Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof
The Columbus High School Mighty Cardinals had won the 4×100-meter relay–by seven yards, no less–and had a shot at the state championship. That was until Junior sprinter Derrick Hayes pointed to the sky. Hayes’s father, K.C., said that his son made a gesture of thanks to God, but raising a hand to the sky is considered excessive celebration according to the state scholastic rules. And with that, the team was disqualified.
“It was a reaction,” K.C. Hayes said. “You’re brought up your whole life that God gives you good things, you’re blessed.”
Many interviewed around town said that this was a violation of freedom of religion rights. Columbus High School said that religious gestures are not banned, but they must be done off of the competition field or court.
High School Track Team Disqualified When Runner Gestures Thanks to God
The school is incompetent — the point is, to not encourage one religion over another; but gesturing to the sky is common to all the religions of history. After all, it was the original Heaven, which no society on Earth has ever forgotten. They just need to sue the school, and point this out, forcefully.
More proof of survival of the weakest gaining momentum. The weak collect in groupthink and consensus to stamp out individual strength and freedom.
Mann and Hansen set the standard when it comes to uselessnes in science, this school board just confirms the same, that the weak are trying to inherit the earth. Darwin must be perpetually spinning in his grave.
That can’t possibly have happened. If it actually did, game, set and match are over for this country.
My religion is math and physics older than I am , but this is petty bureaucratic malevolence .
The school (perhaps untruthfully) claims their objection was not due to the religious nature of the gesture, but with the excessively celebratory nature of the gesture. If the school is truthful regarding their objection, they’re on solid ground. Athletic organizations at many levels ban excessive celebration or taunting, including the pagan-looking end-zone dances.
I love my Christian friends. I also respect the non-religious (being of that persuasion myself), as well as those of other faiths, excepting violent Islamists. If the gesture was religious, and I suppose it was, I wonder: Did the kids acknowledge God for His role in their health and fitness, or did they acknowledge Him for rewarding their own devoutness by perhaps hindering their opponents’ efforts? The former makes some sense, while the latter seems much like cheating.
harrydhuffman correctly points out that “…gesturing to the sky is common to all the religions of history…” However, non-religious students wouldn’t gesture to the sky, and could be offended, one way or another, by others publicly doing so. Of course, devotees of most religions might be indifferent when the non-religious take offense.
People like you scare me.
People like you are a source of great encouragement to me.
Two basic tenets I wholeheartedly believe: The metaphorical devil is in the present-day nitty gritty details; and, a good rule to live by is “know thyself.” The original saying translates as “The unexamined life is not worth living.” If one is to examine his life, tenet #1 would serve him well, as not only the broad strokes bear examination, but the tiny details, also.
You apply skepticism to the so-called consensus in climate science, and by doing so, you show your conservatism and common sense — hence my encouragement. I am skeptical in all areas of my life, all that I was taught, and all the monsters who would do us mental harm (particularly that vile man Barack Obama and the even more vile Alex Jones).
“However, non-religious students wouldn’t gesture to the sky, and could be offended, one way or another, by others publicly doing so.”
What my parents taught me were poor losers. You do not have a “right” to not be offended. PC is killing this country.
There is no constitutional right that protects us from being offended. In fact, the constitution takes the opposite approach, protecting unpopular speech and popular speech alike, while implicitly recognizing that “consensus” speech really needs no protection.
I monitor my own activities, hoping that I won’t offend others, but that’s a personal effort. The government has never before required us to avoid giving offense, and it’s a symptom of tyranny when it tries to do so — whether by executive order, legislation or plain old shaming. Barack and his PC police violate the spirit of the Constitution on a daily basis. So, as my redneck buddy says, “Me and you are in agreeance.”
Total BS. Those boys were robbed! Adults need to become adults and realize that they have become political stooges of the liberals.
“Columbus High School said that religious gestures are not banned, but they must be done off of the competition field or court.”
What is the definition of ‘banned’, then?
Insane. Foisted on the young. Evil.
And I get so annoyed when I here someone say “separation of church and state” .. there is NO such thing! .. There is no mention of “separation of church and state” in ANY of our founding documents. None!
Why is it that progressives have such a reading comprehension problem? What part of “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” is so difficult to grasp? … The only “separation” there is, is that “Congress shall make no law” … that’s it .. short, sweet, and to the point.
Hammer, meet nail of head.
Reading and comprehension do not mix in the leftist mind. I told an anti gun eunuch that gun ownership has nothing to do with killing people and he thinks that was hilarious. I asked him how many gun owners (legal and civilians) have killed someone and he refuses to answer. You can lead a leftist to logic, but you cannot make it think! 😆
As an agnostic, I call it intolerant secularism.