Palumbo is a Rhode Island representative; he just called one of his constituents, Jessica Ahlquist, an “evil little thing” who was “being coerced by evil people”. I think he needs to apologize. No, scratch that; he needs to lose his next election. Contact him! Palumbo’s email address is rep-palumbo@rilin.state.ri.us. His office phone number is (401) 785-2882.
Jessica Ahlquist won her court battle to have a prayer recognized as a prayer, but it looks like some people are itching to appeal the decision — they say that all that is holding them back is a lack of money. Hey, how about a lack of reasonable grounds to stand on?
Another poll whimpers in protest. Another poll is being ground into the dirt with the right answer.
Do you agree with the court’s decision?
Yes, the banner was unconstitutional. 80%
No, they shouldn’t have to take it down. 20%
Oh, and take a look at what the gentle, moderate, liberal Christians are saying.
The decision that the prayer plastered on the wall of Jessica Ahlquist’s high school was, in fact, a religious prayer to a divine being, is now getting challenged in the most important venue of all — a newspaper’s online poll. The vote is currently split between people who can see the obvious, that that thing is a prayer, and the dumb and dishonest, who want to pretend that a “prayer” to a “heavenly father” is a secular document.
Which side are you on?
Did Judge Lagueux get it right in ordering the Cranston West prayer banner be removed?
Yes: 49.4%
No: 49.1%
Not sure: 1.5%
In a completely unsurprising decision, Jessica Ahlquist has won her court case, in which she was complaining that a prayer banner was an inappropriate object to hang in a public school. The defendants tried to argue that it was “an historical memento of the school’s founding days, with a predominantly secular purpose.” Judge for yourself. It’s the banner titled “School Prayer”, which begins, “Our Heavenly Father” and ends with “Amen.” Somehow, the judge in the case was not fooled and recognized that it seemed to be rather obviously religious in tone, and has ordered it taken down.
Next thing you know, these religious gomers will try to argue that creationism is a secular, scientific theory. No one is going to be fooled by that, are they?
Jessica Ahlquist is suing her school district to have a prominently posted prayer removed. It should be an open-and-shut case — it’s a freakin’ prayer in a public school, for pity’s sake — but I noticed one peculiar argument in a profile of the case.
Her frequent appearances, say the lawyers for the city and school, show that she does not fear harassment, as she claims in her suit. “These are not the actions of a frightened student, but of a zealous advocate.”
If the prayer were a problem, students would be cowed and fearful, and would not be complaining. A student is complaining, therefore she isn’t fearful, therefore it’s not a problem.
That’s some catch, that Catch-22.
(via Cuttlefish)
Various godless/critical thinking organizations are doing a good thing: they are expanding their sphere of interest into the high schools, and there are now new resources available to students. If you’re interested in learning more about what you can do to be a secular activist in your high school, you can contact JT Eberhard at the Secular Student Alliance, and now a new person, Jessica Ahlquist at the Center for Inquiry.
Which clearly sets up a necessary future event: we must have a steel cage match between JT and Jessica. JT keeps bragging that he’s more eviler than me, so I’m rooting for the tiny little woman to kick his butt.
You can watch Jessica, along with other high school students Harrison Hopkins, Damon Fowler, and Zack Kopplin speak. The future is looking good!
