Missouri voters to decide on prayer measure

Thursday, August 2, 2012

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri voters will be faced with a question of religious freedom Tuesday, as a proposed state constitutional amendment would specifically permit prayer in public and allow students to avoid assignments that violate their religious beliefs.

The measure on the statewide ballot says people have the right to pray in public or private so long as they do not disturb the peace, and it gives a specific imprimatur for prayer before government meetings. In addition, the proposal states students can express their beliefs and cannot be compelled to participate in school assignments or educational presentations that violate their religion. Missouri public schools also would be required to post the text of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.

State lawmakers have debated such amendments for years, and the most recent proposal was placed on the August ballot after widely clearing the House and the Senate last year.

State Rep. Mike McGhee, the Odessa Republican who sponsored the measure, said the amendment is intended as a reminder that prayer is a right.

“We’re not changing anything except the way people are thinking and getting that message out to the schools, school administrators and the teachers and letting people know, ‘You want to pray? Go ahead, it’s OK,’ “ said McGhee. He added that it also would protect students and could be a model for other states.

Voters seem inclined to support the proposal. According to a recent poll for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and KMOV of 625 registered voters, 82 percent supported the prayer amendment and 14 percent opposed it.

The Missouri Constitution currently says: “All men have a natural and indefensible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences; that no human authority can control or interfere with the rights of conscience.” The constitution also says people cannot be declared ineligible for public office or kept from testifying or serving on a jury based upon their religious beliefs.

Opponents contend the measure’s proposed changes could be confusing and are likely to spark court cases to determine what the revisions mean and how they should be applied.

Tony Rothert, the legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri, said the prayer measure might give some government officials a mistaken impression about what is allowed. He said it also could force schools to evaluate what constitutes a legitimate complaint about an assignment running afoul of religious beliefs.

“It will open the door to a lot of litigation, especially if students learn about their rights,” Rothert said. “Schools are used to controlling the curriculum and having a wide discretion in controlling the curriculum.”

The ACLU has argued the ballot summary approved by lawmakers is misleading because it fails to mention the potential for students to refuse homework and a provision that says prisoners’ religious rights are limited to federal law. A legal challenge over the summary was rejected earlier this year.

The measure’s supporters include several religious and conservative organizations. Four Roman Catholic bishops in Missouri issued a joint statement urging Catholics to support the measure.

“Increasingly, it seems, religious values are becoming marginalized in society,” the bishops wrote. “People of faith need assurance that they remain free to exercise and express their religious beliefs in public, provided just order be observed, without threat of external pressure to conform to changing societal ‘norms.’ “

Another supporter, the Missouri Family Policy Council, said the measure gives prayer the same protections as other types of speech.

Although opposition has been relatively muted, the Missouri Libertarian Party approved a resolution objecting to the constitutional amendment, and other organizations formed the Missouri Coalition to Keep Politics Out of Religion.

Karen Aroesty, the regional director for the Anti-Defamation League, said faith already plays a prominent role in society and that the state and U.S. constitutions protect religious rights. She said the proposed changes have the capacity to cause problems for religious minorities in Missouri.

“The amendment is redundant. Missouri law and constitutional law already protect from the concerns that appear to be raised by the folks who support it,” Aroesty said. “The language is vague and ambiguous. It’s going to result in a fair amount of litigation.”

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Huh_interesting 10 months, 2 weeks ago

These "rights" are already covered by our Constitution. This is not about prayer and the free and open practice of religion. It's politics. The Republican General Assembly set the election date for November to get out the vote. Governor Nixon under constitutional authority, set the vote for August.

Supporters, just remember. All religions have an Almight God. It may not be the God that you pray to, but it is their belief. And you are opening the door to public practice of religion that you may think is the Devil himself.

Sequoia 10 months, 2 weeks ago

This legislation isn't worth anything to anybody except lawyers.

Huh_interesting 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Well, it's good for raising campaign money. Just look at the sponsor of the bills campaign account.

Gabrielle 10 months, 2 weeks ago

where can one find this info? thanks.

GrumpyGus 10 months, 2 weeks ago

The Constitution states "that no human authority can control or interfere with the rights of conscience.” In practice, public school teacher cross this line all the time asking children of faith to take part in school projects that are offensive to their faith. Oh, they can decline to participate, but they are punished with bad grades for it.

