OCRT Forum - Here's coverage of the story

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Frashavan
Here's coverage of the story
Wed Feb 1, 2012 05:21
99.235.84.63

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/27/jessica-ahlquist-prayer-banner-rhode-island-school_n_1237199.html

Apparently it's a public high school -- I don't think the courts would have, or could have, sided with her if it was a parochial school, or private school since no one is forced in any way to support or go to a private school -- It sounds to me as if it is the girl, herself, who is atheist, not the parents. If that is the case, then her parents are pretty open minded and supportive, since they must be getting harassed too.

The prayer reads:

"Our Heavenly Father,

Grant us each day the desire to do our best,
To grow mentally and morally as well as physically,
To be kind and helpful to our classmates and teachers,
To be honest with ourselves as well as with others,
Help us to be good sports and smile when we lose as well as when we win,
Teach us the value of true friendship,
Help us always to conduct ourselves so as to bring credit to Cranston High School West.

Amen"

Pretty innocuous, greeting card kind of stuff, if it wasn't for the "Heavenly Father" and "Amen" it's not praticularly prayer like...it's not even notably Christian in sentiment. (I do, BTW, see how the opening and ending make it offensive, if you sincerely do not believe in a deity, however.)

I found this bit interesting:

"At least one religious leader says Ahlquist should be able to stand up for what she believes.

"...We are proud to stand with others in Cranston who desire that Jessica and every young person be encouraged to learn to talk about their differences in peace," Rev. Leigh McCaffrey told Providence's NBC 10."

I am betting there are some who would say Rev. McCaffrey isn't "Christian" enough....

This page purports to have screen shots of some of the bile and venom directed against the girl (Those things are, however, way to easy to fake, so I have no idea if they are legit or not.) http://jesusfetusfajitafishsticks.blogspot.com/2012/01/ahlquist-screenshots-if-by-christian.html The local TV station, howvere, confirms she is receiving threatening emails. http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/local_news/west_bay/wpri-cranston-prayer-banner-fight-turns-ugly-jmq

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Another story about those evil, intolerant Muslims — Frashavan, Sun Jan 29 14:01

http://www.tabletmag.com/life-and-religion/88849/a-bronx-tale-3/ Gotcha! :D
Lovely indeed! — Baruch, Mon Feb 20 10:45

Only in America/Canada would there be Muslims acting as "shabos goyim" as it is said in Ashkenazic pronunciation. No doubt the Christians who want further fighting between Jews and Muslims, to... more
Then check out the story of Alex Aan, in Indonesia! (nm) — Kasey, Thu Feb 2 05:59

Re: Another story about those evil, intolerant Muslims — sai ram, Mon Jan 30 11:36

“People have a misconception that Muslims hate Jews,” said Baumann. “But here is an example of them working with us.”........but in the bigger scheme of things...this mosque would probably be... more
Recent problems in Egypt ... — Baruch, Mon Feb 20 10:48

are political. The real problem is when politics divides along ethnic lines. The Muslim Egyptian, not correctly, sees himself as Arab, not Egyptian. The Copts however see themselves as Egyptian, not... more
One step at a time — Frashavan, Mon Jan 30 17:39

Rome, as they say, wasn't built in a day.
Re: Another story about those evil, intolerant Muslims — Mirage, Sun Jan 29 23:20

Beautiful, thank you so much. I believe that a future like this is still possible for our species, and has always been possible, but enough of us have to want it.
Ah yes, the real sin, is not wanting this ;-( (nm) — Baruch, Mon Feb 20 10:46

Agree — Frashavan, Mon Jan 30 07:18

People can get along, if they choose to. When my Grandmother was about 30, someone threw a leg of pork through the window of the local mosque late on a Thursday night or early Friday morning. The... more
Re: Agree — Mirage, Mon Jan 30 22:27

Something really especially disturbing to me about your grandmother's experience, is that I tend to believe the more you know about others, the less you will hate them. It sounds like the person or... more
Perhaps the children blamed you for being sick? — Baruch, Tue Feb 21 17:23

This case is probably more like the church burnings we were having a decade ago. The one African-American church, which was burned here, was by two tramps, one goading the other one on to do it. And... more
She was remarkable — Frashavan, Tue Jan 31 07:11

She had many faults -- and was a drama queen of epic proportions -- but she did have a good heart. I have always been very proud of her for doing that. There is something feral and atavistic in how... more
Are you suggessting that being reactive to ..... — Kasey, Tue Jan 31 18:29

situations that are socially and nationally disruptive is wrong, especially when thhe affected society has extended a welcoming hand to all who come here? Suggest you refer to the likes of Tarj din... more
You would make a good Jew ... — Baruch, Tue Feb 21 17:28

who fought the Romans in the great wars against Rome, or earlier against the Greeks. Or today's Palestinians, who can't stand a single Jew or Christian in Palestine, because the whole land has been... more
Re: She was remarkable — Mirage, Tue Jan 31 09:35

I used to know a guy on another forum who had Asperger's which had been formally diagnosed by a neurologist after clinical testing. He also participated in some sort of study which was attempting to... more
Just read about this girl in R.I. — Frashavan, Tue Jan 31 15:59

Apparently, there was a banner in the gym with a "school prayer" on it, and she is atheist. She sued to have it removed. Of course she is being attacked, viciously, from all sides and had to change... more
Re: Just read about this girl in R.I. — Mirage, Tue Jan 31 22:55

