Freedom of Religion and Speech Snowy Yuen, 31st July 2013 If the freedom of speech is taken away then

dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter. In a recent litigation in East Texas, cheerleaders for the Kountze school football team have been banned from holding Christian-themed banners during school football games, yet these individuals refuse to yield to their oppressive district board, and decide to defend themselves with the help of attorneys and lawyers in support of freedom to speech and religion. One may agree that the authorities are faultless in doing so, given that Americans can enjoy the freedom of religion under the bestowal of the Bill of Rights, thus meaning that no individual is obliged to endure forceful evangelization. Moreover, this promotion of their pious verses in public grounds i.e. the government school not only imposes doctrines over other skeptics, but also acts as an insult to some believers themselves, as some netizens state that I would have been offended by these banners even when I was still a Christian. They're turning the Bible's message into ridicule You think winning a high school football game is part of "God's plan for you"? Really? I think that it definitely crosses a line when it becomes a team activity, not just a personal statement. This effectively makes the cheerleading club exclusionary to non-Christians and so on, proving that their encouragements bring about a surfeit of dispute and unwelcomeness, and that they should be banned. However, truth be told that the cheerleaders are also privileged with the same rights: the freedom of religion and expression. They are permitted to settle on and practice any religion or belief of their own choice and, according to Article 19 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights, to hold opinions without interference. Article 18 of this document, along with the First Amendment to the American Constitution, both suggest that everyone has the right to freedom of religion, indicating that the cheerleaders have done no wrong in merely demonstrating their principles and views, and that they had no intention in proselytizing opinions unto their audience. Additionally, the town of Kountze comprises mostly of Christians originally. Residents have put forth ideas like we didnt think it would hurt anybody and all our kids go to churc h; they support it, validating the showcase of spiritual-related banner messages, and that the cheerleaders were conforming to their community to boot. After a series of prosecution and vindication, the judge finally decided that the cheerleaders deserved to take glory, adjudging it permissible to continue raising biblical verses in football matches. This resolution is certainly apt and righteous, considering that the cheerleaders rights override those of the trivial spectators, and is set as an example for any possible further cases regarding affairs about freedoms of citizens.