Bush Admin Protects Satanists

Yesterday, the Supreme Court started hearing the case, Cutter v. Wilkinson, concerning the constitutionality of legislation mandating that State prisons enable prisoners to practice their religion. It's strange to hear an administration, famously conservative, siding with fringe religious groups:

The U.S. Justice Department believes that Satanism, Wicca and polytheism are religious beliefs.

The federal government argued in the Supreme Court Monday that states must enable prison inmates to practice and observe such "religious" beliefs – no matter how unconventional they may be. Newsmax.com

There was a piece about Satanism in the Village Voice this weekend. It's a little less radical than you might have hoped for. Astonishingly, 'official' Satanists don't actually believe in Satan, rather, "Satan is a metaphor for personal empowerment and rebellion". There's also a $200 dollar membership fee.

Apparently there are about 10,000 jewish people in US jails. The need for the legislation under scrutiny is underscored by this fascinating article in the Jewish Times:

Brandl Rifka tried to get other Jewish prisoners to celebrate Rosh Hashanah with her. She bought tuna fish and potato chips from the commissary — her definition of a "special meal" at the time — and went to bring it to her peers. An officer stopped her, called her a profanity, threw the meal on the ground, and with a foot on her back, made her pick it off the floor.

"I was discouraged from being a Jew," she said. "I understood at that point if I didn't embrace my Judaism, that is how it gets lost for everybody."