Woman Denied Citizenship Because Objection To War Based On Secular, Not Religious, Values

[Purveyor]

By Travis Gettys
Friday, February 28, 2014 10:18 EST

A California woman applying for U.S. citizenship had her application denied because immigration officials refused to recognize her secular beliefs.

Adriana Ramirez claimed she objected to the pledge to bear arms due to her sincerely held moral convictions, but her conscientious objector status was rejected because it was not based on religious belief.

Attorneys from the American Humanist Association (AHA) said immigration officials violated constitutional protections in denying the application

“Given the Supreme Court’s unequivocal instruction that, to be consistent with the Constitution, the government must interpret a statute permitting conscientious objection on the basis of ‘religious’ belief to include comparable secular moral views,” wrote attorney Monica Miller, of AHA. “Denying Ms. Ramirez’s citizenship on the grounds that her secular moral beliefs are not ‘religious’ is unconstitutional.”

Miller said there was no legal basis to deny a citizenship to applicants because their ethical values are secular.

more...

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/02/28/woman-denied-citizenship-because-objection-to-war-based-on-secular-not-religious-values/

[leftyohiolib]

1. why does this sound familiar?

[struggle4progress]

3. It sounds like the Margaret Doughty case last year

[leftyohiolib]

4. omg this happened twice

[Manifestor_of_Light]

2. Sue the Bastards!

That's a constitutional slam dunk!!!

[elleng]

5. This won't stand.

First Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Unfortunately, appeal necessary.

[Comrade Grumpy]

6. We don't need her pacifist kind in our red-blooded country!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. If you're not willing to kill for the bosses, you're not welcome in America.

[WillyT]

8. K & R !!!

[enough]

9. In WWII, my father was denied C.O. status because he refused to say that his

objection to war was based on religious beliefs. He went to prison, where he met a number of lifelong friends.

[linuxman]

10. Stupid.

While I believe that you shouldn't be granted citizenship in a country that you will never agree to defend, I don't believe a distinction should be made between secular and non-secular reasons.