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June 09, 1995 - Image 35

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Detroit Jewish News, 1995-06-09

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

)ARC

is pleased to present

Statute of Liberty?

Proposed religious amendment provides freedoms,
but also much divisiveness.

THE PREMIERE PERFORMANCE

of

MOM LLOYD WNW? NEW ► ROM-DON DF

JAMES D. BESSER WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT

A

fter months of delay, con- three Supreme Court decisions
gressional conservatives limiting officially sanctioned
are almost ready to unveil prayer in the schools, prohibiting
their "religious liberty" sectarian invocations at events
amendment to the Constitution, like public school graduations
a key plank in the "Contract with and sporting events and limiting
the American Family" promoted the display of religious symbols.
by the Rev. Pat Robertson's
More ominously, the amend-
Christian Coalition.
ment is expected to include lan-
Proponents argue the mea- guage establishing a constitutional
sure, which would be the first right for religious expression in
modification of the Bill of Rights any situation where non-religious
in 204 years, will protect the speech is permitted.
rights of observant people of all
That, Jewish leaders say,
faiths. The amendment, they say, would give public officials —
will remedy recent court decisions teachers, judges, Army drill in-
that seem to go to ludicrous structors — the right to prosely-
lengths to remove every vestige tize to their captive audiences.
of religion from our public life.
Ironically, conservatives are
But opponents, including most promoting an amendment that
Jewish groups, say it is even would have the effect of giving
more dangerous than the origi- government officials unprece-
nal amendment backed by the re- dented power over religious ex-
ligious right — focusing pression. When the doors are
specifically on school prayer. They open to prayer or religious sym-
contend it would ensure a new bolism in public facilities, main-
era of sectarian divisiveness in stream Christians and Jews will
the United States, a clear danger seek to participate. But so will
to all religious minorities.
Satanists, members of anti-Se-
Making that case in today's mitic Christian Identity sects and
overheated political atmosphere cultists of every variety.
will require all the political so-
As a purely practical matter,
phistication Jewish groups can school officials, mayors and
muster. And it will require a will- judges would be forced to pick
ingness to address the spreading which religions to allow into pub-
sense of moral crisis that gives lic facilities and which to bar —
impetus to these efforts.
a procedure that would serious-
In recent weeks, it has become ly undercut the "establishment
increasingly clear that the chief clause," which prohibits govern-
promoter of the amendment, Rep. ment activity that has the effect
Ernest Jim Istook, R-Okla., has of sanctioning certain religions.
had trouble crafting constitu-
Even some backers of the
tional language to satisfy both amendment are having a hard
sectarian and political concerns. time swallowing provisions that
The religious right has been di- could give much-despised gov-
vided between those who would ernment agencies new power
opt for the school prayer amend- over religious activity.
ment and pragmatists like Chris-
But defeating the amendment
tian Coalition executive director will be extraordinarily difficult in
Ralph Reed. This second group the face of the surging public per-
favors more general but far more ception of a rapid decay of basic
sweeping language aimed at win- values.
ning support from moderate
"We have made tremendous
Christians who worry that the progress in educating members
school prayer issue has become a about the fact that this amend-
cipher for a highly sectarian ef- ment isn't needed by any rea-
fort to bring narrow Christian sonable standard," said the
dogma back into the public Washington director for a major
schools.
Jewish group. "We've been able
"We already have a religious to puncture many of the myths
equality amendment, and it's being used to sell this amend-
called the First Amendment," ment — like the popular idea
said Elliot Mincberg, legal direc- that current law forbids children
tor for People for the American from saying grace before meals
Way, a group that vehemently at school. But this is a debate be-
opposes the amendment. "Corn- ing driven by emotions, not facts.
ing up with something else that It's being driven by a sense of
will not infringe on religious free- great moral crisis."
dom is proving a lot more difficult
The broad religious coalition
than most people thought."
fighting the amendment cannot
Although the precise language ignore this reality as the battle is
of the amendment is still a secret, joined. ❑
it is expected to overturn at least

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