Replies

If people feel offended, they can protest or they can leave. Or they can decide to boycott it. Last I heard, its a free country.

People can leave or boycott their own (or their children's) graduation ceremony because some nut decides to turn her speech into a church service?

Get a grip. A simple prayer or words about God would be fine. Asking for converts right then and there is stupid. The kind of stupid that gets everyone punished. The next kid who just wants to thnk God won't be allowed cause this idiot pulled this stunt.

Your solution appears to be for the jackbooted thugs down at the government to write a prayer.

That's what got us into trouble in the first place ~ someone objected to the Regent's Prayer in New York ~ it was written by the government ~ and the Supreme Court said "you can't do that". They then went on to specify several extra-constitutional tests in the matter, and it's gone down hill from there.

Best bet is for you and your buddies who like those government written prayers to go back to Europe where they do that sort of thing.

I don't think it's a question of what's smart or stupid, good taste or bad taste, but rather what the 1st amendment is there to protect and permit. Speech, and opinions, that do not offend anyone do not need protection. It's the dissenting, and often offensive, speech that needs to be protected.

The notion of a graduate calling on those present to submit to Allah, "here's your chance," would have the same evangelicals who are denouncing your reasoned position screaming bloody murder.

There is responsibility that comes with rights. The First Amendment presumes upon the ability of folks to engage in civil discourse and respect other folks rights and conscience. The graduation ceremony at a government, public, non-sectarian school is simply not the place for religious zealotry or calls for conversion to any religion or irreligion.

Did the girl have the right to make her 'altar call?' Certainly. Was she choosing an ill-timed and ill-suited venue? Yes.

Again, if one person can use the government school to call for conversion to the evangelical version of Jesus, then so too students or teachers can use such venues to call for conversion to Shiva, to Allah, to the Ba'hai faith, etc. I would prefer not to have such competition and potential rancor smuggled into non-sectarian civic rituals like graduations at public schools.

Neither was the place nor time.