We have a conservative SC now? Only 2 judges dissented from the opinion that the case shouldn’t be heard?
“We conclude that the Constitution does not allow what happened in Rowan County,” the court’s opinion said. “The prayer practice served to identify the government with Christianity and risked conveying to citizens of minority faiths a message of exclusion.”
The Constitution forbids the government from indention with a religion? Even allowing that lie, the fact is that the committee could allow other faiths to pray before the meeting, and the claim that the gov ‘excluded’ anyone would be invalidated
The Supreme Court did not give an explanation for its decision as is customary in orders. Justice Clarence Thomas joined by Justice Neil Gorsuch dissented from the court’s refusal to take the case.
Thomas said the Fourth Circuit’s decision is “both unfaithful to our precedents and ahistorical.”
“It also conflicts with a recent en banc decision of the Sixth Circuit,” he said.
Thomas said the 6th Circuit in 2017 upheld a municipal prayer policy virtually identical to the one in Rowan.
“Thus, the Sixth and Fourth Circuits are now split on the legality of legislator-led prayer,” he said.
“State and local lawmakers can lead prayers in Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and Michigan, but not in South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, or West Virginia. This Court should have stepped in to resolve this conflict.”
Oh gee their were only Democrats and no Buddhists, Shinto, wiccan or green moon god followers....
I call BS
Correct. The Constitution forbids Congress from passing any laws that have anything to do with an establishment of religion or the free exercise thereof.
A local government that allows prayer during their meetings is supporting the Constitution of the United States, without regard to the individual’s religion or religious expression.
Anything more than that is not in the actions of the local government, but in the mind of the complainer, er, hearer.
Thomas is correct. There is a conflict between 2 Appeals Courts that is required to be settled by the USSC. The 7 justices who punted ought to be ashamed of themselves.