Gov. urges Oklahomans to pray for rain

SlackMaster said:

Yea, I saw this coming. That's how they dealt with the National Day of Prayer. They didn't rule it constitutional, they just ruled that the people suing didn't have standing. I disagree, but what else would you expect from a Texas judge. He was probably one of Perry's buddies. Had the judge ruled in favor of FFRF, he would have been slammed by the media just like the judge who had the balls to rule NDOP unconstitutional. He was looking for any out to not have to rule on the constitutionality and he took it.

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That...or the case had no standing, which was the reality of the situation since there was no government action in the first place.

Ikari said:

That...or the case had no standing, which was the reality of the situation since there was no government action in the first place.

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That's not what the ruling said.

SlackMaster said:

That's not what the ruling said.

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That's what the lemon test said. And apparently it is enough to dismiss the case.

SlackMaster said:

That's not what the ruling said.

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The ruling said exactly what every other ruling has said.

There wasn't even a ruling on if his actions were constitutional. There wasn't a ruling on "government" action.

In his opinion, Miller noted that attendance at the event is voluntary and ruled that the plaintiffs had not shown “a particularized concrete injury.”

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He's saying that these people, in his opinion, didn't have grounds to sue. It's not the same as "every other ruling", and it doesn't say anything about whether or not the government had a right to do what it did. It should be obvious that it doesn't have to be "forced" by government to be violation of the establishment clause. When government starts supporting one religion over another, that's unconstitutional. This is a loophole this judge is using to not have to rule against prayer. It was a political move.

They're appealing the ruling.

FFRF plans to appeal to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals or to reconfigure the case so that it may be heard again. FFRF maintains that coercion into a religious practice is not required in order to bring suit under the Establishment Clause.

“Government endorsement of one religious view that excludes other religions and nonbelievers is enough,” said Dan Barker, FFRF co-president.

Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor attended the hearing in Houston and added, “Nobody would have trouble seeing the injury if a governor aligned himself with a radical Muslim group and used his office to call all citizens to a daylong prayer to Allah rally. This event is no different.”

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The right would squeal like a stuck pig if they were to hold a Muslim prayer rally, asking Allah to bless this nation. If that were the case, you'd hear Glenn Beck and ever other right wing pundit streaming "Church and State!!!"