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Politics : Libertarian Discussion Forum -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Neocon who wrote (2634)	5/7/1999 2:22:00 PM
From: Mama Bear	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 13056

Neocon, I'm all in favor of free speech for the religious groups. For instance, I have read of after school bible thumping clubs that have been disbanded because of the separation clause. IMHO, this is an abuse of the Constitution. If the school allows other after school clubs the bible thumpers have the same rights. It's an affront to the Constitution to deny them access, except by completely disallowing all after school clubs. Of course, as soon as any kind of membership in said bible thumping club or morning prayer or grace at lunch or any other religious ritual becomes mandatory, that's where the line is crossed. I believe there have been many public schools that have instituted uniforms and disallowed all printed tshirts without violating the constitution, so I doubt that's a real issue. But yes, by getting the gov't out of the business of administering schools they will become private institutions, and then would not be subject to the constraints placed by the Constitution. But the voucher plan involves the gov't again, and complicates things all over again. Barb

To: Neocon who wrote (2634)	5/12/1999
From: MeDroogies	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 13056

There is a pretty clear point in the Constitution about the need to prevent the State from supporting a religion - one of any singular nature. But IF we are going to have public schools (and I don't see that changing), then we have to allow people to pray. But I don't see that as a teacher-led prayer. Rather, a more "Quaker" style would suffice - offering a moment of silence to speak to your God. Agnostics and atheists can stand a moment of blank silence, while Hindus/Muslims/Jews/Catholics, etc. can do as they see fit. Silently, of course. No free speech is tread upon, and the "separation" of church and state remains intact. And nobody's religious sensibilities are hurt.