tvc184

Actually where he was fishing, you could probably see down a long way, almost like it was tap water. I don't know if that makes anyone feel any better but the water there can be crystal clear.

Yep... I don't care where I fish as long as I am fishing.

I think you hit the nail on the head.

On the other hand, I just bought me a brand new 8 wt flyrod on Saturday at Bass Pro Shop in Pearland. Looks like a great bass outfit. Y'all might be in trouble if I can find a boat to fish out of. We had a company spring bass tournament about 20 years ago at Six Mile on Toledo (last bass tourney that I fished). I showed up with my partner and we had a couple of spinning and casting rods in the boat but we also had about half a dozen flyrods. Naturally we got a few snickers and teehees as we pulled away in our 16 foot flatbottom aluminum boat. The snickers weren't quite to prevalent when we won the tournament. I think we weight in 9 fish (out of 10 possible) and 7 of them came off of the flyrods including our biggest.

Freshwater does have that appeal for many people whoever....... Saltwater is much closer for most people in the Golden Triangle, it can be done from many places on the bank for people without a boat and it can be done for more than one fish. I know the tournament will be in freshwater, I am just sayin'.................

Find a new wreck. ;D The flounder are still there, you just need another spot.

Therein lies the problem. Most people are making this an endorsement or criticism of the Christian religion. I am wondering if the coach wanted to throw a mat down and turn toward Mecca and start praying in Arabic if they would feel the same way.

From your previous post, that is not a term of his employment. For this post, it doesn't matter. They still have the right to set rules in the workplace. Their policy does not prohibit religion or praying. The coach can take his normal breaks and pray to his heart's content. Look, I know that I will never convince you of this court ruling. Well this Supreme Court is very conservative right now in the five person majority. They could not even get enough votes to bring it in from of the entire Court for a ruling. They applied the law as it has been in the past. As far as the Supreme Court's right to do so.... that is in the same Constitution that you claim has been violated. Well that very document says that the Supreme Court, when a dispute exists over the law, is the body that rules if the law is legal pursuant to the Constitution. That body has ruled and allowed the lower court to stand. You post stuff about the EEOC rules. If it is so clear, how come several courts have ruled against your opinion? If you don't like it, great. There are rulings that I don't like either. That doesn't make them wrong or unlawful.

You bet... and in this case it wasn't. I did not say that I agree with your opinion. An employer can ban you from doing things that the Constitution guarantees to be free from "government" restrictions. This very sports forum is a fine example of people misconception of "rights". We all know that there is freedom of speech. That means that the govenment cannot restrict political speech but all speech is not free. This site through the owners can and do set any rules that they wish. They can and do modify or delete posts without the consent of the person making the post. They can ban users and/or delete their accounts. Freedom of speech has nothing to do with a private enterprise. It is that way with all of the amendments. There is nothing in the Constitution, the amendments or court rulings that said all rights are complete with no restrictions or at each person's discretion. What it amounts to is this case is about religion and so it offends a lot of people. There is nothing that prohibits this guy from praying. The school apparently has a rule about overt public displays of any kind. As I have said, I disagree with that attitude but that doesn't mean that the district cannot do it. People are taking an argument over the law and trying to make it an argument about the endorsement of religion. If it was many of the other rights that we were discussing, a lot of the opinions would be different or many people simply wouldn't care. Mention religion and you would have thought the school district demanded that the coach sign a document saying that God did not exist or that Jesus Christ is not the Savior.

And that has absolutely nothing to do with this case. The coach wasn't prohibited from being hired due to religion. He wasn't fired because he was a Christian. He isn't required to pray as a condition of his employment.

Since you have it highlighted, did the US Congress prohibit this guy from kneeling ..... or was it his employer?

: : I guess that you are at least somewhat correct. Rights cannot be violated.. and in this case they are not. Restrictions can be placed on conduct though. Just because someone doesn't like a ruling, that doesn't mean that any civil right is violated. The Constitution gives no complete freedom of speech, no complete freedom of religion, no complete freedom of the press, no complete right to bear arms, no complete right to no searches without warrants, etc. But I am sure that you learned that in Constitutional Law class.

