How's
one supposed to react to this?!
Is America a theocratic state?
Atheists
can be jailed in Kentucky for not acknowledging God
American
Atheists have submitted a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court in a bid
to overturn a Kentucky homeland security law which can send atheists
to jail for up to 12 months for refusing to acknowledge "Almighty
God."
26
April, 2012
Kentucky
law states: "The safety and security of the Commonwealth cannot
be achieved apart from reliance upon Almighty God as set forth in the
public speeches and proclamations of American Presidents" Alter
Net reported.
The
law was sponsored by Tom Riner, a Baptist minister and Democratic
representative. The New
York Times reported
Riner said: The church-state divide is not a line I see. What I do
see is an attempt to separate America from its history of perceiving
itself as a nation under God.”
Since
the law first came onto the Kentucky statute in 2006 it has been
challenged by American Atheists, overturned, and then reinstalled
upon appeal. Now the American Atheists are once again hoping to
overturn the law.
They
have issued a press
release that
reads: "Acknowledge Almighty God’ or Go Directly to Jail.
Everyday in Kentucky, due to a 2008 homeland security law, atheists
and agnostics are potentially forced to assert that the public safety
of their state is dependent on 'Almighty God' or face criminal
charges, including up to 12 months in jail."
Speaking
of Riner, State Senator Kathy W. Stein said “Tom is as pious as he
is persistent. He’s also prone to legislative stunts that are
embarrassing and expensive for this state.” The state has ran up
huge amounts in legal fees after losing several cases to the American
Civil Liberties Union.
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