The Rhode Island teen who was recently thrust into the national spotlight for fighting to have a prayer banner at her high school removed, is now receiving a scholarship from an atheist group, MyFoxBoston.com reports.
The American Humanist Association, a national atheist organization, says that Jessica Ahlquist, 16, of Cranston High School West, stood up for her beliefs despite critics and, “responded well to online threats when she challenged the constitutionality of the display,” MyFoxBoston reports.
The group’s campaign has resulted in $40,000 raised on the website, the Friendly Atheist.
Seriously, Rhode Island? Going out of your way to pick on a 16 year old girl? If your god is so powerful, let him deal with her.
^^^
NYT:
CRANSTON, R.I. — She is 16, the daughter of a firefighter and a nurse, a self-proclaimed nerd who loves Harry Potter and Facebook. But Jessica Ahlquist is also an outspoken atheist who has incensed this heavily Roman Catholic city with a successful lawsuit to get a prayer removed from the wall of her high school auditorium, where it has hung for 49 years.
Image: Gretchen Ertl / The New York Times
People like her annoy the shit out of me. They weren’t forcing her to pray, she didn’t even have to acknowlege it was there but she goes and gets her panties up her ass and ruins a school tradition and takes away something that the people it was directed to found comfort and solace in. Same with the people who want to take “in god we trust” off the money, leave it alone, no ones forcing you to look at it. Leave it alone, I am so sick of hearing about stupid lawsuits like this.
Heavy sigh…
As Jessica has stated, anyone who goes to that school and has to see that prayer everyday and isn’t a Christian gets to see that her school is a Christian one. The administration are Christians. Her fellow students are Christians. They get to see the prayer and be reminded constantly that they’re not the same as the rest of the school and that they’re ideas, beliefs, and passions aren’t welcome there— they’re not welcome there. It is her school too. A public school. That is, a school that’s funded by the government. By tax payers. The school broke the law when it put it up 49 years ago, and the “tradition” should never have started. It’s unconstitutional to have the prayer up which is exactly why she won the case.
Public schools are not the places for religious ritual in any form. If those kids who are heartbroken to see a prayer go, then they can go to a religious private school that doesn’t use tax payer dollars and have all the prayer they want.
The Ballad Of Cranston, RI
Dedicated to oppressed majorities everywhere.
Come, people of Cranston! Let’s occupy the schools!
Reminding the judge that majority rules!
It says in the bible that atheists are fools—
We can’t let it end in this manner!
We have to defend it, and also our Lord,
From the menacing might of the atheist horde—
The rights of all Christians are being ignored;
We must go to the wall for our banner!For justice! For freedom! For Cranston! For God!
It’s time for our voice to be heard!
So bring out your pitchforks and torches and ropes
Cos the mob is protecting God’s word!The bible, of course, is the source of our laws
So banner-removers, I think you should pause;
The way we interpret the establishment clause,
It prohibits the banner’s removal!
The community voted, they want it to stay
And these god-fearing folks wouldn’t lead us astray
The blind scales of justice, they surely must weigh
The majority’s Christian approvalFor justice! For freedom! For Cranston! For God!
It’s time for our voice to be heard!
So bring out your pitchforks and torches and ropes
Cos the mob is protecting God’s word!Come, people of Cranston, we can’t acquiesce!
We’ve got to assemble and take on this mess
So I’ve helpfully posted young Jessica’s address
We can meet there to find a solution
It shouldn’t be hard; hell, she’s only a kid
Which is why, when the atheist did what she did
She showed her true colors, and cowardly hid
In the words of our own Constitution!For justice! For freedom! For Cranston! For God!
It’s time for our voice to be heard!
So bring out your pitchforks and torches and ropes
Cos the mob is protecting God’s word!Come, people of Cranston! Let’s occupy the schools!
Reminding the judge that majority rules!
It says in the bible that atheists are fools—
We can’t let it end in this manner!
We have to defend it, and also our Lord,
From the menacing might of the atheist horde—
The rights of all Christians are being ignored;
We must go to the wall for our banner!
