Posted on by Californiacontrarian

Joe Kennedy

As is now my Sunday custom, today’s piece is devoted to someone who is deserving of our respect.

From Blaze media:

Joe Kennedy, who started coaching in 2008, exercised his faith by silently offering a brief prayer to God at midfield immediately after football games. According to his lawyers, Kennedy would simply drop to one knee and “offer a silent or quiet prayer of thanksgiving for player safety, sportsmanship, and spirited competition.”

The tradition went on for years without any complaints and, in fact, was embraced by members of the community and players, who often joined him. Then suddenly, in 2015, the school district ordered Kennedy to stop, arguing his practice violated the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution. When he refused, the district terminated him.

Bremerton School District’s decision in 2015 to fire Joe Kennedy — a Christian and 20-year Marine veteran who served as a high school assistant football coach in the district — drew national headlines and enraged religious liberty advocates.

Twice the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against him.

This time around, First Liberty argued that Kennedy’s case involves more than just a high school football coach’s ability to express his religious views. Rather, it has far more wide-ranging implications for “practically everything public school teachers [do] or say during school hours or after-school hours.”

In an op-ed published by Fox News last year, Kennedy defended his ongoing legal fight, saying, “There are days when I want to give up and move on with my life. There are days when I don’t think I can keep fighting this fight. But that’s when I remember the hundreds of times I told my players not to quit no matter the challenge!”

“I also think of the thousands of other public school coaches and teachers whose inalienable right to freely exercise their faith in public is at risk if the court decisions against me are allowed to stand,” he added.

From the pseudo-announcer in the press box:

“It’s fourth and one with time running out. In a nationally televised game, Coach Kennedy decides to go for it. The crowd is roaring it’s approval. The entire nation is applauding his gumption and courage.”

1/30/22

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