My primary school had a school prayer which had been written by the lady who founded the school. It was extremely generic and mild. I don't know what the prayer at that girl's school was like. That's ... more
Here's coverage of the story — Frashavan, Wed Feb 1 05:21
In Lubbock TX they killed some Goth teens ... — Baruch, Tue Feb 21 17:34

a few years ago. Could have been bigotry, or could have been fighting over a girl. Teens are now known to not have any stable neural patterns, until early adulthood. Shalom
thanks — Mirage, Wed Feb 1 06:09

Yes, I am sure that the parents and the Reverend are getting harassed also. I guess I grew up in a different age and when I was an atheist, I sort of expected there might be nativity scenes by city... more
Re: thanks — Frashavan, Wed Feb 1 14:51

As I posted in another thread, I am often accused -- wrongly -- of being an atheist. That's not surprising, since I am very skeptical. Actually this forum is the only place I have ever been --... more
Re: thanks — Mirage, Thu Feb 2 00:06

Yeah, I am uncomfortable when I see those football prayers too. I think the only place our views diverge at all on this is that I don't consider it oppressive, for example, if someone wears a cross... more
None of us is immune — Frashavan, Thu Feb 2 14:56

Though some of us think we are! I have no problem with religious people wearing the symbols of their faith. Crosses, stars of David, Pentacles, Oms. Hijab doesn't bother me at all -- although I do... more
Re: None of us is immune — Mirage, Fri Feb 3 01:16

Hijab doesn't bother me at all either, unless the girl or woman is being forced to wear it. I've read some blogs written by Muslim women who feel it frees them from being objectified as much, and it... more
Icons on money have always been propaganda ... — Baruch, Tue Feb 21 17:59

"In God We Trust" was first added to money in 1864, to demonize Southerners. Just as the modification to the pledge was to demonize Communists. The Abolitionists may have been right (though avant... more
Re: None of us is immune — MN_Morgan, Fri Feb 3 13:00

It's interesting to see where NC feels oppressed, but then I've had I don't know how many people lash out at others just for being a transplant, especially children of transplants who didn't ask to... more
Re: None of us is immune — Mirage, Fri Feb 3 23:30

My parents left there because they too were excluded, they had become strangers in my mother's own state because they were too different from their neighbors. I was taught in school that human beings ... more
Aristotle says we are political animals ... — Baruch, Tue Feb 21 18:05

our herd behavior is a disfunction from ideal State culture ... both democracy and tyranny being negative (both involve herd behavior) ... but oligarchy and aristocracy being positive ... a kind of... more
Re: None of us is immune — MN_Morgan, Sat Feb 4 11:03

The county I live in tends to exclude those that are different more, with definite segregation between the "native born" and the "transplant". A lot of kids that grow up that have different views... more
Some of the conflict goes back to the old country ... — Baruch, Tue Feb 21 18:08

in the South there was a high percentage of Celtic peoples from Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Of course the folks in New England were just that. Form the minute either got off the boat, long before... more
Re: None of us is immune — Mirage, Sat Feb 4 12:23

Well, the majority of people in America who say in surveys that they are Christian and believe in God also don't go to church on any regular basis. I was one of those unchurched for years, because it ... more
In small towns .... — Baruch, Tue Feb 21 18:11

one reason why the young don't continue in Church, is because they don't want to continue to be around their abusing parents anymore, and they understand that the Church is dominated by the elderly.... more
Re: None of us is immune — MN_Morgan, Sat Feb 4 14:01

Very true. I haven't seen any street churches, but every now and again I hear of small home churches popping up.
Mostly street churches are found ... — Baruch, Tue Feb 21 18:13

in big cities, and go after immigrant or migrant populations, both ethnic and not. Had one across the street from my house once, and it grew very quickly. Instant Church, just add Holy Water ;-)... more
YES, WHEN APPLIED LIKE MOST OTHER RELIGIONS..... — Kasey, Mon Jan 30 02:19

BUT when imposed as an ideology on a society.....most basic items accepted as human rights and justice are overpowered. Regards, Kasey
That's politics! (nm) — Baruch, Mon Feb 20 10:48

Agreed, as with anything — MN_Morgan, Tue Jan 31 12:05

If one group can find a reason to consider another group as inferior and take their resources away, they'll do it. This is what is wrong with every kind of extremisim and fundamentalism, secular and... more
Surely it involves more than..... — Kasey, Tue Jan 31 18:18

simple inferiority in this particular situation? A revision of history on a preferential basis...but only so far back in time...but not to include the pre-Islamic times of land occupation by other... more
Simple military inferiority ... — Baruch, Mon Feb 20 10:54

if the non-Muslim is sufficiently powerful, it doesn't matter what militant Muslims do. If you do get conquered by anyone, the winner usually imposes "trial by combat" ideology, and believes that is... more
Simple? — MN_Morgan, Wed Feb 1 11:57

Since when is treating another different group as inferior "simple"? Treating someone as inferior means you see them as less than human. If you see another race, another gender, a different belief... more
Colonization continues ... — Baruch, Mon Feb 20 10:57

and not just in the Middle East. The 1% here is colonizing the 99% here ... and have the same views of us as undermensch. Remember, the upper classes, historically, are the ones who got there by... more
Agreed — MN_Morgan, Mon Feb 20 13:56

Pushing ahead with their war drum chanting "Buy moar!" at the head of every beat.
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