…I do not think it means what you think it means.
Okay, it would seem that even simple things go above people’s heads sometimes. Let’s try and make it even simpler.
In the US, we have this thing that sets up what the government is supposed to do, we call it the Constitution. Among many of its principles there sits a simple little thing called “no favor,” occasionally referred to as “the separation of church and state,” even though this phrase itself appears in a separate, related document. What it means is, government concerns itself with governing, and does not choose sides in any religious debate. The freedom upon which the country is based also includes the freedom of religion, meaning that anyone can believe whatever the fuck they want, and to help promote this, the government is restricted from supporting any individual religion, whether by law, funding, or even just pamphlets. When such things have been questioned, we have discussed them in courts, creating what is commonly called a precedent, all of which support the views I have outlined above.
Public schools, collecting money from all citizens to provide education to all children, fall under the idea of “government,” which means they cannot support or promote any individual religion either. It also means they cannot deny any. Since they are concerned with education, there’s no reason to bother with religion anyway, because schools concentrate on facts, not opinions.
Note that the proscription against “prayer in schools” is no such thing: the proscription is against “school-led prayers” – students can pray any damn way they please. I’m sorry if someone told you differently, but they were lying. Look it up if you don’t believe me.
So, when a public school displays a christian prayer banner in its hallways as a matter of policy, it is actually in violation of its operating guidelines. It’s not really up to majority rule, public opinion, or any other caveat – that’s the purpose of establishing ground rules like our Constitution. It is just as illegal as displaying satanic messages, muslim prayers, humanist creeds, or the rites of the coven. These things protect everybody and favor no one in particular – that’s kind of how freedom really works. With me so far?
Great. So, when someone ends up taking a school to court after they refuse to recognize their legal prohibition against displaying a prayer banner, they are actually upholding the Constitution and treating all students equally. That’s all. So-called “good” christians are not being persecuted, denied, estranged, attacked, or any other whiny fucking retarded thing they have to cry about this week because, it seems, having both god on their side and a majority in this country isn’t enough to stop them from feeling put-upon. Go figure.
Most especially telling, however, is what such upright, moral, ethical people get up to when such a court decision gets handed down. I need not remind you, I’m sure, that christianity is all about love and goodness and guides people towards proper behavior and all that, right?
Yeah, right. These are some of the responses to Jessica Ahlquist, who prompted the court case, from all of those good christians.
I, personally, have a different standard of good, and it doesn’t include anything like this. So you’ll pardon me for pointing out that christianity just isn’t fucking working at all. Perhaps, after 2,000 years, it’s now time to try thinking instead. But if any religious person thinks this kind of shit is unacceptable, well, then, your work is cut out for you. Clean this up – it’s in your house.
Also, congratulations to Cranston High School West’s Committee members Andrea M. Iannazzi, Frank S. Lombardi, Paula McFarland and Michael A. Traficante, whose votes to keep the banner up caused this shitstorm in the first place. This is what’s known as gross incompetence and egregious abuse of board responsibility – maybe you should have reviewed the requirements for the positions. Nice job, fuckheads.
By the way, there’s a scholarship fund gathering donations for 16-year-old Jessica Ahlquist, who’s been remarkably forthright, capable, and mature throughout this entire affair. Just in case you think there needs to be a little offset…
Thanks to Friendly Atheist for the initial link, and ironkidd and Op35 at JesusFetusFajitaFishsticks (I tried to get that domain but they’d already taken it) for collecting the screenshots.