Supreme Court Nominee too Extreme for America
Culpeper, VA. Feb 8, 2017
The Green Party of Virginia (GPVA) calls upon the US Senate to oppose the nomination of Colorado justice Neil Gorsuch to the United States Supreme Court.
Gorsuch has publicly demonstrated a unilateral attack on the religious freedom guarantees in the Constitution and is dangerous to the institution. His rulings clash with the spirit of America and the foundation of religious freedom upon which it stands
.
Specifically, In Little Sisters of the Poor v. Burwell, non-profit organizations challenged a federal policy that allowed them to opt out of providing insurance coverage for birth control in employee health care plans. Gorsuch argued that requesting to get the accommodation substantially burdened religious exercise.
In other examples, Gorsuch disagreed with majority opinions and argued that government-sponsored religious displays were constitutional e.g. Green v. Haskell County Board of Commissioners. Gorsuch contended that the Ten Commandments could be construed to convey a “secular moral message.”
In American Atheists v. Davenport, Gorsuch contended that the Highway Patrol could allow a non-profit group to erect crosses on public property. In his view, these symbols of Christianity did not promote Christianity. He went on to question whether it should even be unconstitutional for the government to endorse religion. These rulings demonstrate that the nominee has little respect for the separation of church and state.
A Supreme Court justice needs to respect religious freedom and the role the separation of church and state plays in it. The role of the Supreme Court is to protect the rights of all, religious or otherwise. Gorsuch does not fit that mold and the Senate should reject his nomination
GPVA co-chair B. Sidney Smith offered this statement, "America is in need of justices on the highest court who respect the importance of religious freedom and its role in protecting freedom for all Americans. Gorsuch is not that justice and the Senate should reject his nomination.”
###
Copyright © 2017 Green Party of Virginia; All rights reserved.
The Green Party of Virginia is a political party recognized by the Virginia State Board of Elections, and is the only Green Party in Virginia accredited by the Green Party of the United States which in turn is recognized by the Federal Election Commission.
