Praying Coach Case Gets Cold Shoulder at Supreme Court
Here’s the thing about religious freedom; it is a quintessential indicator of the health of a society.
Our religion, our faith, and our believes are at the very core of our being. We believe in responsibility for our actions, with a hefty price to pay for failing to adhere to the Almighty’s suggestions on how to act. This is the sort of thing that only we ourselves can discover about the world within us, and, therefore, should not be unduly subjected to criticism from others.
You believe what it is that you truly feel in your heart of hearts. Telling someone that they are wrong about this intrinsic piece of their very being is inherently evil…if not just rude.
As such, religious freedom must be protected, and in an exemplary manner in the United States. A recent decision from the Supreme Court has drawn concerns over these protections, however.
The Supreme Court delivered a devastating blow to religious liberty Tuesday by refusing to take up a case involving a Washington state high school football coach who was fired after he took a knee to pray after a football game.
In 2015 Joe Kennedy was fired from his job as an assistant football coach at Bremerton High School in the Seattle area after he prayed at the conclusion of a game.
For eight years, the Marine veteran had made it a practice to walk onto the football field, take a knee at the 50-yard-line and deliver a 30-second prayer. Players were never forced or encouraged to participate in the prayer.
Let’s just break this down to brass tacks – Kennedy was fired because other people caught a glimpse of his faith, and school officials were afraid that there would be a complaint. The school was concerned that someone’s eyes may catch a glimpse of a man kneeling and talking to himself for 30 seconds. This is, apparently, a terminable offense for which Kennedy needs to be fiscally punished by “society”.
Would that same person be offended by a mentally ill homeless person kneeling and talking to themselves? I’d hope not, at least not to the point where they would seek to inflict financial harm on that person.
Kennedy’s team isn’t backing down, however.
First Liberty Institute attorney Mike Berry told me it’s still possible the Supreme Court could reconsider the case and he and Kennedy plan on continuing the fight.
“Coach is a U.S. Marine, and like any good Marine, he isn’t backing down from a challenge,” Berry said. “We will go back to the trial court and attempt to resolve the issues the Supreme Court identified.”
Religious freedom is freedom incarnate, ladies and gents, and it must be protected as powerfully as any other God-given right that we have.
