I'm Just Sayin'

I'm not laughing...I'm not even smiling...I am grateful for the ruling Monday, Dec. 3, 2007, by the Eight Circuit Appeals court that state funding of religious based prisoner reform programs is in violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution...but I'm pissed that this court case even had to be filed. Here's what happened. Back in 1997, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice funded, under contract with the State of Texas and the Prison Fellowship Ministries, a Christian based "prison reform program". This Christian program uses state property, they are given space to use in the prison, to offer Christianity to prison inmates. Texas decided to also pay Prison Fellowship to offer this (voluntary) evangelical program to Texas Penal System inmates. This funding with tax dollars of a faith-based Christian recruitment effort is clearly in violation of our !st Amendment...isn't it? ISN'T IT? Here is how The InnerChange Freedom Initiative describes itself on it's own website. The following is a cut and paste from that site:

The InnerChange Freedom Initiative

The InnerChange Freedom Initiative (IFI) is a proven faith-based Reentry Program that was started by Prison Fellowship (PF) in 1997. In 1999, IFI became a separate 501(c) (3) and now contracts with PF for staffing and support services. IFI operates in prisons in cooperation with the state. The state continues to provide food, clothing, shelter and security to the inmates while IFI staff provides the intensive program.

This mission of IFI is to create and maintain a prison environment that fosters respect for God's law and rights of others, and to encourage the spiritual and moral regeneration of prisoners. Therefore, they may develop responsible and productive relationships with their Creator, families and communities.

How in bloody hell could this program have been installed in the first place? But it was... and it also was adopted by several other states including Iowa. A law suit filed by American's United for Separation of Church and State (AU) brought an end to the state funding of the program used in Iowa prisons. By the way, AU is not anti Christian. They simply want to protect our !st Amendment: "Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom." ...from their own website.

At the trial, testimony by inmates revealed that inmates who took part in InterChange were given preferential treatment and perks including expedited access to classes required for parole, better food, better housing and so on and so forth. Inmates also testified that they were pressured to convert to evangelical Christianity. Other faiths were ridiculed and non-christians were often referred to as "unsaved," "lost," "pagan," and "sinful". The court was unanimous in it's vote and in the courts decision was written, "In the present case, plaintiffs demonstrated...that the InnerChange program resulted in inmate enrollment in a program dominated by Bible study, Christian class, religious revivals, and church services." No shit!! The opinion concluded that the state's "direct aid to InnerChange violated the Establishment clauses of the United States and Iowa Constitutions." Again...no fucking shit!

This is my disappointment...we shouldn't have had to go to court about this program. It should never have been implemented in the first place, but the fact that the program was operational, paid for with tax dollars for years before it could be stopped...this serves to prove the point that the Evangelical Christians will stop at nothing to have the world obey what they preach. What has happened with regards to this particular case is that other states who have been considering the implementation of this or similar programs will not be able to do so with state funds and those states with this program in place will have to stop paying for the program with state funds. THE Program IN IOWA IS STILL IN PLACE AND STILL OPERATIONAL...it is no longer funded with tax payer dollars but tax payer dollars help SET THE PROGRAM UP. The ECs still win! They don't have to pay back the money they have already been paid except for funds received after the first court ruling on June 2, 2006.

This may be a setback to the White House's 'Faith Based Initiative, but until we stop putting EC's into public office...elected and appointed...we will see no end to the assault on our Constitution. We founded this country with the purpose of freedom from Church run government and oppression. Those who fled England to settle North America weren't fleeing a country, they were fleeing religious government and rule. We are still fighting the mix of religion and government. Those who wish to meld the two will stop at nothing...they will use any tactic, they will never give up. Neither can we.