Coach Prohibited from Bowing Head

Rutherford Institute ^ | 3/3/09 | Rutherford Institute

[Clint Williams]

The United States we once knew is stone cold dead.

And I blame those among the conservatives, the Republicans, the gun owners, the home-schoolers and many others for sitting on their fat heinies and doing nothing ("Hey, I did my part, I punched the chads in my ballots") while our country was being stolen away.

Good luck getting it back, you lazy-asses I NEVER saw in my decades of working to get decent folks elected. Galt's Gulch is calling.

[He Rides A White Horse]

If Islam were the only legal religion in this country, this coach would be bowing his head onto a chopping block. Gratis Hussein Obama.

[Right Brother]

So much for “...nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof ...”.

Ah, yes....that oft forgotten 1st Amendment phrase. It gets lost amongst those other rights the amendment so clearly delineates...like abortion and privacy.

[sten]

where was the original case? high school? which one?

[sten]

where is East Brunswick High School ?

[montag813]

while student athletes have the constitutionally protected right to pray, that privilege does not extend to coaches, who are public employees and whose participation would violate the "separation of church and state."

The ONLY prohibition on religion is that "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion". Coaches are not Congressmen, nor are they bowing their heads as required by Congressional dictum. There is no such thing at all as "separation of church and state" apart from Congress.

[Wolfhound777]

“So much for “...nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof ...”.”

Indeed or anything else in the Constitution anymore. I just wonder how much longer those of us who still believe in the founding fathers intent will take this crap from these out of control idiots. I hope it’s not much longer or we may lose the republic forever.

[Isabel C.]

School officials justified their actions by insisting that while student athletes have the constitutionally protected right to pray, that privilege does not extend to coaches, who are public employees and whose participation would violate the "separation of church and state."

So, what is this "separation of church and state"? Is it a law, a ruling, a concept, a principle, an idea, a theory, a supposition, a perception, an assumption, a canon, a doctrine, or what? Whatever it is, it's certainly not found anywhere in the U.S. Constitution.

[little jeremiah]

I can’t believe this. NOT ALLOWED TO PRAY. Of course anyone can pray within their mind and heart, but to forbid bowing the head?

It’s like Communist China.

[goat granny]

How bout just telling whoever. “Wanta bet I cannot bow my head” I am stubborn enough and get ticked off easily with tyrants....They don't have to be in government to be dictators. Little Hitlers are everywhere.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

My GOD! Is there no part of American life too small, trivial or inconsequential for the court to weigh in on? Where are the weighty matters of constitutional importance? The court won’t grant cert to hear whether the usurper is constitutionally qualified to hold office, but they will hear a case on whether a coach can lower his head in a sign of respect? The U.S. has gone completely bonkers. The founders are spinning in their graves.

[Alberta's Child]

That's exactly what happened some 15-20 years ago down in Alabama or Mississippi, if I remember the story accurately.

A public high school was sued by one of its students for having a local minister lead the players and fans in a prayer over the stadium PA system before every home game.

The trial court ruled in favor of the student and ordered the minister and school to cease and desist. The decision may have been appealed at one or two different levels in the Federal court system, but to no avail. The decision stood.

The school district and the minister decided the cost of any further appeals would have been prohibitive. By this time some years had passed, and the student who filed the original suit may have even graduated anyway. So the minister simply announced that he would continue to lead the teams and fans in prayer before every home game, and if the Federal judges wanted to force him to comply with their ruling they knew exactly where to find him.

He basically told them to "F#%& off."

And "F#%& off" they did, because nothing ever happened to him.

[Rome2000]

If he bent over like President Raghead and prayed to the rock in Saudi it would AOK.

By the way, what Church has President Raghead been attending on Sundays?

[Alberta's Child]

One good thing about a U.S. economy that is getting flushed down the toilet is that fewer and fewer people, businesses and other institutions will have the money to go to court over bullsh!t like this.

[Prole]

Obama worships himself.

He has no relationship with God whatsoever.

[Gene Eric]

The community should do something that represents their support for the coach. My guess is they won’t for the apathy that permitted the lower court ruling.