Friday, June 27, 2008

'Freedom of' does not equal 'freedom from'

I'm not saying that the ACLU shouldn't exist, but I sure wish they'd, you know, do more Constitutional stuff.

Their latest: ACLU threatens academy prayer lawsuit
In a May letter to Vice Admiral Jeffrey L. Fowler, the academy's superintendent, ACLU officials asked the institution to end the prayers on behalf of nine unnamed midshipmen who said the prayer made them uncomfortable and violated the Constitution.

The prayer occurs before the midshipmen eat lunch, when one of the academy's eight chaplains leads the brigade in prayer. The anonymous midshipmen and the ACLU said those who don't clasp their hands, bow their heads, and recite the prayer inevitably stand out and feel pressure to participate.

Wow. Nine whole midshipmen are bent out of shape that they have to bow their heads while others say a prayer. Golly, that must be hell.

Here's a beaut:
I hope the prayer is abolished. It's certainly unconstitutional

This from an ensign who says the environment at the academy is one of "play along or stand out."

Well, gee, does this potential Naval officer think that by bringing this to the attention of the ACLU that they might, oh, I don't know, stand out or something?

Also, God forbid that a an institution geared toward good order and discipline, where people's lives may depend on someone doing what they have to do, would expect people to "play along."

I fear for the future when these young snowflakes can't handle a little bit of prayer in the day -- something that isn't even required of them.

I realize that the courts generally don't agree with me on prayer, but the last time I checked, "of" and "from" have two entirely different meanings.

Maybe I'm crazy.

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