The View discussed church and state after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a football coach who coerced players into praying on the school’s football field, despite players objecting the practice.
1. Coach Joseph Kennedy was given the right to pray on the field after SCOTUS ruled his “post-game prayers on the 50-yard line” were protected by the first amendment.
The forced prayer on public school grounds is a big point of contention with the idea of separation of church and state. The court ruled 6-3 in favor of Kennedy, with the conservative justices siding with the football coach.
“Supreme Court conservatives were at it again,” said Whoopi Goldberg, opening the discussion.
2. Sunny Hostin, who is Catholic, disagreed with the ruling and acknowledged her religious upbringing.
“Those are my religious beliefs,” she said. “I can’t force other people to believe the way that I believe. I’m very concerned about the way this court is leaning, because now there is no separation between church and state.”
3. Ana Navarro, who is also Catholic chimed in, saying “We really have to ask ourselves, are you ready to do this for every religion?”
“Ask yourself, are you okay if a Jewish person pulls out a prayer shawl and goes to the middle of the field? Are you okay if a Muslim person pulls out a prayer rug? Are you okay if a santero pulls out a chicken in the middle of the field?” Navarro asked. “Ask yourselves those questions, because freedom of religion is freedom for everybody in any recognized religion.”
4. Watch a clip below:
SCOTUS SIDES WITH COACH IN PRAYER CASE: After the Supreme Court ruled the First Amendment protects a public school coach’s right to pray near students, #TheView co-hosts question if the nation’s highest court is eroding the line between church and state. https://t.co/cVclFZQU98 pic.twitter.com/9TxCHQaaZl
— The View (@TheView) June 28, 2022
