Walker County coach at center of religious controversy holding news conference this afternoon
Aug 29, 2012 | 3342 views | 1 1 comments | 12 12 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Mark Mariakis
Mark Mariakis
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Ridgeland High School football coach Mark Mariakis will hold a news conference today at 4 p.m. in the school’s auditorium.

Freedom From Religion Foundation, a Wisconsin-based group, has filed a complaint with the Walker County school system alleging the coach has violated the Second Amendment and separation of church and state.

The foundation has charged that Mariakis has allowed churches to prepare meals and feed the football team, including at least one meal that involved preaching; led prays with his team after games; used Bible verses in motivational speeches and on team shirts; and held Christian football camps during summer break that players were pressured to attend.

The foundation delivered its complaint by letter on Aug. 21. On Aug. 27, the foundation delivered another letter that warns of financial liability if these actions by Mariakis are not stopped.

A Facebook page, Support Coach Mariakis , that was set up a week ago had nearly 10,000 "Likes" as of this morning.
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Wildthang18
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August 29, 2012
Perhaps if we all understood the text of the constitution, we would not look so stupid when addressing this issue. First of all, there is no separation of church and state clause listed in the constitution. The text reads:

"Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

NOTE: this prohibits the very notion of the govenrment from making any law, or rule that would stop prayer in school, or in any setting both public and private. No govenrment official, or group, can therefore make any rule, or law, to stop any religious group from excercising this right to be free of oppression with regards to expressing their beliefs in any setting, including government buildings and property. If you read this any other way, you seriously need to reconcider your intelligence quotient, as someone has misinformed you as to how smart you really are. The largest problem with society today, is that there is simply no accountability. Depending on who you represent, you can say anything with no one to call you out on it, even if you are proven to be a fool.
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