All this talk about a new Supreme Court justice with weird ideas about injecting religious worship into official government activities gets me to thinking about another Republican judge who has been messing with the separation of church and state.
In Kentucky, Laurel County District Judge Michael Caperton has been telling criminals that if they want to avoid going to prison, they have to agree to go to church and take part in the religious worship there.
There’s a good argument to be made against Caperton’s alternative sentencing program. In effect, it creates a different legal standard for two classes of citizens. On the one hand, secular citizens have to spend time behind bars when they are convicted of a crime. On the other hand, religious citizens get to go free. The legal director for Americans United for Separation of Church and State has sent a letter to Michael Caperton asking that he discontinue this enforcement of second-class status on secular Americans. She wrote: “The federal and state courts have uniformly held that a criminal defendant cannot be put to the choice of either participating in a religious program or suffering an adverse consequence such as jail time.”
There’s another reason to oppose the alternative sentencing program of Judge Michael Caperton, however – one that ought to get religious Americans all hot and bothered. When Judge Caperton tells convicted criminals that they must either go to prison or go to church, he is equating church with prison. So, what’s Judge Michael Caperton’s ultimate message? Going to church is a punishment. Religion is a prison.
Hey – Judge Caperton said it, not me.
It’s sad to see some people find anything to oppose. I commend Judge Caperton, he is offering a choice between rehab, worship services, or jail(not jail or church). Rehab doesn’t work for some people, it just removes the drug, it forces people to stop. Jail obviously doesn’t work since these are repeated offenders. When will people learn you can’t force an addict to recover they have to want it for themselves. I’m not even a religious person but I agree if it takes for you to turn your life over to your God ask forgiveness, and start over again without judgement more power to you! It teaches people to love themselves and if you love yourself your less likely to destroy yourself. Daugther of a crack addict.
Judicial elections in Kentucky are non-partisan, so candidates do not declare their party affiliation when standing for office. Your assumption that Caperton is a Republican, however, is wrong. He is, in fact, a registered Democrat.
I don’t know what Judge Capertons party affiliation is. It is supposed to be non partison as he is a judge. The OP on this article should have done a bit more research before making acusations. Either way, I still owe the op a vote of thanks. I’m going to vote in Laurel County in the morning and was just doing a bit of last minute research before making my final decision. Thanks to this article my decision is made. Caperton’s got my vote! Government was indorsed by religion. The values that made this country great were indeed Christian values. As the liberal left begins to leave its rank stain on society you begin to see the lawless country we are becoming. A little sunday school would do a criminal more good than the some rec time in the jail/prison rec room with all the other good influences behind bars.
Government was “indorsed” by religion? Oh, do tell. When was that, Tammy?
Apparently, spelling wasn’t endorsed by religion.
What were those Christian values that made this country great? The values of military expansion across the continent to the Pacific Ocean?
Interesting idea that you would like to mix criminals in with children’s Sunday school classes. Is that a Christian value as well?
I must put my two since into this argument. You seem to think mixing criminals with christians is wrong. Well i will tell you this, as a christian i strongly welcome the lost into church. Remeber we all fall short and none of us are perfect. I think we should teach others such as criminals that you can gain more from liveing a good christian life than to continue as a criminal. You do not get guidence in a jail house but you are likeley to follow a new path with proper guidence from a church.
Guidance not in spelling, perhaps, but on the lap of one of those randy priests, perhaps?