FTA: Tony Rothert from the ACLU stated, "It will open the door to a lot of litigation, especially if students learn about their rights." Well heaven forbid!. What this says to me is that he knows children's rights are currently being violated and covered up in order to avoid litigation. Thanks for practically admitting to the behavior that we are trying to get stopped.

GrumpyGus 10 months, 2 weeks ago

School assignments should be non-offending to all. How hard can that be?

GrumpyGus 10 months, 2 weeks ago

You wouldn't exaggerate in a million-trillion-zillion years... How would any of these subjects be offensive from a position of morality which is the subject at hand? Focus, if you can.

John 10 months, 2 weeks ago

The use of a nuclear weapon still has groups of PROponents and Opponents.

gsbcmo 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Sounds to me like it will put a stop to mandatory sex ed in grade schools, discussions of same sex marriage in schools and pro anything else the secular left crams down our throats.

Sequoia 10 months, 2 weeks ago

This law is a gift to lawyers and bullies. The language related to schools is intentionally designed to give homophobic bullies the opportunity to sue if they get punished for teasing gay classmates.

Under this law, students will be able to bully gay students. The bullies will say that they are not bullying, but they are just exercising their religious freedom and making faith-based statements that the school can't punish. Daddy will hire a lawyer to sue the schools. We'll all be paying to protect anti-gay bullies and buy their lawyers a new bass boat.

Can anyone name a specific assignment you or your child has been assigned that conflicted with your faith? I'm unclear as to what that might be. Can anyone convince me that there is a real problem that we need this legislation to solve? Specifics please. I've heard it all about the "secular left" and whatnot. Yawn. I want specifics.

When discussing anything sex related, I suggest using different terminology than "cram down our throats." That's just too funny.

I think the ACLU is referring to the recent spate of court decisions that restrict students' free speech and Fourth Amendment rights. Students have had their rights chipped away. Students may start resisting random searches, drug tests, etc. Atheists and Muslims might start speaking up about their beliefs.

I hope all marginalized groups are able to use this law to make their voice heard in schools where students and teachers alike are in thrall to the jocks and the rich kids. I hope this law comes back to bite those people who are now supporting it... those people who believe that it is the job of the schools to enforce not just Christianity, but actually the majority's idea of "normal." That's what this is about. The politics of "normal," and being scared that some of the non-normals might be getting a little uppity.

That's why this law smells like fear and weakness. The God I believe in doesn't need the power of the state. I don't need any legislature to justify or condone my faith, or tell me that the government thinks that what I believe is okay. My Jesus doesn't need help from Mike McGee from Odessa.

Any so-called faithful person that needs some mommy/daddy in the government to tell them that they're okay and to shield them from other views does not have true faith.

Mike McGee, your "faith" is just an emotional blob of fear and anxiety and conformity. It is weak, simpering, cowering before wordly power, and downright pathetic. All Christians should be disgusted by this small man.

Gabrielle 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Why do you not think the US Constitution and Missouri Constitution do not protect this as they are?

copcamaro 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Give this King who is now in office another 4 years and we will NOT have a constution to depend on. Look how he has stepped on it in this term.

CommanderBarkfeather 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Could Jewish kids start demanding Kosher food be served? Would Wiccan children get Halloween off? Is it better to expose ourselves to different cultures or to insulate ourselves from their influence? Why do people who insist on displaying the Ten Commandments (which is Jewish, not Christian) dishonor the Sabbath with shopping at the mall and golf?

jcguy25 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Graceful that has got to be the most ignorant comment I have ever seen posted on a board. So you think everything should all think and act the same way? Why don't you just add we should all look alike too. Remember Hitler?? Didn't work out so well for him. Diversity is what has made this country great. It's different ideas and perspectives that bring about change and growth.

os2hank 10 months, 2 weeks ago

when no defence attack is the way a liberal responsed

Sequoia 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Grace's comment is politically incorrect, but I have to agree. Countries like Japan and Finland have pretty low crime rates because the countries are so homogeneous. I'm sure there is conflict we don't see from our point of view, but it rarely seems as fractious as our politics. It makes sense to think there will be less conflict if everyone is more like you.

