Opinion : Iowa makes new First Amendment Law

Remember back in the old days when the authors of the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States clearly said, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..."

Now go back all the way to March of 2020 when Governor Reynolds took an axe to that nonsense. The law flew right out the window for about a month when Governor Reynolds declared that she was closing all of the churches during COVID 19. Some were asking if something had happened to the constitution. But our lawmakers couldn't find a copy at the time.

Well, Republicans are just now pretending to have a backbone a mere six years later. They are creating a brand spanking shiny new law that says, Governors shalt NOT pull that nonsense again. I guess we need to say it again or something because the Constitution just wasn't cutting it? Bless God, our politicians are going to take a stand for the freedom of religion! Yes, they are! They are going to protect the people and the Constitution from any future tyrannical Governors who might decide to close our churches!

But be assured, House Speaker Pat Grassley wants you to know that it has nothing at all, whatsoever, no way, no how does it have anything to do with the future Governor's race. Nope, he wants you to know that it's just one of those coincidental types of things that happen in election years.

Our politicians in Des Moines had no backbone then, and they don't really now. They said nothing when it mattered. They didn't call a special session to say to the Governor, "Thou shalt not! No you aren't closing the churches! Are you stupid?" Like the men that they are, they complied.(Yes, I know there are women serving there, and they should've stood up as well.)

The churches weren't any better. Faith took one look at the scary governor lady, packed up its bags and flew right up and out of the bellfry. "If the Governor says we can't meet, well, what's a church supposed to do?"

Though the First Amendment grants the freedom of religion, Reynolds thumbed her nose at the law and closed everything down. Politicians said nothing. Churches said nothing. It was a test, and we failed. Big time.

So this latest bill moved forward on Thursday by an Iowa House subcommittee, House File 2145  prevents the governor from closing houses of worship like Governor Kim Reynolds did. She used the State of Public Health Disaster Emergency excuse and signed an executive order banning “social, community, spiritual, religious, recreational, leisure, and sporting gatherings and events of more than 10 people.” The ban was lifted a month later. 

During that month we could go out to eat, go shopping, hit up the liquor store to help us cope and do all kinds of gathering, just not inside a church.

This legislation would prevent any future governors from pulling that stunt again...supposedly. The Constitution kinda, already sorta does that.

Jeff Pitts, Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition said the organization supported the bill saying that churches should not be “strongarmed into closing, even temporarily” by the government. If “The church decides it should close, it will, voluntarily,” Pitts said. “If people desire to steer clear of said church, they will, of their own volition. The church is the body of Christ for believers, how that body is treated is no trivial matter.” Representative. John Wills,  agrees with Pitts saying, “I think that’s exactly what we would like to see in the state of Iowa.”

I'm not sure why they felt strong armed, we already have one law on the books, will two help that? 

Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, a Representative from Ames, disagrees with them saying, “We don’t know what the next emergency is going to be. We need to keep some flexibility to make sure that we can keep Iowans safe.” Don't worry, dear lady, it's just more words.

Grassley, is just like his grandpa. He's making sure to play politics when it's convenient, for him, of course. He needs to ask grandpa for a few lessons and learn how to not be so obvious. I mean, just because it's an election year and we could have a governor with totally different beliefs on the constitution...oh wait, we already had that...we are just now going to take care of the issue? As John Stossel would say, 'Give me a break."

I mean it is a way to save face in the eyes of history to say that you were part of passing a law to prohibit what happened from happening again. It feels like you might have missed the expiration date on doing the right thing. This should have happened somewhere around March of 2020. 

But to all of the weak-kneed politicians that we elected to take care of nonsense like this from every happening in Des Moines, thanks, I guess?

As one of those silly Republicans, I'm just going to point out your hypocrisy, and let you know that we ain't stupid out here in the cornfields. 

You didn't protect us then, and you aren't now. You're just playing politics.  How about next time a governor tries to pull this kind of stunt and look all powerful and leadershippy like that you should take a stand right then and there not six years later when it's more comfortable to say what should have been said. There's no pressure on you now to do the right thing.

The law doesn't need to be restated. The only thing needed was for you to read it, have a backbone, and in March of 2020 when Reynolds pulled this stunt march into her office and inform her that she overstepped. But you didn't. 

But thanks for doubling down on what the law of the land already says.