somehow never quite seem to qualify.

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With only days left until December 31, we've raised about half of our $400,000 goal—but we need a huge surge in reader support to close the remaining gap. Whether you've given before or this is your first time, your contribution right now matters.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do. That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

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