Posted on 01/20/2015 7:46:02 AM PST by GIdget2004
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday ruled in favor of a Muslim prison inmate who challenged a regulation that prevented him from growing a beard.
The nine justices, on a 9-0 vote, said that the prison policy violated the religious rights of inmate Gregory Holt, who wants to grow a half-inch (1.3 cm) beard in accordance with his Muslim beliefs.
The court rejected the state's reasoning that the policy was needed for security reasons. Justice Samuel Alito, writing on behalf of the court, said the state already searches clothing and hair and had not given a valid reason why it could not also search beards.
Alito wrote that the prison's "interest in eliminating contraband cannot sustain its refusal to allow petitioner to grow a half-inch beard."
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Give them half an inch and it becomes a ten inch beard in which one COULD hide contraband.
Wonder who’s keeping the banana bowl full at the Supreme Court.
Next up: The muslim “call-to-arms” (er, “call-to-prayers”) cacaphony over the prison loudspeakers will be deemed a “religious right” by our black-robed “betters”.
Why didn’t they argue it was for hygiene purposes?
Just to make sure. it wasn’t a female prison. Right? :)
This is the right ruling based on the arguments made. If they want to stop contraband why do they allow them to wear clothes? Why not just make them wear underwear only. And even then...why not just make them go naked?
First amendment trumps incarceration Okay.
Why can’t felons have guns? Doesn’t the second amendment matter?
The atmosphere in the land’s highest court on Tuesday took on a lighter note during oral arguments over a prisoner’s petition to justices over his right to grow a half-inch beard in observance of his Muslim faith....“Well, as far as searching a beard is concerned, why can’t the prison just give the inmate a comb – you could develop whatever kind of comb you want – and say ‘Comb your beard,’ and if there’s a SIM card in there or a revolver or anything else you think can be hidden in a half-inch beard – a tiny revolver – it’ll fall out....Do you really think that would be difficult, to say ‘Here’s a comb, comb your beard?” [Justice Samuel Alito] said.
-- from the thread Justice Alito on [Muslim] Prisoner Beard Debate: Couldn’t Comb Remove ‘a Tiny Revolver?’
What’s the deal about a half-inch. Was ‘t Mohammad on the metric system???
I agree with Alito. There’s nothing wrong with growing a half inch beard in prison, or anywhere else, excepting the Marge Schott Cincinnati Reds.
Agree. What the hell is the Supreme Court doing giving an inmate privileges. The Muslim never should have come to the USA. We are idiots if we allow this.
Felons can’t have guns for the same reason that states can decide that you must carry openly or must conceal your weapon — it’s a form of regulation of the unorganized militia.
The right to keep and bear arms can be harmonized with the legitimate concerns of gun-control advocates (as distinct from the desires of statists who want only agents of the government to be armed) if one takes seriously what the Founders understood by a “well-regulated militia” (a well-armed citizenry ready and able to voluntarily, without state control, bear arms in defense of self, family, community and country):
Felons lose their right to be part of the unorganized militia by virtue of their conviction, a manual of arms for the unorganized militia can be promulgated (of which “you must carry openly” or “you must hide your firearm when carrying but not using it” are versions in miniature), and so forth.
U.S. Supreme Court should stop ruling on Stupid things
Last I checked, felons forfeit their rights upon conviction.
The deal with half an inch (or 1.3 cm) is probably that this was the shortest beard the inmate (or his imam) felt would satisfy his religious obligation.
Sikhs (or traditional Orthodox Christian monks or priests) convicted of a crime would present a greater problem, since their religious obligations involved not cutting hair or beard.
No need to harmonize anything with the Empty Set.
This is great to hear! Do you know why? I’ll tell you why.
Because it is a VIOLATION OF MY RELIGIOUS BELIEF to treat a couple of buttf_____s as “married”. Or see them “married” in the first place in the sanctuary of my Christian church.
And those blackrobed monkeys had damned well better rule consistently when it comes to religious belief, or destruction will rain down on all our heads.
The Supreme Court is confused what the word inmate means they must have banana poisoning.
Beards have nothing to do with religion.
Having a beard is not practicing religion.
Their “religion” tells them to slice Jewish necks. Is that going to be allowed too?
Tough, towelhead. You follow our rules.
Who paid for this lawsuit? (oh, we did)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.