Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Proposal For Court-Stripping Amendment To Arizona Constitution

Arizona State Senator Karen Johnson yesterday introduced a proposed state constitutional amendment (SCR 1026) that would strip all state courts in Arizona of jurisdiction over

any matter to the extent that relief is sought against the federal, the state or a local government or against an officer or agent [of such governments], whether or not ... acting in his official or personal capacity, concerning the government's of the officer's or the agent's acknowledgement of God as the sovereign source of law, liberty or government.

Today's Arizona Daily Star says that Sen. Johnson has introduced the amendment in reaction to decisions in other states finding problems with "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance and with 10 Commandments displays on public property. Johnson explained her concerns:
In the (federal) Constitution, what it means is that there is to be no state religion. But we're supposed to have religion in everything — the opportunity to have religion in everything. I want religion in government, I want my government to have a faith-based perspective. The courts do their own thing. They're making up law out of how they feel about things. They're not following the Constitution.
The proposed amendment would not affect federal court jurisdiction over suits challenging governmental support of religion.