FFRF condemns mayor and police chief for ejecting citizen from meeting who wouldn't stand for Pledge

[AtheistCrusader]

http://ffrf.org/news/news-releases/item/21252-atheist-group-condemns-mayor-police-chief-for-ejecting-citizen-who-refused-to-stand-for-prayer

The Freedom From Religion Foundation is condemning the mayor and police chief of Winter Garden, Fla., after the two men kicked a resident out of a city commission meeting on Aug. 28 for refusing to stand during a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.

As documented in a video recorded by John Thoreau, Mayor John Rees told everyone present at the meeting to rise for the invocation and the pledge. As the prayer began, Rees interrupted, pointing at the seated Thoreau and saying, “We’re waiting for everyone to rise.” Thoreau repeatedly asserted he did not have to and remained seated. The sectarian prayer, given by a commission member, continued.

When Thoreau also refused to stand for the pledge, Rees ordered Police Chief George Brennan to “either escort him out or have him stand for the pledge.” Rees continued, “This is just not fair to our troops and people overseas, sir.” Brennan asked Thoreau whether he would stand or leave. Thoreau responded, “I guess I’m leaving” and was escorted out of the room in front of the nearly 100 people in the audience.

“These actions were an astounding violation of Thoreau’s rights,” said FFRF Staff Attorney Andrew Seidel, citing several court cases holding that compelling citizens to recite the pledge or salute the flag is unconstitutional, including the 1943 Supreme Court case West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, where the Supreme Court explained, “If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein.”


More at link.


This headline would read... differently if it were me.

[msongs]

1. the pledge is idolotry. isnt that against the xtian religion? nt

[AtheistCrusader]

2. So I am told.

I need to get me one of those 'it's for the troops' magic wands. That seems super-useful.

[cbayer]

15. I assume you meant idolatry.

Idolatry is about worship. I don't think the pledge fits that definition, though there are some christians on the edges who apparently agree with you.

[Leontius]

3. It doesn't seem as if he was escorted out for refusing to stand for the prayer

although that did seem to piss the mayor off but for refusing to stand for the pledge he was escorted out .

[AtheistCrusader]

4. The pledge contains something I recognize as a prayer.

[rurallib]

5. 'under god'

[AtheistCrusader]

6. Yep.

Someone tries to force me to stand for that, the headline will include the words 'Tazed and hogtied'

[Leontius]

12. Prayer? You're really stretching to absurdity with that. Not liking "under God" fine, great,

outstanding show of principled secularist outrage but prayer, really. Now what is it that Bugs' would say?

[AtheistCrusader]

13. Close enough for categorization.

It's essentially an invocation itself. If you prefer that term.

[Goblinmonger]

11. Can't really do that either, can you?

And he was not standing because of the religious portion.

[okasha]

7. As a Congregationalist attending his wife's Episcopal Church put it,

one can also sit reverently. Or in this case, respectfully.

(And if he wasn't feeling reverent or respectful, that was no one's business but his own.) Good for the FFRF.

[Mariana]

8. “This is just not fair to our troops and people overseas, sir.”

And here I thought our troops and people overseas were supposed to be fighting for our freedom. I guess Mayor Rees and Chief Brennan think differently.

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. How ironic - a wartime SC decision said you can't force someone to say the pledge

when there were millions of troops risking their lives, and now this self-important jackass whines "it's unfaaaiiirrr on the troops!!!!" to honour that ruling.

[cleanhippie]

10. FL mayor badgers atheist at public meeting for not standing for prayer or Pledge of Allegiance

FL mayor badgers atheist at public meeting for not standing for prayer or Pledge of Allegiance

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/08/29/fl-mayor-badgers-atheist-at-public-meeting-for-not-standing-for-prayer-or-pledge-of-allegiance/

[cbayer]

14. Can't wait to see what happens when the local chapter protests the

next meeting.

I think they made a mistake here which they are going to regret.

So, what would your headline be?

[AtheistCrusader]

17. Post 6

[cbayer]

18. I'm a fan of nonviolent protest myself.

[AtheistCrusader]

20. I am as well.

But these days, passive noncompliance can earn just that sort of response.

[rug]

16. What the mayor did has been illegal for 70 years.

http://www2.bloomberglaw.com/public/desktop/document/W_Virginia_State_Bd_of_Educ_v_Barnette_319_US_624_63_S_Ct_1178_87

The case was decided in the middle of World War II no less.

[Starboard Tack]

19. Sad!

At least he wasn't stoned or beheaded!