Settlement

[Ed Darrell]

In a message dated 98-02-09 16:44:24 EST, JMHACLJ at AOL.COM writes:

<< Hmmm.  Why would the ACLU wish to prevent a judge from SENTENCING ANYONE to
 attend religious service and/or religious instruction as community service?
 Perhaps the press release quoted by Art misstates the issues and resolution,
 but if not, it seems to me that preserving the broadest array of potential
 forms of alternative correction is a good idea and that the deliberate
 exclusion of religious programs is a noxious one.

 Is there more detail Art? >>


The defendant was told he could pay a fine or do community service.  When he
picked community service, he was given a list of local Christian churches  to
attend.  He asked for alternative community service because his Native
American religion was not represented on the list and he felt it a violation
of his religion to be forced to attend another religion's service.  His
requeset was denied.

Judge McDougal is retiring from his JP duties.  He agreed to stop sentencing
people to services, he said, rather than fight.

Local coffee shop sentiment holds that it is too easy on Christians to simply
allow them to count their regular attendance as the required service, though
if it encouraged a backslider, that would be fine.  The coffee klatch also
claim they would be offended if required to attend a different service from
one they usually attend.

Dallas Morning News stories on the affair are no longer available on line;
there was a story in the newspaper late last week, if you've got the paper
archived at your library.

Hope those additional details help.

Ed Darrell
Dallas, Texas