Subway incident

[Douglas Laycock]

  Thanks, Steve.  News gets here, but I don't always have time to
read it.

  Quoting Steven Jamar <stevenjamar at gmail.com>:

> news gets slow to michigan?  :)
>
>
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/12/national/main3609322.shtml[1]
>
> On Dec 16, 2007 11:08 AM, Douglas Laycock <laycockd at umich.edu>
wrote:
>
>> In the same vein, is the subway incident true? Certainly could be
true,
>> but I don't recall seeing any news coverage, and the facts are
awfully neat
>> for propaganda purposes, including the Muslim rescuer. True? Real
incident
>> modified to make it better?  Entirely made up?  Does anyone know?
>>
>> Quoting Susan Freiman <susan.freiman.law.65 at aya.yale.edu>:
>>
>> > This just came to me from an atheists' list.  Is it true?
>> >
>> > Susan
>> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
>> >
>> > *PRESS RELEASE*
>> > *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE* *The Council for Secular Humanism Chides
>> > Congress for Disrespecting Religions
>> > *
>> > (December 14, 2007) -- Experts from the Council for Secular
Humanism
>> > noted with alarm the passage of H. Res. 847 in the House of
>> > Representatives. This unnecessary, unwarranted, and bigoted law,
>> > under the misleading title "Recognizing the Importance of
Christm as
>> > and the Christian Faith" passed the House with overwhelming
>> > bipartisan support It effectively undermines the sort of
religious
>> > tolerance necessary in these changing times.
>> >
>> > Just days ago in the midst of the Jewish Festival of Lights,
four
>> > Jewish men in New York City  were attacked on the subway for
replying
>> > to a group of ten people who wished them a "Merry Christmas"
with a
>> > similar greeting: "Happy Hanukkah.  For this, these men were
first
>> > insulted, then beaten. It was a Muslim man who came to their
physical
>> > defense.  The actions of the Congress, by passing the resolution
and
>> > thus expressing preference to the Christian faith over all the
others
>> > represented by the diverse population of these United States ,
>> > encourages this sort of behavior.
>> >
>> > The First Amendment's guarantee of religious liberty, and of the
>> > nonestablishment of religion, was devised to create a secular
state
>> > in which all religions would be equally tolerated and none given
>> > preference. The language of the House resolution effectively
>> > undermines the design of the Founders, and creates an atmosphere
>> > where non-Christians will continue to be targeted, treated like
>> > second-class citizens, and even become victims of violence like
those
>> > four Jewish subway riders in New York .
>> >
>> > Paul Kurtz , CSH chair, stated, "It is deplorable that in this
day
>> > and age and in light of violence against religious minorities
here in
>> > the United States that the Congress would stoke those flames
with
>> > preferential language in support of a single religion."  David
>> > Koepsell , CSH's executive director, noted,  "Te First Amendment
>> > Guarantee was designed to prevent the sort of religious
intolerance
>> > that resulted in violence in Europe, and our Congress should
respect
>> > the intent of the Founders."
>> >
>> > We call on the Congress to reject this resolution, to stand up
for
>> > religious freedom, secularism, and pluralism, and to foster a
climate
>> > in which all believers and nonbelievers alike are treated
equally.
>> > __._,_.___
>> >
>>
>>
>> Douglas Laycock
>> Yale Kamisar Collegiate Professor of Law
>> University of Michigan Law School
>> 625 S. State St.
>> Ann Arbor, MI  48109-1215
>>    734-647-9713
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>
>
>
> --
> Prof. Steven Jamar
> Howard University School of Law
>

Douglas Laycock
Yale Kamisar Collegiate Professor of Law
University of Michigan Law School
625 S. State St.
Ann Arbor, MI  48109-1215
  734-647-9713

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