A federal judge has ruled that post offices across the country that are run by churches and other organizations cannot promote religion through displays or other promotional materials.
In a decision involving a church-run post office in downtown Manchester, the judge sided with a town resident who said his First Amendment rights were violated by the Christian displays.
The religious displays “put the church’s beliefs front and center, out for the public to see, endorsing the church’s form of Christianity and seeking outsiders to join the church in its mission,” U.S. District Court Judge Dominic J. Squatrito wrote in a decision handed down last week.
The displays “violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment,” Squatrito wrote.
According to court documents, the court found that the contract postal unit run by Sincerely Yours Inc., “is so entwined with the Postal Service that the [contract postal unit’s] actions may be considered the actions of the Postal Service.”
Could DV put the name of the commenter at the top, instead of the bottom of the comment? If I had realized that long, vacuous screed was by Joshua, I could have anticipated it would be worthless and skipped it.
As J-F pointed out, delivery of mail is a function of federal government, as is regulation of transportation and commerce in general. I am not surprised that the Europeans posting to the thread have no grasp of the U.S. Constitution, however it is kind of embarrassing that so few Americans have taken time to familiarize themselves with this relatively short document.
One of the striking things about this episode is the selfishness of the attitude expressed by the denomination operating the post office. If it had any real sense of Christian charity, it would be pleased to provide a needed service without the proselytizing.
#31 & 32,
Well written, I totally agree.
J-F, good argument.
Podesta, I loved your first paragraph, it gave me a good chuckle.