Missouri’s deceptive Amendment 2 passes: Will lawsuits follow?

[cleanhippie]

Missouri State Rep. Chris Kelly (D-Columbia) has called Missouri’s deceptive “right to pray” amendment “a jobs bill for lawyers.” He may be all too correct.

Yesterday, Missouri voters overwhelmingly approved Amendment 2, which passed with 82 percent in favor and 17 percent against. The vote margin is not surprising given the misleading language that accompanied the measure on the ballot.

Many who voted for the amendment probably thought they were merely protecting the right of citizens to express their religious beliefs, guarantee the right of school children to pray and require public schools to display the Bill of Rights.

In reality, Amendment 2 is not so benign. It opens the door for coercive prayer and proselytizing in public schools, allows students to skip homework if it offends their religious beliefs and infringes on the religious liberty rights of prisoners. The biggest problem with Amendment 2, however, is that it’s so open-ended nobody really knows exactly what it will do.

For example, one provision mandates that the state “shall ensure that any person shall have the right to pray individually or corporately in a private or public setting so long as such prayer does not result in disturbance of the peace or disruption of a public meeting or assembly.”

Does it mean that all governmental meetings will feature group invocations or benedictions? What if one person’s “right to pray” intrudes on another person’s right to abstain from praying or to pray according to the tenets of her own faith? And what constitutes a disturbance or disruption?

No one knows the answers to any of those questions. That’s where the lawyers come in.

http://www.secularnewsdaily.com/2012/08/missouris-deceptive-amendment-2-passes-will-lawsuits-follow/

[donco]

1. they've already started

the aclu has already filed.

[longship]

2. Indeed, the lawyers will justifiably line up.

And good for them.

This is so patently unconstitutional that federal court cases are inevitable; the more, the merrier.

Maybe we ought to have a pool for how soon the first case is filed. Proceeds go to a Dem congressional candidate of the winner's choice. Better get it going quickly because it won't be long. I am in for $5 via Paypal if somebody gets it going.

[cleanhippie]

3. Pretty sure you are too late.

There is another thread about this, but it pertains to a school administrator.

[longship]

7. Too bad, it would be a fun game.

It would benefit Dem candidates. We could get Wink Martindale to host it, or maybe Alex Trebek, if he's not too busy shilling for insurance marketer, AARP.

Oh well.

[bluestateguy]

4. "I can't take the math test, it violates my religious principles"

That's what I would do if I was a high school kid.

[Angry Dragon]

5. What are they going to do when a Satanist demands a prayer

after a Christian prayer??

[cleanhippie]

6. "Oh, sorry, we're out of time. Again."

[skepticscott]

8. No worries

A school superintendent in Missouri has assured everyone that nothing will change as a result of Amendment 2, so that pretty much guarantees it.