Reads of Reason (January 18, 2022)

Happy Tuesday!

Welcome to Reads of Reason, a weekly compilation of news-clippings that relate to our work advocating for nontheist Americans and secularism here in Washington D.C. Please share this email with those in your network to enhance our secular outreach.

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News We Care About
(Good to know for protecting the Wall of Separation)

A Public Flagpole, a Christian Flag and the First Amendment (NYT, 11/29/31)
"The Supreme Court will decide whether Boston, which allows many kinds of groups to raise flags outside its City Hall, can reject one bearing the Latin cross."

The Man Behind Shurtleff v. City of Boston (A Public Witness, 1/12/22)
"Despite the circumstances and legal issues of the case drawing significant attention, the man at the center of this First Amendment storm is garnering little notice. Yet, the views of Harold “Hal” Shurtleff, who co-founded and leads Camp Constitution, should not be ignored."

Coach Who Lost His Job After On-Field Prayers Gets Supreme Court Review (Bloomberg, 1/14/22)
"The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal from a football coach who lost his job at a public high school in Washington state after repeatedly praying alongside his players on the 50-yard line after games."

Oklahoma AG John O'Connor draws scrutiny after reportedly advocating for a "God-based nation" (Public Radio Tulsa, 1/11/22)
"Oklahoma Attorney General John O'Connor's reported endorsement of a national legal system based on theology is an affront to the Bill of Rights and the separation of church and state, according to a secular advocacy group."

Scholar: America is still reacting to the religious right, in more ways than one (RNS, 1/13/22)
"The shadow of the religious right is long, and may be hindering the ability of modern-day Christian conservatives to stifle radicalism."

Secular Americans
(Who are we? What are we up to?)

Secular non-profit backs parent’s First Amendment complaint (1/9/22)
"The parent of a student at Pied Piper School reached out to the Freedom from Religion Foundation for help after what they considered discrimination against their child. They believe the school violated the First Amendment by including a nativity scene in their Christmas play."

Freedom of religion has trampled the rights of many American citizens, as well as those who were once enslaved (First Amendment Museum, 1/14/22)
“What is undeniable is that there is still much fear and misunderstanding about [non-believers], not only in the United States, but also around the world.”

Commentary
(Everyone has an opinion...)

Boston was right to refuse to fly Christian flag (Boston Globe, 1/15/22)
"As a Jewish legal advocate and a Baptist minister, we support the arguments of Boston in this critical First Amendment case that Supreme Court justices will hear on January 18."

The Christian right brings a Supreme Court case it actually deserves to win (Vox, 1/16/22)
"The case presents a genuinely difficult free speech dispute."

The White Christian Nationalism Tearing America Apart at the Seams (Common Dreams, 1/11/22)
"As Congress debates voting rights and investing in the people, it’s important to understand the dark forces that underlie the increasingly reactionary and authoritarian politics on the rise in this country."

Christian Nationalism Is One of Trump’s Most Powerful Weapons (New York Times, 1/6/22)
"Christian nationalist symbolism was all over the events of Jan. 6, as observers have pointed out. But the movement’s contribution to the effort to overturn the 2020 election and install an unelected president goes much deeper than the activities of a few of its representatives"

Why the LDS Church Welfare System Cannot Replace Government Assistance (Religion and Politics, 1/11/22)
"Studying the church’s history reveals that the government has done more to alleviate poverty and vault LDS members into positions of financial security than the church’s welfare system."

Opposing Views
(Always good to know what they are saying)

Opinion: In this case, the Constitution requires a city to display a religious flag (Washington Post, 1/14/22)
"Why are we [the ACLU] supporting a Christian organization’s argument in the Supreme Court case Shurtleff v. Boston that it has a right to display a flag bearing the Latin cross in front of Boston’s City Hall? The short answer: The First Amendment requires it."

Introducing integralism (World, 1/11/22)
"A group of Catholic intellectuals challenge America’s democratic founding principles"

The views expressed in the articles included in the Reads of Reason do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Secular Coalition for America or its coalition members--varying opinions may be included in an effort to inform our readers as much as possible. Please let us know of any feedback you might have!