This trend is certainly part of what is driving the resurgence christian law, and it may even be in the minds of the current conservative majority in the Supreme Court, five of whom are Catholic and one of whom was raised Catholic but attends an Episcopal church. Now that their brand of religious dogma is losing its purchasing power, they are imposing it on the country themselves.
They target a vulnerable population group. An atheist student on Kennedy’s team said he felt compelled to participate. He described feeling “uncomfortable and unsafe” during a chaotic scene in which more than 500 people stormed the field to join Kennedy’s prayers. This robbed the player not only of his free exercise rights, but also, according to the order, of “his love of football, lasting friendships with his teammates and the respect he otherwise earned from his coaches.” Years later, the short reports, he feels traumatized.
It is also a largely impotent population. While the percentage of unbelievers in America is increasing, secular humanists and atheists are among the least represented groups in American politics. And while 60 percent of Americans say: they would vote for an atheist for president (up from 18 percent in 1958), only one member of the 117th Congress identified as non-affiliated with any religion in a 2021 Pew poll. No identified as an atheist or agnostic.
According to Rachel Laser, president and chief executive of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, coming out as an atheist is still dangerous in many parts of America. “We have accusers and clients of religious minorities and atheists who have received death threats and have had their children physically assaulted, their pets killed, their windows smashed and their businesses boycotted,” Laser told me. “Many are too afraid to be named as plaintiffs and insist on remaining anonymous because they fear for the health and safety of themselves and their families.”
Those who objected to Kennedy’s behavior similarly faced harassment in their communities and on social media. When Jennifer Chamberlin, a school district teacher, publicly spoke out in favor of her employer, she became, in her words, “a social pariah.” According to the amicus brief submitted by community members on behalf of the school district, the situation forced her to “come out as an atheist,” something she hadn’t done before because “she was afraid of being banned.” The letter explained that being kicked out as a non-believer “resulted in ‘one of the most difficult times of her life'” and that her son “suffered too and had to ‘constantly defend’ his mother against classmates.” and community members.”
Such bigotry reflects the strong intentions of the Supreme Court’s conservative majority. Unhappy with what much of the country believes, the right wing of the court chooses to believe what it wants and forces the results on the rest of us. Like Coach Kennedy, they want to convert.