The religious and non explicitly religious conservative wing nut talks a lot about freedom of speech. Some think it only applies to certain special Christians. Some think that the amendments combine to include freedom to kill federal officers and use children as shields. Now we see that the court believes that freedom of speech means we must choose to be present at a public prayer, or lose our civic right to participate, even if this participation put at risk our immortal soul.
Before I continue, let me say that I am always respectful at public prayer. In my experience these people do not understand that they are a public nuisance, any more than a man understands he is nuisance when explaining to a women why she ought to read her own book. It is best, like when a telemarketer calls, to politely listen, state you are not interested, and hang up. Also, on one occasion, when I suggested to a Christian that Jesus might not be the only prophet, he almost got his gun and shot me. So I know that some Christians are just looking for an excuse to murder. It is safer to play possum when with wing nuts.
With that said, let me make a assertion concerning free speech. Non Christians, and Christians who are brave enough to tell the fear mongers that public prayer is probably not good for anyone's immortal soul, have free speech as well. Just because a prayer is going on does not mean our rights are infringed. We still have the right to talk, to text on our phone, to sing to ourselves, to do what we like. And what will the Christians do. Probably try to kick us out, because that is their plan all along. To prevent the part of America that does not agree with them from participating in the process. This is done through voting laws, through the KKK, through churches threatening to kill 'Homos'.
Let me say again that I believe in respect, as long as that respect is not mandated in law. When I sit down with a person, and that person wants to bless the food, I remain quiet and allow the blessing. I have seen many Christians talk through the blessing. I don't go down and take pictures and post addresses of people entering the church the way many Christians have done a book store and bars. I don't stage protests at Churches I know in heart are teach greed and hubris, and interfere with people entering telling them they are going to hell, although how would I know, like so many Christians feel the right to do.
Now, some may feel offended, and to that I say too bad for you. The high courts and low courts have listened to the dominant Christian thought and handed down a decisions that the Christians want, to impose prayer on the masses. Getting upset at calling this decision what it is, oppression by a group who shows the sensitivity of a frat boy about to rape a drunk women, is like getting upset at someone calling the Dred Scott decision unfortunate. It shows an equal insensitivity, arrogance, and worst of all Hubris.
Unfotunatley for all us who value religion as a force that can change the world for a better, this dicision put all Christians who support in the an equal like to the Christians who supported slavery and Jim Crow. On that issue I can feel some comfort because my religious foreberers died at Selma, supported the underground railway, and was marrying gay people when it wanted cool to do so. I wonder how many Christians, as the do now with gay marriage, will just let the oppression continue because it is just easier than getting in front of the church and saying that this is simply a wrong minded decision.