One of Our Own Arrested

[SSY]

My "I have no problem with the religious as long as they keep to themselves"  view is once again contravened. It sounds like the police acted pretty poorly from the articles, are people supposed to carry around a prescription at all times for any meds they are taking? Seems like an excuse to me, I will be interested to find out the results of any charges.

It also sounds like disrupting "the bit right before the meeting where people just coincidently happen to pray" was perfectly legitimate, if the meeting has not started, then the chair has no power and it should be held in no more esteem than people idly chatting about the heroic quantities of alcohol imbibed over the weekend (the preferred topic of conversation before meetings round these parts).

[LARA]

Interesting. American citizens arrested in the U.S. for loudly interrupting a prayer prior to a public tax supported meeting.

I have had to sit through led prayers at school and local government events and  and my response has been to keep my head up and quietly watch.  I more recently have politely taken video which could be used for informational purposes if I ever want to pursue any legal action.

I'm curious.  Has anyone else here had to sit through prayers during school or government events?  How did you react?

[AnimatedDirt]

Wouldn't reciting the Constitution or anything of THAT nature (maybe singing the Nat'l Anthem) during a prayer in an otherwise neutral setting where prayer MIGHT be infringing on rights be a better "protest" than simply clicking photos or speaking or even shouting words of a protest?

This not only would "interupt", but then it would serve as a point in forcing the powers that be decide which deserves the importance or better, the precedence.  The prayer or the Constitution of the United States in a public meeting serving tax payers.

It seems to me, not that I support the "Atheist agenda", but I do support the separation of Church and State, that this would be the better "protest" tool.

Does anyone find problems with this?  I'm curious.

[Stevil]

Interesting. American citizens arrested in the U.S. for loudly interrupting a prayer prior to a public tax supported meeting.

I have had to sit through led prayers at school and local government events and  and my response has been to keep my head up and quietly watch.  I more recently have politely taken video which could be used for informational purposes if I ever want to pursue any legal action.

I'm curious.  Has anyone else here had to sit through prayers during school or government events?  How did you react?

I sit through them at funerals, but if the person that died was religious then that is fair enough. Although I do find it a strange practice and the things that are said are odd and very God and Jesus promoting. I actually get annoyed at all the god promotion, I want to hear more about the person who has just died.
Out of respect for the dead I am certainly not going to make an issue of it.

But it is strange, and I struggle to know what to do with myself at these times. I certainly do not close my eyes or say amen at the end. Sometimes I use it as an opportunity to see who my fellow non Christians are.

I can't fathom what it would be like at school or at govt events. I wouldn't be happy, maybe yell out praise Allah at the end when people say ahmen, or maybe put a fake jewish hat on or something as a small protest. I wouldn't go to the extreme of making a disruptive protest and getting myself arrested. If you really want to fight it then court is probably better than getting yourself arrested, but then again court is expensive and in some countries or states the courts are infected by the Jesus bug too.

[Stevil]

Yeah, or as AD says, sing the national anthem, or if you are American, recite the Constitution or that "I pledge allegance to the flag..." thing that Americans do. Maybe some native Indian chants.

But then again, I wouldn't want to make too much of a spectacle of myself. Would be interesting though, if they take action to kick you out of school or make you not attend the gatherings then you could sue them.

But before you make a disruptive protest it maybe a good idea to confront the headmaster and discuss the issue and give them an opportunity to resolve the issue without making it too public. It would be interesting if they find that as well as Christian prayer then they need to do a Jewish one and then a muslim one and then...  Time would run out before they get to start the meeting.

I don't think some Christians realise how annoying these prayer sessions can be and how intolerant they are.

[Whitney]

Wouldn't reciting the Constitution or anything of THAT nature (maybe singing the Nat'l Anthem) during a prayer in an otherwise neutral setting where prayer MIGHT be infringing on rights be a better "protest" than simply clicking photos or speaking or even shouting words of a protest?

This not only would "interupt", but then it would serve as a point in forcing the powers that be decide which deserves the importance or better, the precedence.  The prayer or the Constitution of the United States in a public meeting serving tax payers.

It seems to me, not that I support the "Atheist agenda", but I do support the separation of Church and State, that this would be the better "protest" tool.

Does anyone find problems with this?  I'm curious.

I think that is a wonderful idea.  I think keeping church and state separate isn't an atheist agenda...it's an agenda for anyone who values separation of church and state and the freedom of/from religion it grants us all.

Even some atheists wonder why there is a need to protect this separation, they don't want to rock the boat....but, imo, it's too late once the boat makes a landing on the shores of theocracy; which is where some people in this country want to steer us.

edit:  Just wanted to note that I prefer methods that don't have a chance of arrest and that don't draw negative attention to myself...would opt for running for school board, filing lawsuit (assuming I had money), building up local and national support online, submitting press releases/stories to the local papers etc and otherwise being a general pain in the current school board's ass before I'd ever plan on organizing events to disrupt school board prayer.  But I think that's a personality difference.

[AnimatedDirt]

I think that is a wonderful idea.

Can we call it the Animated Dirt Technique?  

Newscaster: Several protestors were taken into custody earlier this evening at the Los Angeles County School Board Meeting when just as a prayer began, the group suddenly broke out in the singing of the National Anthem.  One witness says he had over heard one of the protestors saying it was the "Animated Dirt Technique".  The witness also mentioned the beautiful harmony.  The city attorney says he's looking into the delicate situation...

[Sophus]

I'll be posting this on Reddit and several other forums shortly, as well as contacting the ACLU and Atheist Alliance International as well. An injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere.

Our own ACLU of Florida fell a little short on funding this year, I believe. I'm not sure of the best way to contact them about this (general email?).

[Tank]

I think that is a wonderful idea.

Can we call it the Animated Dirt Technique?  

[terranus]

Now would be a very good time to organize in Florida. This is quite simply unacceptable behavior on the part of the Polk County School Board, and it deserves not only universal rebuke from atheists and theists alike, but also deserves active protest. Unfortunately, I'm stuck in California for a few months, but I would like to do something to help none the less. I'll be posting this on Reddit and several other forums shortly, as well as contacting the ACLU and Atheist Alliance International as well. An injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere.

Polk county, eh? Wow, thank goodness people are so much more tolerant up here in the Panhandle! </sarcasm>