Christian T shirt banned by court

[cmotherofpirl]

Court Determines Christian Message on T-Shirt Offensive
Ninth Circuit Judge Delivers a Third Strike Against Traditional Values
By Jim Brown
April 26, 2006

(AgapePress) - A constitutional attorney is denouncing a ruling by a three-judge panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that bars a San Diego high school student from wearing a T-shirt displaying Christians messages in opposition to homosexuality.

With a 2-1 decision, the Ninth Circuit upheld a lower-court ruling against Chase Harper, who was suspended by Poway High School for wearing a T-shirt displaying the messages: "Homosexuality is shameful" and "Our school embraced what God has condemned." Harper had worn the shirt -- without incident -- during an annual pro-homosexual event in 2004 known as the "Day of Silence." But when he wore it to school the next day and was ordered to remove it, he refused. The lawsuit emerged from that confrontation.

In writing the majority opinion, Judge Stephen Reinhardt -- the same judge who has ruled previously that parents have no "fundamental right" to be the exclusive provider of information regarding sexual matters to their children (2005) and that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional (2002) -- held that, in this case, the school did not violate Harper's constitutional rights because the message on his shirt was offensive to homosexual students.

Calling Reinhardt's opinion "the quintessential example of judicial activism," Center for Law & Policy chief counsel Steve Crampton adds his own take: "To read the opinion gives one the eerie sense of what it must have been like to live in Stalin's Russia or Hitler's Germany -- dissenting voices simply will not be tolerated." And Reinhardt, adds Crampton, "certainly is in competition for -- if not the winner of -- the most liberal judicial activist in the nation."

"[Judge Reinhardt] is, I think, turning the First Amendment on its head," says the attorney. "[He] has basically ruled in his opinion that free speech isn't free in public schools on the issue of homosexuality."

While Crampton says he does not believe Reinhardt's opinion will stand on appeal, he is concerned that it would create a "ranking of privileges" among citizens if it were allowed to stand.

"Homosexuals, especially in the public schools, are basically given the title of nobility that our forefathers fought and died to prevent happening. They become 'super citizens,'" he suggests, "and Christians in particular are second-class [and are] not allowed to voice their own deeply held religious convictions on this subject."

Crampton believes it is no coincidence this ruling was handed down just days before this year's national "Day of Silence" (April 26).


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[RC_]

Somehow I'm not suprised that this is from the 9th...

[Norseman82]

More and more I'm beginning to understand the thought behind why the second amendment is also to protect us from government tyranny.

[Servant_of_Eve]

True constitutional freedom in this country has become a joke
This doesn't surprise me either
Persecution happens we just have to hold fast to Christ

[ironmonk]

Offensive should not be against the law.

The reason why it's offensive is because it's true.

Another reason why there is something seriously wrong with the way liberals think.

[dUSt]

[i]"the school did not violate Harper's constitutional rights because the message on his shirt was offensive to homosexual students"[/i]

How hypocritical.

If this was true for both sides, then all rainbow stickers should be removed from cars in school parking lots because they are offensive to Christian students.

[Servant_of_Eve]

[quote name='dUSt' post='962703' date='Apr 27 2006, 11:34 AM']
[i]"the school did not violate Harper's constitutional rights because the message on his shirt was offensive to homosexual students"[/i]

How hypocritical.

If this was true for both sides, then all rainbow stickers should be removed from cars in school parking lots because they are offensive to Christian students.
[/quote]

[jezic]

[quote name='dUSt' post='962703' date='Apr 27 2006, 10:34 AM']
[i]"the school did not violate Harper's constitutional rights because the message on his shirt was offensive to homosexual students"[/i]

How hypocritical.

If this was true for both sides, then all rainbow stickers should be removed from cars in school parking lots because they are offensive to Christian students.
[/quote]

Dust, that is awesome. (almost inspired! )

[Didacus]

[quote name='ironmonk' post='962701' date='Apr 27 2006, 09:30 AM']
Offensive should not be against the law.

The reason why it's offensive is because it's true.

Another reason why there is something seriously wrong with the way liberals think.
[/quote]

As soon as the Truth was spoken into the world, it was hated.

the Truth remains however, the truth.

[Keyser Soze]

Anyone who thinks we're free here, is mistaken.

[franciscan13]

the more i think about stuff like this the more angry i get

[toledo_jesus]

and yet kids can wear shirts and hats with obscenities printed on them...

[franciscan13]

and thats the worst part about this whole thing. those people who wish to wear obscenities or that promote homosexuality,or pro choice they are just expressing their freedom of speech. but if some want to wear somthing that speeks out against these imoralalities well we're just being offensive and closed minded

[Fulton Sheen Warrior]

+JMJ+

"When the world hates you, remember it hated Me first"

Christ said no servant is greater than his master. This just confirms me in my faith.

Veritatis Splendor

God Love you!

FSW

[zwergel88]

From the Catechism:

"The number of men and women who have deepseated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. [b] They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. [/b] Every sign of unjust discrimination should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition. "

Aside from the whole free speech debate (if they shirt was disruptive to the learning environment it should have been banned according to judicial precedent), I am am shocked at the amount of bigotry you guys have showed. People do alot of things that are wrong - divorce and remarriage, prostitution, murder, etc- yet we would not wear a t-shirt condemning those things. What makes someone think that they are so perfect that they can wear a t-shirt condemning another person's actions. Sounds mighty self righeous to me. I don't think that we are called to be the spiritual police, but rather to act with compassion toward everyone whether we agree with their lifestyle or not. This is very much in keeping with the passage from the Catechism above. Sure, homosexual activity is wrong, but so is publicly scorning one's peers. I think that the actions of the boy wearing the shirt are what is shameful.