Score another crack in the Constitution for the Fascist Five Injustices of SCROTUS (Republican Constitutional VD). This time they have found that sectarian prayer by "Christians" only in government meetings does not violate the First Amendment ban on establishing a state religion. The four Justices of SCOTUS all opposed them.
In a potentially far-reaching case, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled that an upstate New York town’s practice of opening government meetings with sectarian prayers does not violate the constitutional protection that separates church and state.
The court’s decision (pdf) prompted immediate criticism among civil liberty groups and advocates of religious freedom.
“The constitutional requirement that church and state must be separated rests, in part, on the understanding that when government supports one religion over others, people who are not members of the favored religion are made to feel like outsiders by their government," said Arthur Eisenberg, legal director of the New York Civil Liberties Union.
Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United, which sponsored the lawsuit, said, “The Supreme Court just relegated millions of Americans—both believers and nonbelievers—to second-class citizenship."…
Inserted from <Common Dreams>
For the record, I find nothing offensive about prayer. I do it every day. I do, however, object to anyone’s sectarian prayers receiving government sanction on any level. While I suspect the prayers in question here were quite benign in character, you can bet that this precedent will serve as a springboard abetting Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christian attempts to make their false gospel of violence, hate and greed the state religion.
13 Responses to “SCROTUS Strikes Again!”
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Crack?!? Sorry, TC – but this is a gaping hole!
Anything more than a Moment of Silence is UNconstitutional.
(Psssttt – Scalia, Thomas, Roberts, Alito & Kennedy … I got nothing LESS than our Founding Fathers on my side on this one.)
I agree with you, Nameless. I do not find prayer in any form offensive but I am not the only citizen in this country. A moment of silence would have been sufficient.
TC I agree with you; they are determined to be vile – there is nothing the Reich wing will not do to broadcast their 'gospel' of hatred, greed, selfishness, cruelty and intolerance – only too late it seems they will realise exactly what they have been worshipping.
I would love to read Breyer's and Kagan's dissents, not that I expect to find anything new in them but because I would expect them to be well worded.
Now – put this decision together with this guy: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/05/alabama-judge-christians_n_5267662.html?utm_hp_ref=politics and see what happens. Does anyone who reads this live in Alabama? Do you need us to offer you asylum?
What happened to the Separation of Church and State?
Man, they are fricasseeing the Constitution!! What is with these old white guys?? Even they should be able to READ THE CONSTITUTION!! I mean they ARE supposed to be the “go-to” people on the rules and regs in this country!!
Just so much BS I can’t imagine what this country is gonna be like in a few months when all the Bundy-ites get rollin!!
I think it is more like Flambé- ing the Constitution. A total burn!
SPAM — flagged and reported
I think Deb offered an excellent comment and though I find I rarely agree with these five, what they did not say is that anyone must participate in the prayer. Before the Supreme Court decision on prayer in schools, which did not say that prayer is banned; only that no can be forced to pray nor should those prayers be led by a teacher. This decision, was almost a given, long and habitual practice of something often leads to a state or Federal decision that will permit it to continue. This country seems to be in grasp of another "great awaking" therefore, I think it should be expected that the conservative Christian SCOTUS would be expected to not rule against themselves.
Andy [Borowitz] as often happens had the final word on this one: “The separation of church and state has been a cornerstone of American democracy for over two hundred years,” said Justice Samuel Alito, writing for the majority. “Getting rid of it was long overdue.”
Thanks TC
It would be interesting to see what the decision would be from the Injustices if the prayer in question was an Islamic prayer. These Republicanus/Teabagger toadies need to learn the meaning of the separation of church and state.
Spammer flagged.
I agree with Deb E. HOwever, as a member of a minority religion in the area where I lived, I was subjected to much criticism by the local minister who regularly came to our school to give his sermons. I have no objection to a prayer before a meeting, or even a prayer before school starts. But they will not leave it there, once the majority religion gets in the door, their mission is to convert everyone to the way they see it. This ruling opens the door for a "state" religion, which means the rest of us have to be whatever the majority wants. We have seen how well that works in the Muslim states. This Scrotus surely has to be the most poisonous to the constitution that we have ever had.
Thanks everyone.
Deb at Care2 made the point that the practice went back to the time of the founding fathers, So did slavery. However, the issue here is that, despite a significant Jewish population in the area, no the township had excluded Jews from invitations for the opening prayer. It was a Jew that made the initial complaint.
TomCat
Re: Care2 – Is there anyway that you might convince Care2 to unsuspend my account? If you can that would be cool and if not, that is OK too… Thanks for any efforts… 😆
Richard, I can forward a request, but I still need to know exactly what your Care2 ID was.