Sandra Day O'Connor See Nothing Wrong With Banning Chritian Prayer

A former member of the U.S. Supreme Court serving on an appeals court panel has justified a city's decision to ban prayers at council meetings that are "in Jesus name," calling it a "reasonable" restriction on a councilman's speech rights. The comments came this week as the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard a case handled by the Rutherford Institute on behalf of Rev. Hashmel Turner. Attorneys for Turner argue his prayer should be subject to free-speech protections, while the city alleged his speaking as an elected official turns his words into official "government speech." The law firm reported former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor described the case as black and white in favor of the city. "It is government speech, and the rule seems perfectly reasonable," she opined. Read more...

Posted by Editor at March 22, 2008 01:45 PM