Saturday, October 08, 2022

Kennedy v. Bremerton School District and SCOTUS

A Democrat FB-er (rhymes with fibber) claims there are no restrictions from the Democrats on speech and religion. Says it's just a myth. Wonder if he's aware of Kennedy v. Bremerton School Dist., a case that went all the way to the Supreme Court and was just settled in July 2022?

Really? A coach prays privately, after a game, on the field when lots of others were also milling around and expressing their like or dislike for the outcome, but because he prayed, he lost his job. That's not religious oppression? He'd been doing it for years, bothering no one, but some ONE supporting the opposing team complained to his employer. "The District disciplined Mr. Kennedy only for his decision to persist in praying quietly without his students after three games in October 2015." 

That he won his case is important of course, but that it ever went that far is a travesty. It shows the harassment of Christians, and religion in general, just like the case against the Nuns who would not pay for birth control coverage for employees and the baker who wouldn't design a wedding cake for gay customers (whom he served for other events) and the florist who wouldn't design arrangements for a gay wedding. There have been so many cases about the first amendment either on speech or religion making it to SCOTUS I'm amazed at the stupidity of those who get offended by someone else's beliefs and are upset that the activity is protected by the Constitution.  https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/21-418 The Decision was 6-3, and guess who wanted to dismiss the protections for religion and speech--yup--Breyer, Sotomayor and Kagan--the liberals.

I'm not familiar with the legal terms, but as a life time church member I know "establishment" of a religion or church takes a lot more work and time than praying silently on a football field for a few minutes and absolutely no one could construe that as a government activity or coercion. Except a Democrat.
"Monday’s ruling, Sotomayor concluded, “weakens the backstop” that the establishment clause provided to protect religious freedom. “It elevates one individual’s interest in personal religious exercise,” she contended, “over society’s interest in protecting the separation between church and state, eroding the protections for religious liberty for all.” (SCOTUS Blog, June 27, 2022) 
There is no phrase "separation between church and state" in the Constitution. It is written to protect us from the government not the other way around. At least for now, Congress opens each session with prayer.

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