[net.religion] freedom of religion, public sector

smb@ulysses.UUCP (Steven Bellovin) (09/11/85)

The Senate, by a vote of 62-36, tabled and effectively killed a Jesse Helms-
sponsored bill that would strip the Federal courts of jurisdiction in school
prayer cases.  Helms said he brought the bill to the floor just to get a
roll-call vote on it, because "I imagine people in the evangelical movement
are going to be willing to circulate it".  Barry Goldwater, on the other
hand, told Helms that he should be ashamed of sponsoring it, and that Helms
was "beginning to get into areas now that's none of our business".  He pointed
out that in his state, assorted Indian tribes had their own religions, adding
"you shouldn't tell anyone how to pray".  Predictably, Helms said he wasn't
ashamed of the bill.