establishment clause

Today the US Supreme Court heard a case about a cross that was erected in a remote part of the Mojave National Preserve in southeastern California. The government had been enjoined (prohibited by a court order) from displaying this religious symbol, so the government (by act of Congress) sold a...

The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals (which serves several Midwestern States) has just issued a decision in the case of Americans United for Separation of Church and State v. Prison Fellowship Ministries, Inc. One of the judges hearing this case, and concurring in the decision, was retired...

Part 1: Background (Standing) In this post, I mentioned that the Supreme Court’s ruling on global warming could have implications for an upcoming civil rights case. I wrote: The pending case of concern is Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation. This case was argued before the Supreme Court...

Here is an opinion piece that appeared in the Kansas City Star on Saturday. Click Here Call me crazy, but hasn't the US Supreme Court consistently upheld "Freedom from religion"? I plan to send a response to the KC Star citing Abington Township School District v. Schempp, Lemon v. Kurtzman...

I present here, for any interested readers, a recap of federal court decisions from around the United States over the past several months dealing with the Establishment Clause and/or the Free Exercise Clause of the Constitution. This is not an exhaustive survey by any means; it's just a quick...

If you have a strong stomach, read the series "In God's Name" appearing on the New York Times web site (registration required). This is a four-part series. As of this writing, the story "Secular Laws Cede to Religious Exemptions" is front and center. Basically, the story describes how, if you...

Today, the top news story in the USA pertained to the senseless murder of several children at an Amish school in Pennsylvania. Because of this event, CBS News offered its "Free Speech" segment to Brian Rohrbough, whose son was shot and killed at Columbine. Why are there school murders? Mr...

From the Washington Post: The purpose of this measure? To cut the legs off of groups that seek to remove Nativity scenes and Ten Commandments monuments from public property. The vote was mostly along party lines, Republicans generally favoring it. Although the bill is unlikely to pass the...

Story here (among other places): http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-evolution16dec16,0,3710616.story?track=tothtml The Cobb County (Georgia) School Board heard from parents who urged the Board, "Preserve our faith." Thereafter, the Board had stickers printed saying "Evolution...

Read the opinion here. Myers, a man in Virginia acting without a lawyer, sued on behalf of himself and his kids to challenge a Virginia statute that required public school students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Myers was not an atheist, but an Anabaptist Mennonite, and his faith...

I have recently come across three documents that address a common theme. The first is a commentary by Paul Krugman in the New York Times (reg. req'd, available for a limited time): The second is a commentary by Shadia Drury in the current issue of Free Inquiry (not currently viewable on the...

Thomas Jefferson's self-composed epitaph lists what he believed to be his greatest accomplishments (but surprisingly mentions nothing about his service as the third president of the United States): One of Jefferson's greatest achievements, in his view, was the Statute of Virginia for Religious...

From Yahoo and AP: It is no surprise, but ousted Judge Moore thinks that that wearing a robe emboidered with the Ten Commandments is a good thing. The article did not say WHICH version of the commandments Judge McKathan chose to use. Chances are he selected the same version as Judge Moore, a...

From Yahoo and AP: As the cases approach time for argument, chances are good that the parties' and amicus briefs will be available on line. A decision could be expected in June. At this early stage, there are some interesting aspects to the matter, and it not clear what role, if any, they...

From The News Tribune (Tacoma, WA): What the student should have done, apparently, is keep his mouth shut. He had the choice to either recite the whole Pledge or none at all, and reciting only part was grounds for discipline: Curiously, the state of Washington is in the Ninth Circuit, and the...

As of this writing, there are no stories from the major news sources yet about the oral arguments before the Supreme Court in the Pledge case. The Pledge case is the second of two cases on the docket. This analysis from the New York Times (registration required) provides a lay summary of the...

From the Star Tribune and AP: This opinion is not yet posted at the Supreme Court's official web site.

This is a press release from Americans United for Separation of Church and State. I have not yet found confirmation of this act of shameless grandstanding in the mainstream media. Well, I certainly hope that Congress (having nothing better to do) settles the question of which version of the...