IN Gov Mike Braun’s latest brilliant idea is to erect [FN1] the Ten Commandments (“the 10") on stone & place it outside the State House. The Establishment Clause of the 1st Amendment was construed as preventing religious inroads on government. However... 1/15

SCOTUS under Chief Justice John “We Can’t Be Bought But We Can Be Leased” Roberts gives a green light to ignoring we-settled precedent. Hell, Clarence Thomas doesn’t know why there is a fascination with stare decisis. There are several objections that many have. 2/15

First, some people say the 10 are statements people should follow as a general rule. [FN2] Groovy. Let’s look at the 10: 1[FN3], 2 [FN4], and 3 [FN5] are specific about to worship of this deity. They do NOT propose guidelines for general conduct, so drop them. 3/15

4 is a rule of gen’l behavior. [FN6] Ideally, mommy and daddy are great, but they can be sexually &/or physically abusive. A footnote can provide 800 numbers for hotlines for help & the number & email for DCS. orw/website. There are independent “sources” for 5 and 7. 4/15

5 [FN7] and 7 [FN8] are embodied in the criminal codes of all 50 States. The stone can list I.C. 35-42-1-1, the Indiana statute for Murder and I.C. 35-43-4-2, the statute for theft.
6, [FN9] 9 & 10 [FN10] are problems: trump’s all about adultery, lust & greed. 5/15

Time for another footnote, written in stone: “Adultery and coveting are in the original 10, but POTUS, or anyone close to being POTUS, need not sweateth if thou are white & male (& thy neighbor’s wife is hot). If thou ask for forgiveness, go ye forth & sinneth more.” 6/15

Bearing false witness is not a sin, since trump does that several times if he openeth his mouth. We’ll have to get back to you on that.
One edict that any deity-fearing White Man of a Racist God cannot be forced to acknowledge is the commie bullshit called the “Golden Rule.” 7/15

This wimpish admonition (“love thy neighbor as one’s self”) was written by other religions long before JC was around. [FN11] This is a shallow effort to substitute a hippie Jesus for the maga, testosterone-driven red-white-and-blue militant Jesus of the far right. 8/15

A marker already outside the Statehouse, that should stand next to the 10, notes an Indiana policy Hitler sought to emulate: IN’s eugenics law. In the same vein, there should be a juicy quote from D.C. Stephenson, the leader of IN’s klan 100 years ago. 9/15

Stephenson was a man of convictions similar to trump’s. Stephenson kidnaped, drugged & raped a woman while proclaiming “I am the law!” They are birds of the same goddamn feather & offer role models that, apparently, maga Braun & his klan seek to emulate. 10/15

Footnotes:
FN1. The verb “erect,” “to fix or set in an upright position” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 1974 ed., p. 244) is applicable here, although one is tempted to apply the adjective “flaccid” to Braun’s recent political efforts (e.g., re-districting). 11/15

FN2. And leaders of this iteration of the GOP must take comfort in the absence of “Thou Shalt Not Molest Children” from the 10. If you believe the bible is the actual word of your deity, the actual printed words must be there, then thou art screwed, in a general sense. 12/15

FN3. “I am the Lord thy God. Thou shall not have strange gods before Me.” Exodus 20:3.
FN4. “Thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.” Exodus 20:7.
FN5. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Exodus 20:8.
FN6. “Honor thy father and mother.” Exodus 20:12. 13/15

FN7. “You shall not murder.” Exodus 20:13.
FN8. “You shall not steal.” Exodus 20:15.
FN9. “You shall not commit adultery.” Exodus 20:14.
FN10. You shall not covet thy neighbor's wife or his ass. Exodus 20:17. 14/15

FN11. Confucianism (6th century BCE), Buddhism (6th century BCE), Hinduism (6th century BCE), Judaism (Torah, ~1400 BCE), and ancient Greek philosophers like Thales (7th-6th century BCE). 15/15