Yep. All the preseason predictions and attaboys from former players and coaches will not compare to the number of wins on the ledger.

I talked to a guy a week or so ago that limited on redfish in the same location.

Constitutional rights are to protect people from certain intrusions by the government. It does not apply in most cases to your employer and the rules that are set. The Constitution is not criminal or civil laws but procedures and rights protected against or from the government. For example we have the right against unreasonable searches and seizures by the 4th Amendment. That is from government searches and seizures, not by companies or private citizens. So the cops can't come into your home without your permission or without a warrant (except in limited circumstances). That doesn't mean that your employer can't open up your private locker that you use at work. That means that your employer can require you to submit to searches on their property. Can the government enforce such rules on citizens? The answer is obiviously no. That is what the Constitution is for. Can a company that you work for set rules that the government cannot? Yes they can. Such is the same in this case we are discussing.

Yes, I think that they can but they would have to ban all such gatherings, not just religious ones. If a school district makes a rules that no more than three students can gather together between classes for example, I think they can uphold that. They cannot however say that students can gather as long as they don't pray.

You've got to be kidding. Better head back to college and take Constitutional Law 101 again Cody.

You are correct that him taking a knee does not endorse a religion. See my previous posts. I have clearly said that it is constitutional for him to pray in that manner. I have also said that I disagree with the district's stupid rules. The issue in court was, does the district have the right to make rules. The answer is, "yes". The coach's response is along the lines of, "Since it is about religion, the district cannot make me follow the rules". He is incorrect. It is the same as in the case from Texas of Daniels vs. City of Arlington that went to the 5th Circuit Court (next highest to the Supreme Court in this region). A police officer from Arlington, TX wanted to visibly wear a cross on his uniform. It was against the department policy to have individual pins. His argument was that since it was about his religious beliefs, he did not have to go by policy. Sgt Daniels was fired and then he sued in federal court. The trial court threw the case out. He appealed to the 5th Circuit. Same answer. When you are at work, the place you work for can set rules. You cannot say that you don't have to go by the rules if it is based on religion. Well, you can say it but in most cases you won't win according to the Constitution.

Yep. Unfortunately even this conservative court agrees that the school district can set its own rules. The right to pray doesn't mean that you can do what you want, when you want any more than freedom of speech allows you to yell "Fire!" in a crowded movie theater. While the passion that some people in this thread have shown is admirable, it doesn't go along with the law.

That's terrible! Poor little animals. How do you like them? I like smoked rabbit and I have had some pretty good squirrel in a light brown gravy over rice. You have to simmer them a long time to get them tender sometimes.

He can pray all he wants. He just can't take a knee with his team in what appears to be an endorsement of their religion. I do not agree with the district's decision. It is a stupid rule but lawful. I am guessing that a lawyer suggested that it is a violation of the law, which it isn't. The school district probably took the lame/easy way out and made such actions a violation of policy. Time to move on to another district if he doesn't like the rules. He does have that freedom. I've been in jobs where I didn't like the rules and moved on to greener pastures.

You kill little fluffy animals and eat them?

No one made a law by Congress or anyone else. The ruling was that the school district has the right to set rules in their schools. Nothing more. The coach violated school rules. His argument is that he doesn't like the rules. I agree with him, I don't like that rules either. It is however, the district's right to make it. The coach violates no law by silently praying while at school or a school function.

If this weather holds in its pattern, you should be hitting them at just the right time.

From previous US Supreme Court rulings, I think the coach can pray if he wants to. It is not against the Constitution. The USSC did not rule that he violated what is constitutionally accepted. What they let stand is a school district policy without comment. Prayer in school is not illegal but it cannot be prayer led by the school or its staff. The prayer itself was not ruled against but the coach has school rules that prohibit it. There is nothing the keeps such a school district from making such a rule. As a police officer I have a set uniform. I cannot wear a cross that shows without the consent of the chief. I have no religious freedom to overcome department uniform policy. It is not the wearing of the cross that is illegal but the department's right to make such a rule. Flame the school district for a stupid (and probably uninformed) rule. The court just upheld the school district's right to set rules.