But that's not the country we live in, or have ever lived in. The original pilgrims were people who didn't fit in. We're made up of ancestors of people who took a chance and did something different. We brought slaves to this country, denied them education for 300 years, excluded them from society, then 50 years ago we pass Civil Rights and pretend like everything is okay now, racism is gone, and wonder why black communities are plagued by dysfunction. We treat people who are different as if they're doing something wrong, and that encourages rebellion. We're a country of misfits who love to tell others around us that they're misfits. It's not so much our diversity that causes conflict, but our anxiety about the diversity that causes conflict. For example, Mike McGhee's sense of conflict is the result of his fear and anxiety about other people not acting "normal," not the diversity itself. Maybe he's worried that deep down inside, he's not normal either, so he has to lash out at other people to prove how "normal" he is.

We have lots of differences because Americans are united not by blood or race, but by an idea. We're united in the idea of America. Being held together by the sheer gravity of a beautiful idea isn't easy. We're the only country like that, it seems.

America only exists as the idea we hold of it. That's why we fight so hard.

JCLifer 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Exactly. The root word for "diversity" is "divide". This country has become so focused on honoring diversity that we have forgotten that we are all more alike than we are different. We have become so polarized over every thing we can identify, and so sensitive that each difference must be fully honored and appreciated by others or else you are a hater.

We need to chuck diversity out the window for a while and instead focus on our common values. We need to come together and celebrate our siliarities. Celebrating our differences has gotten us to this point. If there is ever any hope of saving our country and moving forward, we need to start working together. We need to quit focusing on diversity. Liberal thinking has torn us apart.

JCLifer 10 months, 2 weeks ago

That was the appeal of Ronald Reagan. He brought us all together to feel good about our future and what we could accomplish together if we all worked at it. Obama has done nothing but remind us over and over how different we all are, and how bad that it. Take your pick, but I would rather be celebrating our commonalities than celebrating our differences.

Sequoia 10 months, 2 weeks ago

We don't need to "chuck diversity out the window." There is no way we can. WE are DIVERSE.

What's tearing us apart is fear and anxiety about diversity. It's people like Mitt Romney who hold down a kid and cut his weird hair because poor old Mitt is just too bothered by strange hair. It's people like that, who can't stand other people being different, and who try to use the power of the government to enforce "normalcy," (such as this right to pray law) that has caused so much trouble.

Live and let live, y'all.

Sequoia 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Actually, according to my dictionary, the root of "diverse" is the Latin "divertere," to turn aside, "divert." The root word is divert, not divide.

Did you actually look that up, or did you just quickly type something you heard someone else say?

If there is ever any hope of saving our country and moving forward, we need to start thinking for ourselves, and quit mindlessly repeating stuff we hear.

GrumpyGus 10 months, 2 weeks ago

How do we come together if the ideology of today is to deviate? At some point we have to agree on something? How about, "all school assignments should be inoffensive to all students regardless of ." BTW tree, you are parsing. The root of diversity means to turn in different directions, so it does mean for a whole to divide into two different directions.

dokeus6 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Who cares what the root word is. Go by what the word means. Difference, unlikeness.

Intolerant people cannot stand Difference, unlikeness.

Intolerant people also feel that the scat they put down the stool smells like roses too. There is a lot of intolerant females on this site and a lot of intolerant people with narrow minds in this town.

asb 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Well that simplifies things . . . since diversity causes conflict, let's stop being diverse. Brilliant! Which commonaliities shall we adopt? Somebody routinely slaughters and carefully guts cats at conservation sites (have more than once had the joy of finding them) for some no-doubt sincere spiritual purpose, let's check out their approach to life and maybe we can all adopt that commonality. And let's all be Asian for awhile so we can stop worrying about race. Oh, and I think we should all try being wealthy, who could say no to that? And hey, if we were all girls, just think of fun we'd have. I vote we all eschew eating anything that ever had eyes, and everybody smoke pot. I guess I'm being silly here, it'd be too much trouble to decide, I guess we should all just stay the way we are; white, protestant (sorry mormons and papists) booze swilling, poor, and dumber than mud. Who says FOX hasn't provided a public service; see, no more conflict, or else, eh?

GrumpyGus 10 months, 2 weeks ago

I guess we could all come together by all being blow-hard, non-constructive, cynical, joyless, arrogant, nasty, contemptuous, and sarcastic. However, I would prefer a more moderate approach like choosing school assignments that are benign and non-offensive to all students.

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