The Virginian-Pilot
©
RICHMOND
The House of Delegates passed an amendment to the state Constitution Tuesday aimed at ensuring the right to pray on public property, including public schools.
Opponents of the measure warned that it might violate the federal Constitution.
The amendment, HJ593, sponsored by Del. Bill Carrico, R-Grayson County, adds a paragraph to the religious freedom section of the state Constitution saying that "the people's right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage, and traditions on public property, including public schools, shall not be infringed; however, the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions, including public school divisions, shall not compose school prayers, nor require any person to join in prayer or other religious activity."
Carrico said the measure was prompted by an incident at a high school in his Southwest Virginia district when a student gave a prayer over the public address system at a football game. The American Civil Liberties Union sent the school a letter afterward, warning that such a prayer was unconstitutional.
Under his amendment, Carrico said, "no longer would the secular world be able to tell anyone that their beliefs wouldn't be tolerated in public."
Opponents suggested that the measure would allow teachers to offer public prayers in front of a classroom, violating the rights of nonbelieving students and those of another faith.
"The supporters of this amendment don't know what it means to be a religious minority," said Del. David Englin, D-Alexandria, who is Jewish.
Kent Willis, executive director of the Virginia ACLU, said after the vote that the measure appears to allow "clearly unconstitutional prayers."
Carrico carried a similar measure in 2005 that passed the House but died in a Senate committee. He acknowledged after Tuesday's vote that a similar outcome may await this year's measure.
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Should pass muster
With it being as carefully worded as it is, it should pass U.S. Constitutional muster. So long as no one select religion is recognized and people also have the option not to pray, it should be acceptable.
Where advocates of hanging the Ten Commandments get themselves into trouble is that they are only a part of a select religious group, which does go against the Constitution. Now if space was allowed for religious edicts of any and all faiths, it would be a different story.
Right!
"Under his amendment, Carrico said, "no longer would the secular world be able to tell anyone that their beliefs wouldn't be tolerated in public."
That priviledge would be restricted to those of the Christian faith! As far as I can see, use of a school PA system to announce a prayer which would go to all students indicates tacit approval of that prayer by the school authorities, and forces those who do not subscribe to that faith to listen to it. Would the school system allow a muslim to broadcast his daily prayers over that same system? Should it?
big mistake
Allowing this in schools is probably worse that doing so anywhere else because of the position of authority teachers have over students. If a teacher or coach says a prayer and encourages students to participate (such as when they inevitably say, "bow your heads" or "let's pray"), it may not be an explicit endorsement of a specific religion but it sure feels like it to those who don't wish to take part.
Most people who see nothing wrong with this likely haven't travelled much and have probably never been in the minority. I've spent a lot of time in the Middle East and it puts a completely different perspective being in the religious minority in a country a with state-endorsed religion.
Pray wherever you like, just leave me out of it.
Prayer
Thomas Jefferson is rolling over in his grave. We can only hope that the Senate will spare us from this silly business.
Written by Thomas Jefferson, George Mason and James Mason
Section 16. Free exercise of religion; no establishment of religion.
That religion or the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence; and, therefore, all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according to the dictates of conscience; and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian forbearance, love, and charity towards each other. No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but all men shall be free to profess
Nope
I do not know where you got your information from, but Jefferson definitely would not have accepted this at all. He wasn't a Christian but a deitist and he wouldn't have tolerated the use of the word 'Christian' or reference to any other religion in any part of the Consitution or any sort of acceptance of any religion as being primary in America. He and the others that did write the Constitution knew only too well the terrors visited upon Europe by state-sanctioned religions and they did not want to see any of that repeated here. That is why there is no mention of any religion in the Constitution whatsoever.
The left speaks of tolerance
The left speaks of tolerance and respect for others and then I read the comments left here. I'm Christian, but if a Jewish or Islamic kid said a quick prayer before a football game or graduation I would respectfully shut my mouth and bow my head. I certainly wouldn't be offended, why would I be?
Then agin, I often find I'm not nearly so intolerant as many libs.
Prayer at sports events
It is not the individual prayer that I object to. It is requiring everyone to listen to group pray at a public event sponsored by a government entity. How would you feel if you had to listen to a Islamic pray at a public event mandated by law? I think I would question your tolerance.
Please explain something to me
Where in this (or existing legislation) mandates anything religious by law?
Would you really not mind
if every time you went to a public event or started a school day you had to politely assent to some other religion's absurdities or worse allow your children to be indocrinated in some other religion's beliefs. I am sure you are a model of polite behavior and tolerance but I have my doubts that you would really not mind putting up with what non-Christians would be subjected to if you had your way. This is probably all hypothetical because I would bet a dollar against a donut that you have NEVER even once been subjected to a Muslim or Jewish or Pagan prayer at a Virginia public event. By the way, your smug assertion of some superiority in tolerance does you no credit.