Ala. town's criminals get choice: Jail or church

[HarveyDarkey]

CBS News affiliate WKRG-TV in Mobile reports that Operation Restore Our Community begins next week.

(Scroll down to watch a report from WKRG-TV)

The city judge in Bay Minette will let misdemeanor offenders choose to work off their sentences in jail and pay a fine; or go to church every Sunday for a year.

If offenders select church, they'll be allowed to pick the place of worship but must check in weekly with the pastor and police.

If the one-year church attendance program is completed, the offender's case will be dismissed.

Bay Minette Police Chief Mike Rowland says the program could change the lives of people heading down the wrong path. So far, 56 churches are participat

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/09/23/national/main20110680.shtml?tag=cbsnewsTwoColLowerPromoArea%3Bfd.morenews

[Turbineguy]

1. OK.

Jail.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. If it just was not for that pesky constitution: ACLU says idea is a no-no.

BAY MINETTE, Ala. — A civil liberties group said Friday that an Alabama town should not start an alternative sentencing program that would give non-violent offenders a new choice: Go to jail, or go to church.

state ACLU Executive Director Olivia Turner said in a statement...........
But it is a fundamental principle of the Establishment Clause that the government cannot force someone to attend church,” she said. “When the alternative to going to church is going to jail, the so-called ‘choice’ available to offenders is no choice at all.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/aclu-says-ala-town-bay-minette-cannot-legally-sentence-offenders-to-attend-church/2011/09/23/gIQAUeMRrK_story.html

PS: Bay Minette is about 45 miles from where I live, has pop of 7700 or so folks.

[KamaAina]

3. What if they already go to church?

For that matter, what if it's the pastor who's been caught diddling little boys again?

[jmowreader]

6. That's the big problem

We're talking Alabama. In a lot of Alabama, church is the major social outlet, so it wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility that the petit criminals the judge is attempting to turn around are good churchgoing people.

[Kennah]

12. Pastor diddling boys? Transfer, and PROMOTION!

[drm604]

4. This can't be legal. n/t

[B Calm]

29. It's not legal, but then the Arizona immigration law wasn't either. It's

funny how the cons wait until we have a democratic president to do these sort of things. It's like they know the president will have to fight these types of laws because they are against the constitution, thus making uninformed voters believe that republicans are religious godly people who are against illegal Mexicans taking away your job.

[digitaln3rd]

5. This is like a real life version of Eddie Izzard's Cake or Death.

Who'd be stupid enough to pick jail?

[Le Taz Hot]

10. Raises hand.

Because the meanest, nastiest, most back-stabbing, lying, gossiping, vindictive, self-righteous, judgmental people I've ever known in my life were regular church goers. I'd rather go to jail -- a MUCH better class of people.

[Tsiyu]

32. +1 n/t

[BiggJawn]

25. Me. n/t

[Tesha]

7. Blatently unconstitutional, but entirely predictable. (NT)

[rdking647]

8. i choose to attend the first united church of satan

how would the judge feel about that......

[RKP5637]

9. I wonder if Church of Satan is on the list!

:evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin:

[orpupilofnature57]

11. Thats a Sacrilege and Unconstitutional.

[Mariana]

22. Sacrilege? Someone maybe ought to let the 56 (so far!)

pastors who've signed up know that. THEY don't seem to have any problem with the idea.

[orpupilofnature57]

26. Their mostly Christians ,they wouldn't object to what ever they could do..

nothing against them.Your right, Sacrilege is wrong maybe ,though it could be seen as " Throwing pearls before swine" if it's just a ploy for attendance and leniency .But it's definitely Unconstitutional.

[NOMOREDRUGWAR]

13. Blatantly unconstitutional unless they let them pick any religion

Restricting it to Christianity violates the First Amendment.

Also arguably unconstitutional for another reason -- is it really a choice if you're a non-believer? A better idea would be to force these people to do community service instead of jail -- volunteering at a homeless shelter or AIDS hospice. We need to look at alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders.

[orpupilofnature57]

17. Separation of Mosque & State.

[Swede Atlanta]

18. Unconstitutional period.....

The "State" be it the federal government or a state government, county government, etc. cannot require someone choose between jail and attending a religious service. Period, end of sentence. This budge needs to be disbarred and sent to Gitmo for being STUPID.

[Occulus]

24. Suppose you have no religion n/t

[joshcryer]

27. Then you demand to go to the First Church of Atheism?

http://firstchurchofatheism.com/

[Kennah]

14. I pray to Gaia. Does that count?

[LeftyMom]

15. Kind of like mandatory 12 step meetings.

Those are a joke too.

[jaysunb]

16. Gimme jail

unless it's "BedSide Baptist" :evilgrin:

[madokie]

19. Fuck that, I'd rather be in jail myself

[Fire Walk With Me]

20. Ah came fer the freedom but stayed fer the drinkin' 'o sacramental wine.

[Mariana]

21. It's interesting that so many churches (56 churches - so far)

have signed up to participate in this disgusting scheme. I know there are a lot of churches around there, many of which have tiny congregations. Still, that seems like a lot to be just A-OK with having people essentially sentenced to attend their services.

[JoeyT]

34. It's predictable.

Nothing will fill offering plates like the ability to sentence attendants to jail for displeasing you.

I can think of a hundred different ways this can and will be abused if it stands. It will be worse for women, of course, as any large disparity in power dynamics almost always are. Forgetting to pay a traffic ticket could well become "Do whatever the preacher tells you for a year or go to jail, young lady.". Even if I didn't object to it on grounds of government endorsing religion, I'd object to it for that.

[louslobbs]

23. What part of the separation of church and state do these people not understand?

I mean is it really that difficult? And how many Mosques are participating?
Lou

[B Calm]

28. Fascism will come to America wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.

Be AFRAID!

[Obamanaut]

30. More responses at this similar thread ->

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1996104

[_ed_]

31. A jail of the body or a jail of the mind

Tough call.

[elehhhhna]

33. cake or death?

equally unconstitutional.