The Supreme Court ruling in a prayer case is a very bad sign for nondiscrimination protections

The Supreme Court isn’t done threatening LGBTQ rights. First came the Court ruling making it easier for anyone to carry firearms in public, heightening the threat to LGBTQ people at a time of rising hate incidents. Then came the ban on abortion, with Clarence Thomas’ open invitation to overturn marriage equality and sexual privacy protections. 

Now, in yet another 6-3 ruling, the right-wing justices have said that public expression of faith – in this case, Christian, of course – triumphs over separation of church and state. The case involves a public school football coach who was fired for praying on the 50-yard line during games.

Related: German soccer organization lifts ban on trans athletes

“Respect for religious expressions is indispensable to life in a free and diverse republic — whether those expressions take place in a sanctuary or on a field, and whether they manifest through the spoken word or a bowed head,” Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the majority opinion. “Here, a government entity sought to punish an individual for engaging in a brief, quiet, personal religious observance.”

The problem is that some of the students felt pressured to participate in the prayer sessions. In her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor called the majority out for ignoring the effect on the students.

“Today’s decision is particularly misguided because…

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