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To: Westbrook
And banning polygamy would constitute a violation of the free exercise of religion --- or banning the buying and selling of women to the harem masters. What if there was a religion where cannibalism or human sacrifice was a part of their religious services? The world has known those religions.

It would be better in the first place if we didn't bring in immigrants whose beliefs are incompatible with the Constitution.

51 posted on 05/27/2004 5:31:55 AM PDT by FITZ
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To: FITZ
And banning polygamy would constitute a violation of the free exercise of religion --- or banning the buying and selling of women to the harem masters. What if there was a religion where cannibalism or human sacrifice was a part of their religious services? The world has known those religions.

Argumentem ad absurdem.

Unlike the items in your list, the wearing of a head scarf for religious purposes presents no societal threat.

The wearing of a garment for religious purposes does not constitute sociopathic behavior.

Have you ever heard of Anabaptist Christians, such as Mennonites or Amish?

Their womenfolk wear head coverings ranging from bonnets to head scarves, depending on the particular sect. They are an eminently peaceful people.

Would you force them to break the law you propose to ban one of their religious practices?

It wouldn't be the first time that the Amish were punished for disobeying an unconstitutional law.

The recognition of our right to educate our children at home was due to the efforts of an Amishman in Ohio v. Yoder. Yoder stood his ground in face of imprisonment and the threat of loss of his children to the state.

He prevailed, and we are all the richer for it.

58 posted on 05/27/2004 5:49:51 AM PDT by Westbrook
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To: FITZ; everyone
Fitz wrote:

It would be better in the first place if we didn't bring in immigrants whose beliefs are incompatible with the Constitution.

Yep, all immigrants should be made aware that our citizenship oath requires us to honor & defend our constitution, which is the supreme 'Law of the Land'.
Therefore; -- our Constitutional oath must be acknowledged as taking legal precedence over religious belief.

After all, as the article says:

  "-- As Justice Robert Jackson famously remarked, the Constitution is not a suicide pact. Neither is a nation a suicide pact."

As we must re-learn, over & over again, in every generation, -- the first necessity of a political society is an agreement on the basic principles underlying our laws and constitutions.  

71 posted on 05/27/2004 6:37:53 AM PDT by tpaine ("The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being." -- Solzhenitsyn)
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