Jesus 2, Freedom 0

Well, the High Papal Court ... er ... the Supreme Court of the United States has issued two liberty-limiting decisions today in cases previously discussed in these pages. The five Roman Catholic justices formed the majority in both. So much for separation of church and state.

I expect I'll post further on these two decisions after I get a chance to read and digest them fully (or, more likely, puke my guts out). But just to let you know:

In Morse v. Frederick, the Bong Hits 4 Jesus case, the justices ruled against Mr. Frederick, saying, essentially, that the guarantee of free speech doesn't apply to students, even if they're not in school when they exercise that right. Incredible! (Along with the five Vatican representatives, Justice Breyer concurred in the judgment in part.) To be fair, I should point out that this decision will not spread heavenly joy among many nutball evangelicals. For the reasons mentioned in my original post, they'll find the opinion as objectionable as I do. Still, it's philosophically harmonious and completely consistent with their political agenda of thought-control. The rest of us will have to draw what little comfort we can in seeing Pat Robertson and James Dobson hoisted with their own pious petard.

Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation was the case in which taxpayers fought for their right to challenge the government for funding the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. The decision allows the priestly pickpockets under George Bush, as well as the rest of his godpushing gang, to continue blithely using their insider connections to help them raid the public till. No need to worry about possible consequences; the executive branch is not answerable to the citizens on how it distributes their money. I regretfully predicted this outcome back in December, but manufactured a false glimmer of hope, based on nothing but wishful thinking, two months later. Once again I learned: faith is bullshit.

The appointments of Roberts and Alito to the Court will be viewed as a great achievement by those who have tried repeatedly, over the decades, to limit the rights of Americans. For all those who enjoy trampling on the First Amendment, the results announced today will be seen as a tremendous victory.

To the rest of us, those who continue to venerate the Constitution and the ideas for which it stands, the justices say: fuck you and the founding principles you rode in on.