This isn’t religious, it’s merely tradition
I’m certain our case will be met with approval
A secular prayer—just a trivial thing—
So we’ll fight tooth and nail to prevent its removal

The prayer was a gift from a class in the sixties
Its place in tradition just can’t be denied
This isn’t religious! It’s all about freedom!
And we’ll fight, with our secular god on our side

For decades, the mural’s been there in the hallway
And no one—not one—had complained it’s religious
The taunting and threats that this Jessica’s getting?
It’s her fault alone, cos she’s so damned litigious

She’s out for attention! That’s all that this is!
The god-hating liberal, atheist slut!
We good Christian people should teach her a lesson
How sometimes it’s safer to keep your mouth shut.

How dare she insult us? How dare she mock God?
How dare she belittle the prayer in the hall?
How dare she believe that the law’s on her side—
Remember… this isn’t religious at all!

Angry rant, after the jump:
[Read more…]

The Providence Journal profiles the student behind the Cranston first amendment case; I’d be awfully proud of her if she were my kid.

As a high school freshman, Jessica Ahlquist wore shiny braces, read books and never missed an episode of “Dr. Who,” a TV show about a time-traveling alien who saves civilizations, helps people and rights wrongs.

“I was very shy,” says the 5-foot-tall student.

Hardly anyone noticed her — until she spotted a school prayer affixed to a wall in the auditorium of her new school, Cranston High School West.

She recognized that the mural violated the establishment clause, and began speaking about it at school meetings.

“I didn’t want to talk. I was terrified of saying I was an atheist. When I spoke, I heard a gasp. I knew then that people didn’t share my beliefs. It was an unwelcoming atmosphere. People belittled me and treated me like a little kid.”

She stuck to her guns, showing more intelligence and considerably more courage than her detractors, whose actions say this is a religious fight, but whose rhetoric claims it is an attempt to preserve the school’s traditions and not cave in “because one person in the history of the school objects.”

In this attempt to preserve the school’s traditions…

Since then, she says, students and adults have called her a “stupid atheist,” an ACLU tool, a witch and a “media whore.” They’ve also threatened her through e-mails or at school, she says.

A former classmate told her that, if she knew what he really thought of her, she would kill herself, she says.

Fortunately, some people see a brave girl on the right side of the law, and recognize her for it:

Next month, the ACLU will present her with the William G. McLoughlin First Amendment Award, named after a Brown University history professor and liberal activist.

Read the whole article–these snippets are a small fraction–and add Jessica Ahlquist to your list of real world heroes. It also includes an excellent summary and timeline of the case.

eta:
And read at least a few of the comments afterward–one in particular is from the mom, unnamed but also joined in the suit, who (quite reasonably) goes unnamed to prevent her own child from being harassed like Jessica has been, and you’ll see how ugly a majority can be, and how important rights are for protection against that ugliness.