Dear Robert Reich. I am in tears. How vulnerable of you to share this. May you be blessed. And thank you for helping us prevent such situations for all children.
I'd like to lead the crowd out onto the field, dancing and drumming, "Hare Krishna... Krishna Hare..." over and over. It's an easy chant and a fun, free-form dance. We could fill the air with joy and drums about 10 yards from that coach.
Your brief role as the Messiah could have gone "to your head"...so glad you are still humble. As for this latest odd decision, we need to start taxing churches if they continue to be involved in sports, politics, etc
When I was a little girl I was chased home from school every day by the Catholic school girls. They threw stones at me and called me "Christ killer" (I'm Jewish). Not being religious, I did not understand what they meant. One day while running away from these mean girls, an African American girl approached me and told me to take her hand. I did. We became good friend. Those Catholic school girls never bothered me again.
I think I saw that Mr. Gorsuch said that this was all okay because the students were not being coerced. Tell that to the kindergartener, Robert Reich, in 1951.
Does this mean that Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and other religionists will be able to lead prayers at schools now? We'll have to see if the evangelicals take legal action when non-Christians exercise their free speech rights.
I appreciate your honesty in portraying this episode in your young life. I, too, felt uncomfortable surrounded by the xmas songs celebrating a holiday my family did not believe in. It has made me more sensitive to potential experiences that we take for granted but may make others feel uncomfortable. I firmly believe church and state should be separate…..we live in a country where there are many opportunities to practice ones religious beliefs….without imposing it upon others.
YES, you put into words what "othering" feels like. It's a version of microagression, felt routinely by those who arent Christian, white, or whatever the category is of those in charge. Its constant, low-level humiliation and should not be protected by this type of ruling.
Why is is, Bob, that you renew my faith in people? Maybe it is because you are one of the few genuine people I know.. I love hearing about your life and how you handled it.
For those not Catholic, the abortion ruling similarly establishes Catholic doctrine as dominant. Alito, Thomas, Gorsuch, Barrett, Kavanaugh, & even Roberts seem to have no problems with ghat. Alas! For our Constitution, our Republic, and our rights
I had a parallel experience. I was in sixth grade (in a mostly Jewish elementary school in Los Angeles) and we had a Christmas celebration where we had to sing Christian songs. I said I was Jewish (my family was similarly more cultural than religious) and if the other kids wanted to do it that was fine with me, but I didn't want to. It felt wrong. The school said I had to. My parents said don't make trouble, just stand in the back and mouth the words. I said it still didn't feel right and held firm. Finally they said "if you want to sit in a room by yourself while everybody else is having fun you can." But it really did feel like a fundamental violation of who I was and I'm sure to other kids who didn't speak up.
I played Mary (mother of Jesus) in a Presbyterian church play when I was about 12 or so. Had a huge crush on the kid who played Joseph....and it was all I could do to keep from laughing as I was out or New Orleans and the tent revival meetings that my Grandmother used to go to.
Suffice it to say, that I was brought up a Southern Baptist and was glad my stepdad was a Unitarian!
Wow. You poor thing, Professor Reich! What a scar you bared to us this evening - thank you. I am so sorry you had to go through that torturous Christmas pageant.
The SCOTUS has run amok. I am deeply saddened and deeply disturbed at the biased rulings of the justices who are allowing their own extreme beliefs to sway their decisions. God help us! (pun intended) 🌻
Had the prayers been led by a Muslim, would there have been a different response?
Dear Robert Reich. I am in tears. How vulnerable of you to share this. May you be blessed. And thank you for helping us prevent such situations for all children.
Rabbi Me'irah Iliinsky
I'd like to lead the crowd out onto the field, dancing and drumming, "Hare Krishna... Krishna Hare..." over and over. It's an easy chant and a fun, free-form dance. We could fill the air with joy and drums about 10 yards from that coach.
Your brief role as the Messiah could have gone "to your head"...so glad you are still humble. As for this latest odd decision, we need to start taxing churches if they continue to be involved in sports, politics, etc
When I was a little girl I was chased home from school every day by the Catholic school girls. They threw stones at me and called me "Christ killer" (I'm Jewish). Not being religious, I did not understand what they meant. One day while running away from these mean girls, an African American girl approached me and told me to take her hand. I did. We became good friend. Those Catholic school girls never bothered me again.
I think I saw that Mr. Gorsuch said that this was all okay because the students were not being coerced. Tell that to the kindergartener, Robert Reich, in 1951.
How do you think the court would have reacted if the coach was wearing tallit prayer shawl?
Does this mean that Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and other religionists will be able to lead prayers at schools now? We'll have to see if the evangelicals take legal action when non-Christians exercise their free speech rights.
I appreciate your honesty in portraying this episode in your young life. I, too, felt uncomfortable surrounded by the xmas songs celebrating a holiday my family did not believe in. It has made me more sensitive to potential experiences that we take for granted but may make others feel uncomfortable. I firmly believe church and state should be separate…..we live in a country where there are many opportunities to practice ones religious beliefs….without imposing it upon others.
YES, you put into words what "othering" feels like. It's a version of microagression, felt routinely by those who arent Christian, white, or whatever the category is of those in charge. Its constant, low-level humiliation and should not be protected by this type of ruling.
Why is is, Bob, that you renew my faith in people? Maybe it is because you are one of the few genuine people I know.. I love hearing about your life and how you handled it.
For those not Catholic, the abortion ruling similarly establishes Catholic doctrine as dominant. Alito, Thomas, Gorsuch, Barrett, Kavanaugh, & even Roberts seem to have no problems with ghat. Alas! For our Constitution, our Republic, and our rights
I had a parallel experience. I was in sixth grade (in a mostly Jewish elementary school in Los Angeles) and we had a Christmas celebration where we had to sing Christian songs. I said I was Jewish (my family was similarly more cultural than religious) and if the other kids wanted to do it that was fine with me, but I didn't want to. It felt wrong. The school said I had to. My parents said don't make trouble, just stand in the back and mouth the words. I said it still didn't feel right and held firm. Finally they said "if you want to sit in a room by yourself while everybody else is having fun you can." But it really did feel like a fundamental violation of who I was and I'm sure to other kids who didn't speak up.
Coercing kids to pray? What next?
I played Mary (mother of Jesus) in a Presbyterian church play when I was about 12 or so. Had a huge crush on the kid who played Joseph....and it was all I could do to keep from laughing as I was out or New Orleans and the tent revival meetings that my Grandmother used to go to.
Suffice it to say, that I was brought up a Southern Baptist and was glad my stepdad was a Unitarian!
I am now an Atheist.
Wow. You poor thing, Professor Reich! What a scar you bared to us this evening - thank you. I am so sorry you had to go through that torturous Christmas pageant.
The SCOTUS has run amok. I am deeply saddened and deeply disturbed at the biased rulings of the justices who are allowing their own extreme beliefs to sway their decisions. God help us! (pun intended) 🌻