While a "progressive" judge gives Christians the boot, Muslim Imam Umar Abdul—Jalil of New York City's Department of Correction is paid $76,602 tax dollars a year and can publicly spew lies and anti—Christian hate speech without fear of any repercussions? Yet the Iowa Prison Fellowship Ministries is forced to close their bible program because Judge Robert Pratt ruled that the program violates the First Amendment's freedom of religion clause by using state funds to promote Christianity to inmates?
 
There needs to be a hard line drawn within the First Amendment. Either religion IS or IS NOT to be incorporated, financially, into our prison system, PERIOD! Obviously, prison is a place where religion can go a long way towards rehabilitating those most in need of spiritual guidance. Personally, I'd much rather see all prison religious programs funded  privately. I strongly suspect that in doing so, there would be a 'cream to the top' effect. Plus, we could track where the monies come from and where the tax deductions go, two things that are not necessarily synonymous. 
 
Joseph Crowley   6 4 06