Opinion: If Republicans want to make it OK for teachers to post them, would it also be OK to talk about politicians who break them?

Republicans who control the Arizona Senate — on a party-line vote — pushed through a bill that would allow the Ten Commandments to be posted in Arizona’s public schools.

Surprisingly, a lightning bolt did not strike the Capitol dome, probably because the Almighty was convulsing with laughter.

The bill was sponsored by Republican Sen. Anthony Kern, who was among Arizona’s fake electors in the last presidential election — a wayward collective of GOP operatives being investigated by the Attorney General’s office —- who boldly broke Commandment No. 9, the one about bearing false witness.

The Good Lord must also find it humorous that those same individuals, as well as all of their MAGA brothers and sisters, daily (and nightly, and all times inbetween) break Commandment No. 1, the admonition against worshiping false gods. At least when it comes to you-know-who.

Teachers get leeway? That’s a new one

All of the Senate Democrats voted against Senate Bill 1151.

One of them, Sen. Mitzi Epstein, said, “Please take a moment to think about how you would feel as the parent of a child who has to be in a classroom who is commanded to do something that you do not believe.”

GOP senators were not swayed.

Kern said, “The progressive slide down in our country right now is because we have taken the Ten Commandments away from our schools.”

He added, “Teachers have full authority to post, to read, or not to read.”

Republicans have tried to ban books

This is interesting, giving teachers a choice.

It seems odd since these same Republicans have worked very hard to restrict what teachers can say about many subjects. Like, for instance, human sexuality, about which several of the Commandments have a thing or two to say.

These same Republicans also have endeavored to restrict the books teachers can assign and read to students. They have attempted to make teachers present a watered down version of history as it pertains to slavery and its ugly aftermath.

State superintendent: PragerU lessons are not racist

These same Republicans don’t want Arizona students to fully and honestly understand the science of climate change and what it may mean to them and their children.

But it’s OK with them if teachers want to post and read the Ten Commandments.

Trump ignores the Ten Commandments

When Donald Trump was running for president against Joe Biden in 2020, he said of Biden, “No religion, no anything. Hurt the Bible, hurt God. He’s against God … .”

I’m guessing that comment sent The Big Guy into hysterics. Particularly given Trump’s record with the Commandments.

According to the fact checkers at The Washington Post, for example, Trump totaled 30,573 untruths during his presidency — averaging about 21 erroneous claims a day.

That’s a whopping 30,573 violations of Commandment No. 9.

Then there’s the fact that Trump cheated on his first wife with his second, and has been indicted over $130,000 in hush money payments to a porn star who has said she had a sexual relationship with him.

Some would consider those fairly significant violations of Commandment No. 7, the one concerning adultery.

Then, of course, there is Commandment No. 10 and, seriously, when it comes to the former president, can anyone think of another person on earth who is more covetous of power, money, fame … everything?

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.

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