RICHMOND, Va. —
The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia announced Monday that its executive director, Kent Willis, will be leaving his position when a replacement is found.
In a statement, the ACLU said Willis announced his intent to leave last fall and that the organization began a nationwide search for his successor. Willis was hired as associate director in October 1987 and promoted to executive director in March 1989.
“I could not have had a more rewarding job,” said Willis in the statement, “and I am proud to have been part of the ACLU’s many accomplishments and enormous organizational growth over the last 25 years. But something told me it was time to move on.”
Willis really has been there a long time. The Times Dispatch has a list of his major accomplishments. People seem to think that the ACLU picks up every liberal gig it can. That isn’t always the case. Several of Willis’ accomplishments caught my eye:
- Defended the right of Jehovah’s Witnesses to avoid government loyalty oaths, the right of ministers to use public parks for baptisms, the right of Wiccans to perform marriage ceremonies, and the right of churches to feed the homeless.
- Launched a successful challenge to the widespread practice of local governments opening their meetings with sectarian prayers (Currently litigating such a case in Pittsylvania County.).
I sure didn’t know all that happened under bullet #1. Who would grouse about churches feeding the homeless? What loyalty oaths must we take? I can’t think of any. I also didn’t realize Wiccans can perform marriage ceremonies although it makes perfect sense that they can.
Bullet #2 ….Hmmmm….local governments opening meetings with sectarian prayers. Now I wonder what local governments can still be doing that? [best Jon Stewart voice] Prince William County!
Both the BOCS and the PWCSB open with prayers. The BOCS at least opens with a generic prayer. The school board prayers are openly Christian.
While this would be fine if Prince William County Schools were a system of Christian schools, they are not. Non-Christians attend these meetings as students, employees, parents and guests. The practice is unwelcoming to those who aren’t Christians. The practice is even unwelcoming to Christians whose beliefs discourage open prayer in public. We are a pluralistic society who practice many different religions. One faith cannot be allowed to dominate the public sector.
Why is it that Prince William County feels it can ignore the law? They were certainly rule of law about other things that happened fairly recently. Apparently the School Board has yet another incidence of not following its own policy:
School Board policy 131.02 states:
Regular meetings of the Prince William County School Board shall
be opened with a moment of silence and the pledge to the flag.
Pick a meeting and you won’t hear silence.
Those school board members who can’t get through a meeting without audible prayer might want to consider a pre-meeting trip to the flag pole for a little prayer vigil. Otherwise, they need to obey the law and observe their own policies.
You never know when Big Brother might be watching in the form of the ACLU or the ADL. Just suggestin’.
Wow. A ton of mixing-up, crossing over, and mish-mashing here. First, if I’m Kent Willis, I look back on my career ……and swallow a nice big cake of rat poison. Utterly useless stuff (he is a layer, though). What “law” is PWC breaking? I see they’re breaking their own code, but what law? Of course, the radical leftist would try arguing that the constitution applies to every little hamlet in America, when in truth it was only written to curb the powers of the Federal gub’ment. You know, incorporation fallacy? If the 1st amendment applies to PWC, then every single gun law in the US is immediately null and void.
I think I am going to be a screaming liberal here and suggest that every single little hamlet in the United States falls under the Constitution. Oh silly me. My forefathers would spank me.
Slowie, are you suggesting that PWC is immune from the Contitution? Is the School Board a form of gub’ment? How about the Board of Supervisors? Are they gub’ment?
You sure would be out suing PWC or VA if they told you you could not buy a gun, now wouldn’t you? Let’s not cherry pick.
We are supposed to hate the ACLU unless our own rights have been abused. They help the little guy.
As to what law…The Supreme Court has pretty much ruled on the issue of public meetings. They need to be neutral. Now I think a Catholic School Board Meeting can do prayers because it is private. Public school…not so much.
But lets go back to the obeying their own code….I find it problematic that they issue a code and then don’t go by their own policy. I had a similar gripe last week. Kids in public school have opening exercises of moment of silence and the pledge. So, why deviate? Lead by example.
Have any of them noticed that they don’t do their own code? It was pretty easy to find. Has anyone noticed it doesn’t match what every school in Prince William County must abide by? That’s sort of like a no gum rule for kids and then the teacher sitting up front smacking bubble gum. No, she isn’t a student but she should be setting a good example.
lawyer, not layer……layers can be useful.
One of you Constitutional scholars would have to explain to me the intellectual dotted-line that causes the US Constitution to apply to anything other than the Federal Government.
Not biting that one. Ask Obama. He’s a constitutional lawyer.
Slowpoke, regardless of what you think about the Constitution and where it applies, the Supreme Court has ruled on govt. meetings and religious observation. That is really what we have to deal with along with them being in violation of their own policy. The simple thing would be to get rid of 131.02 or abide by it. I suggest the latter.
We have all spoken with people of different faiths who just feel out of sorts when told to bow their heads (not ever religion does that to pray) or praying in the name of Jesus Christ.
Why not have a moment of silence and just let people do to suit themselves during that time of silence? Why must small governments tell us who to pray to and how to do it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37OWL7AzvHo
Would not argue for a second that they are clearly breaking their own rules.
I have never understood why an opening prayer is okay for Congress but not for local government.
I have never understood why an opening prayer is okay for Congress after the Supreme Court rulings. I do not have a problem with moments of silence as long as someone isn’t telling you how to be silent.
Apparently it is School Board tradition for the board members to each get a month to invite various ministers to speak. Observation indicates that the board member may opt for the moment of silence.
http://www.pwcstv.com/episode.php?id=1451
January belonged to Mrs. Covington. She had prayer guests.
February belonged to Mrs. Satterwhite. She had prayer guests.
March belongs to Mrs. Bell. She had no guests and the opening ceremonies to the school board meetings began with a moment of silence and the pledge, according to the School Board’s own policy. Kudos to Mrs. Bell for following the School Board’s own policy.