The school refused to take it down, despite its blatant illegality, and so she took it to court. As hopefully is obvious (though, sadly, perhaps isn't), Miss Ahlquist won her case this week. And as is, unfortunately, obvious, she has been receiving all manner of vitriol and bile and acid from all the "moral, forgiving Christians" who argued that the banner was "just a banner" and a "school tradition" and that the terrible, terrible atheists were infringing on their freedom of religion.
Riiiiight. Because we all know it's legal for public, federally funded buildings to promote one religion over others. And we all know that you can't say your own private prayer in a public building, but instead have to shove it down everyone's throats. (Actually, you'd think that would be the case, judging by the reaction...)
You know, sometimes you start thinking that the world is a pretty nice place, and people are generally decent, and when they're not they're really just kind of stupid and bumbling, not really malicious. Then you read articles and see some of the crap that has been sent to this brave, intelligent high school junior, and you think, wow. People are terrible. If you feel up to it, read some of the sickening puke that has been sent at her. From her own classmates, no less.
It's really vile. People threatening physical harm to a sixteen-year-old smart enough and courageous enough to go into court and speak on national television about something she clearly believes in (not to mention, is right about). I mean, honestly, let's think about it for a second. Here we have a banner that reads "School Prayer" and contains a plea to God, singular and capitalized. Now let's pretend you're not a Christian. Okay, Jew or Muslim, maybe you can get past the fact that it's clearly a Christian prayer to a Christian god, since you're monotheistic and all. Now let's pretend you're a Buddhist. Or a Hindu. Or, god forbid, an atheist. Let's think about it from an atheist's perspective. A prayer banner praising a god is contrary to pretty much their entire philosophy. Can you say...exclusionary?
And, look, even regarding the fact that these people are more incorrect about the issue than everyone on Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader, it still doesn't negate the fact that you shouldn't be threatening people and calling them vile things. I don't care how much you disagree with their position, you should not be threatening physical harm. I thought they taught most people common decency in the elementary school. Evidently not. They were probably too busy reading Leviticus or something.
UPDATE: Here's part of the judge's ruling that was particularly eloquent.
"No amount of debate can make the School Prayer anything other than a prayer, and a Christian one at that. Its opening, calling upon the “Heavenly Father,” is an exclusively Christian formulation of a monotheistic deity, leaving out, inter alia, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and atheists alike. The Prayer concludes with the indisputably religious closing: “Amen;” a Hebrew word used by Jews, Christians and Muslims to conclude prayers. In between, the Prayer espouses values of honesty, kindness, friendship and sportsmanship. While these goals are commendable, the reliance on God’s intervention as the way to achieve those goals is not consistent with a secular purpose."
Beautiful!
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