The creationist lawsuit against the JPL is getting better and better: the Glendale News Press reports that lawyers for David Coppedge tried—unsuccessfully—to bar the press from their client’s religious discrimination lawsuit. [Update: No, I read that wrong, it was attorneys for JPL who requested the press ban, citing privacy concerns for the witnesses.]
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ernest Hiroshige denied their request without explanation as the trial delved deeper into the beliefs of the plaintiff, David Coppedge, and how the space exploration agency based on scientific research can accommodate employees who wear their faith on their sleeve.
Gonna be Dover all over.
Correction: According to the article, it was JPL lawyers seeking the publicity ban, on the basis that it was unfair to current employees to have to testify to their beliefs in open court.
Oh snap, you’re right. Thanks for the correction.
I want some press coverage. I want to know how Coppedge can claim that Intelligent Design is science, not religion, but opposition to it is religious discrimination.
That’s a good question, but the obstacle isn’t insurmountable.
Team Coppedge has the burden of demonstrating that JPL made the mental association between ID and religion. But that’s not enough.
He also needs to show that JPL discriminated against him based on the perceived religious nature of his confrontations with coworkers. Still, this isn’t good enough, either.
He’s going to have to essentially prove that he was not one to harrass his coworkers in religious OR secular ways. If its determined that Coppedge was a morale killer in general (and over a period of months or years), then it’s over for him.
In the end, it will likely be about HOW the former subordinate confronted his coworkers; not so much WHAT he confronted them with.
But to answer your doubts, “Yes. Coppedge CAN argue that JPL discriminated against him for his “science based” dialogue on anti-religious grounds.”
P.S. When we consider the obstacles that Coppedge is facing, its easy to understand why the Discovery Institute isn’t particularly enthusiastic about the case. Yet, this isn’t a story that they have the option of ignoring, either. I have two words to describe their situation: “Tar” and “Baby”.
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/03/12/nasa-specialist-axed-over-intelligent-design-lawsuit-claims/
http://www.evolutionnews.org/politics/academic_freedom/
David Coppedge blogs at:
Creation Evolution Headlines
http://crev.info/
Stretching Credibility in Evolutionary Stories
http://crev.info/2011/09/110920-stretching_credibility_in_evolutionary_stories/
Baloney Detector
http://crev.info/baloney-detector/
Slaughter of the Dissidents
by Dr. Jerry Bergman
http://www.amazon.com/Slaughter-Dissidents-Jerry-Bergman/dp/0981873405