Sheriff Sued by Atheists of Florida
http://www.theledger.com/article/20101230/NEWS/12305053/1410?p=2&
amp;tc=pg&tc=ar Some of the details. As he considered the jails are considered places of punishment and not recreation facilities, Sheriff Brady Judd decided to remove the basketball hoops from the grounds and donate them to churches. It is obvious to me that there is hostility towards the Atheists of Florida because of this statement: "But Judd said he considers giving the goals to a secular group bowing to the atheist group.". (They'd suggested including some secular groups in the giveaway.) Brady Judd has been known as a big supporter of "Faith-based" programs for years. It sounds to me like he's trying to pick a fight over the Separation of Church and State - something the local churches have desired and pushed for over the years I've been living in this area. I'm also really uncomfortable with this attitude - I think this move is only going to bring more problems for the sheriff's office and the jail, because inmates are human beings and I thought incarceration was supposed to be their punishment. Let's see. We've got a lawsuit against Lakeland because of city-sponsored prayers (and singling out people who didn't participate), and now we've got this lawsuit. Both government agencies are unlikely to win unless they find a really sympathetic judge (which might be possible in this climate), but at the same time if they did, they'd probably loose on appeals. In any case, the lawyers will get lots of money and it will come out of taxes, which the county and city are screaming about needing more revenues anyway. It doesn't make sense, but that's this area for you.
Sheriff Sued by Atheists of Florida | 2 comments (2 topical, 0 hidden)
Sheriff Sued by Atheists of Florida | 2 comments (2 topical, 0 hidden)
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