U.S. top court endorses prayers before town meetings

[Baitball Blogger]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday upheld the right of government entities across the United States to allow sectarian prayers prior to public meetings.

The court said on a 5-4 vote that the town of Greece in New York state did not violate the U.S. Constitution's ban on government endorsement of religion by allowing prayers before its monthly meetings.

In a decision that is likely to guide how local governments throughout the United States handle the question, the court said that officials in Greece did not violate the law when picking prayer-givers, who were overwhelmingly Christian.

Even the plaintiffs challenging the practice in the Rochester, New York, suburb of 100,000 people, conceded that some types of nonsectarian prayers were permitted under the Constitution.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/nationworld/sns-rt-us-usa-court-prayer-20140505,0,7842630.story

Very sad news, indeed. Because a shrewd city mayor has been known to drag in a local priest to provide an opening prayer that extended to a city program that was brought up through backroom channels. To pretend that our red suburban counties in Florida are doing everything they can to ensure constitutional due process in everything else they do, is to have your head shoved up your own ass.

[CBGLuthier]

1. In Jesus's Name, they rule(d).

All they had to do was subvert the SC and this country is disappearing overnight.

[FBaggins]

2. Had to see that one coming

Kennedy argued basically the same thing for the minority in the prior (Marsh) ruling. No reason to expect him to change much in writing for the majority.

[Gothmog]

3. We got to replace Kennedy and Scalia with sane jurists

The conservative majority on the court is talking some extreme positions

[GeorgeGist]

4. John Roberts ...

Phuck thyself. Seriously.