Alito Should Clarify Remarks Made in Thank-You Note to Televangelist

[arwalden]

http://www.atheists.org/latestpr.php
For Immediate Release: March 2, 2006

Alito Should Clarify Remarks Made in Thank-You Note to Televangelist

Newly-minted Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito should explain disturbing remarks made in a personal letter to evangelical preacher James Dobson, an Atheist civil rights watch-dog group said today.

The Alito note thanked Dobson, head of the Christian group Focus on the Family for help in mobilizing support for his nomination to the high court. Justice Alito gushed, “the prayers of so many people from around the country were a palpable and powerful force,” and added: “As long as I serve on the Supreme Court, I will keep in mind the trust that has been placed in me.”

“We are very concerned that a Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court is going out of his way to thank the leadership of a group that considers it a godly duty to gut the First Amendment separation of church and state and roll back decades of social progress on issues like civil liberties,” said Ellen Johnson, President of American Atheists. “The justices of the Supreme Court need to consider the Constitution and Bill of Rights when deciding cases. We need to know exactly what Justice Alito means when he says he will ‘keep in the mind the trust’ of extremist evangelical groups headed by politicized preachers like James Dobson.”

Dave Silverman, Communications Director for American Atheists, said that the Alito letter is more than just a casual “thank you” note to a supporter.

“Justice Alito seems to be going out of his way to assure Dobson that he will be thinking of the Focus ‘agenda’ as part of his judicial role.”

“Is the Dobson court now in session?” Silverman asked.

American Atheists is a nationwide movement which defends the civil rights of nonbelievers, works for the separation of church and state, and addresses issues of First Amendment public policy.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. The only AA that I'd belong to.

Haven't seen the duck in a while! (One of the best and funniest sigs ever) :hi:

[madrchsod]

2. i think all church groups should ask.

just under the skin dobson is a catholic hater..fundies and the catholic church do not share the same values or beliefs. -i`m being rather general about this-
the idea of mixing law and religion is against every principal of the teachings of christ and the founders of our country.

[aquart]

3. Doesn't have to. He has a job for life. Thanks, Joe Lieberman.

[regnaD kciN]

7. While bashing Holy Joe is always justifiable...

...this time, to be truthful, we've got to cast a wider net: at the twenty-plus Democrats who voted to end Kerry's filibuster.

There's enough blame to go around for years to come. Unfortunately, probably not as long as Alito will be on the Court, re-shaping the Constitution into an elected (maybe) monarchy.

:grr:

[Isere]

9. Ah, yes...

but it is always more fun to blame Lieberman!

I haven't been a fan of taking down elected Democrats in safe seats, but the vote by Lieberman to allow cloture on Alito sorely tested my resolve.
Nevertheless, I don't think it's productive to risk taking him down when we are trying to take back the senate.

[wordpix]

11. as a CT resident, I'm torn--I do think Joe is responsive when he receives

a lot of letters/email on a subject. I guess he didn't get enough on Alito re: voting NO on cloture.

[AndyTiedye]

4. It Will Be Clarified Soon Enough

When they vote to overturn Roe v. Wade.

[regnaD kciN]

5. "Clarify"...? He no longer needs to "clarify" anything...

He's got the job for life. The only thing he'll "clarify" is what parts of our civil liberties are "no longer applicable." :-(

[goforit]

6. Yes indeed. How much money went into your appointment?

[BadGimp]

8. too late yo

[ShockediSay]

10. Simple: a political sorry ass hack sitting in a seat that

was supposed to be occupied by distinguished neutral jurists; who lied under oath to get there, and therein lies the grounds for impeachment, IMHO.

[HuffleClaw]

12. “As long as I serve on the Supreme Court...

...I will keep in mind the trust that has been placed in me.”

ok, that is truly scary.

[depakid]

13. Why should he?

Thanks to the Dems, he has a lifetime position on the Supreme Court.

He doesn't have to apologize to anyone. In fact, if I were him- I'd be rubbing their sorry noses in it, just like this.