The Great Pond Divide

Two stories that should be read back to back.

First, the British government today decided that school administrators had the right to ban full-face veils, if they affected "safety, security or pupils' learning." The AP story, courtesy of CNN:

School administrators have the right to ban students from covering their faces under a new uniform policy, but educators should speak with parents before introducing such a ban, the Education Ministry said in a statement.

...

The issue of face-covering veils has sparked a debate over religious tolerance and cultural assimilation in Britain, which is home to 1.6 million Muslims.

The English ruling should be distinguished from l'affaire du voile across the channel. In France, any conspicuous outward sign of religious affiliation - cross, kippa or veil - is forbidden, on the grounds of keeping schools secular. In England, with its stress on the school's right to keep a dress code, the rallying cry seems to be more towards propriety than secularity. Vive la difference.

Compare both of these with what our Supreme Court was discussing yesterday: l'affaire "Bong Hits for Jesus."

Yup, for those of you cloistered on a grand jury somewhere, our highest court is seriously debating whether or not a school has the right to stop a student from carrying a banner advocating getting stoned for Jesus.

Some are asking - will the face veil ban ever cross the Atlantic? I say - are you kidding? We carry three centuries of heavy baggage as the religious refugees of Europe. As Christian as the nation is, it will be a cold day in hell before we forbid anyone the right to wear their colors of faith - no matter how out-of-step they may be.

Speaking of out-of-step. Lord love Miss Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

"If the design had been `Bong "Stinks" for Jesus,' would the reaction have been the same?" asked Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. "One could look at these words and say it's just nonsense . . . it isn't clear that this is `smoke pot.'"

According to the latest from the Chicago Tribune, the Bong Hits case looks like it will hinge on whether the student, who was on a field trip at the unfurling, is considered in school or out of school.