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Tough Questions To Consider



As part of their confirmation hearings, it would make sense for the nominees to be asked some hard questions regarding their feelings on past cases where religious interests clashed with the workings of government. Such as, if they had been part of the panel hearing the McCollum case in 1948, would they have upheld the practice of holding bible study during public school hours, or supported Judge Black’s decision that it was unconstitutional? Considering that Pryor recently voted in favor of keeping a statue of the Ten Commandments on court premises, it’s not much of a stretch to believe he would vote in favor of children receiving bible study during public school hours as well. Whether Justice Brown would also support religion over government is a question only she can – and should – answer.

It is very possible that a case of "pharmacist’s rights" will come before one of the higher courts in the next year or two. Several pharmacists have recently been fired from their jobs for refusing to fill prescriptions for either emergency contraception or regular birth control pills. They claim religious objections to contraception as the reason for failing to perform this job function. Should one of these cases be heard by either Brown or Pryor, how would they rule? What is their opinion of the whole "pharmacist’s rights" debate?

This is only one issue where the interests of religion come in direct conflict with those of government. Other cases are either before the courts now or will be in the coming years. In the past, politicians allowed religion to slyly intrude into places it had no business being. "In God We Trust" is on all of our dollar bills and coins. "One nation under God" was added to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954, even though not every citizen of the United States follows a religion or attends church.

How much further will religious groups go to eliminate the Separation of Church and State entirely? Even more important, how many high court judges will allow it to happen? If President Bush continues to nominate judges who are clearly opposed to the separation of religion from government, it is the duty of Congress and the United States Senate to vote against them. We can only hope that Congress and the Senate will take this duty seriously, for the stability of our country.