WTF, America?

[highlyeccentric]

Lorri Jean, CEO of the L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center, told The Advocate some churches where polling places have been set up are refusing to allow No on 8 volunteers within 100 feet of the polling place, saying that the voting is on church property. No on 8’s attorney has the Secretary of State’s office checking into this, according to Jean, but the law seems to be unclear whether it specifically forbids churches to discriminate in this way when their facilities are used for voting. (No on 8 volunteers harrassed)

Will someone please explain to me why voting places are being set up in churches in the first place? I hear you folks have this thing called 'separation of church and state', yes/yes?

Comments

[avedaggio.livejournal.com]

Uh.... yeah.... um. No. Not so much with the actual separation of church and state.

campaigning isn't allowed within 100 feet on any polling place, be it church, rec center, dorm, hospital... it's a general rule. The No on 8 ppl are overreacting.

[sommeille.livejournal.com]

A little odd venue for secular democracy, perhaps... but it still beats the alternative of standing in a 4-hour line, then saying, "Ah, screw it, I'm going home." I think the idea is that, taking the voter turnout into account, the more community venues that can be mobilised as polling stations, the better.

[gryphonvere.livejournal.com]

I would imagine that churches were chosen as they are buildings within communities which occur sufficiently frequently, and are also likely not heavily used on a Tuesday. That said, perhaps someone ought to have considered the ideological objections which some churchmembers are bound to have. Maybe this was an oversight. On the other hand, what if it wasn't?

Furthermore, the Separation of Church and State does not divorce religion and politics; as a matter of fact, this is all that it declares:
1) Non-establishment clause: In the US there is no state church (i.e., in contrast to the Anglican church in England).
2) The right to freedom of religion

That's what it does. (These details, incidentally, come to you thanks to my Christian Fundamentalism course taken last Jan - April.)

[highlyeccentric.livejournal.com]

HUH.

I seeeee.

[gryphonvere.livejournal.com]

As eloquent and verbose as per usual. ;P