Today, Texas Governor Rick Perry released a new campaign ad aimed at courting a particularly elusive segment of the voting population: the Religious Right.

In his typical ham-handed fashion, Governor Carhartt von Everyman establishes in just 30 seconds that:

• He’s a Christian.
• He’s not afraid to admit that he’s a Christian.
• Gay people can serve in the military.
• Children can’t openly celebrate Christmas.
• Children can’t pray in school.
• President Obama is waging war on religion.
• Liberals are attacking our religious heritage.
• We have a religious heritage.

Wait, what? Is this just a series of random thoughts? Rick riffs on religion? Let’s unpack this a little.

Obviously any serious candidate for the Republican nomination is going to be a Christian (except for Romney, depending on whom you ask), so it makes sense that he says it up front. Let the values voters know they’re dealing with a serious god-fearing man.

But then he decided while he was in the neighborhood, to cover some hot topics like Gays “endangering” the integrity of the military, the “War”on Christmas, and the heathen liberal assault on Christianity.

All this is red meat for the religious right.

But cold turkey for most everyone else.

President Obama’s waging a war on religion? Is this because he admitted–out loud–that there are secular people in this country and that they’re Americans, too?

The ad makes clear where Perry stands on the debatable assertion that America is a “Christian” nation (good luck with those Jewish voters).

But it is worth pointing out that children can, in fact, pray in school. Teachers cannot lead prayer and public schools cannot sponsor religious events but individual students are perfectly within their rights to bow their heads before eating or invoke whatever god they choose before a big exam.

For more info, check out Engel v. Vitale (1962) and Abington School District v. Schempp (1963). Also, the “Lemon Test.”

With Perry’s new religious relaunch of his campaign it would be tempting to offer the Governor a “Happy Winter Holidays!” but his poll numbers suggest that he may not have much to be happy about in the weeks ahead.

Luke 1:39-56 (NIV)

³⁹ At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, ⁴⁰ where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³ But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

⁴⁶ And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
⁴⁷ and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
⁴⁹ for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
⁵⁰ His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
⁵⁵ to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”

⁵⁶ Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

Reflection

“O Holy Night” . . . “Joy to the World” . . . “O Come All Ye Faithful”. . .  These classic carols have been around for ages, but there is a song that comes straight from God’s word.  It is the song of Mary.  It pours out praises and worship onto the One who blesses and gives.  As Mary was affirmed by Elizabeth about all that was to come, Mary sang a song that went beyond just her own joy but proclaimed truths that would bless many to come.  Revealing His strength and power, the Mighty One reverses the places of honor by bringing down the rich and powerful and raising up the poor, broken and humble.  His kind mercy extends to those who fear and trust Him.  He fills the hungry with good things.  He chooses the lowly to fulfill all of His promises to His people, His church.

Response

The Mighty One has done great things for us.  He has come near to us.  May our souls glorify the Lord and may our spirits rejoice in God our Savior.  He has been mindful and loving towards us and blessed us beyond our understanding.  He has given us His Son.  Let’s lift up praises and thank Him for the great things He has done.

A transgender anti-discrimination bill went before the Maryland General Assembly in the 2011 session, passing in the House of Delegates, but ultimately did not pass. In the 2012 session, which starts in January, advocates are hoping to take legislation through the last hurdle it needs for passage.

Jodi Kelber-Kaye, interim associate director of the Honors College, said transgender anti-discrimination legislation has come up at the state level for many years.

“The problem has consistently been how we define transgender for the purposes of providing protections,” she said. “The concern for me as a gender researcher, on top of someone who’s politically supportive of this stuff, is the need for a space safe for women.”

The story, “Laurel delegate’s fight for transgender anti-discrimination legislation to continue in 2012 session” was published on ExploreHowardCounty.com and appeared on the Baltimore Sun website on December 7.

UMBC Political Science Professor Roy Meyers joined Yale’s David Mayhew and other scholars this week in providing PolitiFact with insight into Newt Gingrich, as the site explored David Axelrod’s claim that Gingrich is the “the godfather of gridlock.” The site offers evidence for Gingrich’s reputation as both a bare-knuckled fighter and a deal-maker, suggesting “Gingrich has been more of a prince of partisanship than a godfather of gridlock.”

Meyers also disputed the godfather characterization in his comments to PolitiFact, arguing that Gingrich is far from consistently quiet and disciplined, as the persona suggests. Meyers alternatively argued that Gingrich is the father of a different practice, using a technique Paul Krugman has called “doublethink” — believing in what he’s saying “even when he knows what he’s saying isn’t true” — to gain and retain party control through persuasive rhetoric.