I was hearing about and reading about the US Supreme Court’s decision yesterday. It concerns me on a number of levels, not the least of which is that I am a member of a minority religion. As Literata Hurley says in her blog post http://worksofliterata.org/2014/05/06/scotus-endorses-government-prayer/ we as Pagans (Wiccans included) will likely end up being tokens of tolerance in the vein of ‘But I’m not prejudiced, I have a Pagan/Wiccan friend’ instead of having actual respect as members of a minority religion.

However, many people who are members don’t see how this “tolerance” actually is a bad thing. It institutionalizes the perception that there is something “other” about members of minority religions and perpetuates a religious privilege that our founding fathers did NOT want to exist. If they had, the First Amendment to the US Constitution would not exist.

For those who think that I am over-reacting, I ask them how they feel when people ASSUME that they are a member of the majority religion — simply because it IS the majority. How do YOU feel when people are surprised that you DON’T attend a Christian church or celebrate Easter and Christmas as religious holidays?

This ruling enshrines sectarian prayer. The solution to the problem is simple — don’t have ANY prayer before the meeting. That way NO religion is singled out as being the “right” one.