http://aclu-nm.org/god-pods/2010/06/ New Mexico's Guardian of Liberty since 1962 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:59:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://aclu-nm.org/god-pods/2010/06/comment-page-1/#comment-79 Kevin Dickinson Sun, 13 Feb 2011 17:59:43 +0000 http://aclu-nm.org/?p=467#comment-79 It is clear that the MDC administration has determined that Christianity is *the* official religion. From July, 2004 through May, 2006, I was a "guest" at the Albuquerque, NM MDC jail. Every year around Christmas, a Christian rock-style band, complete with pretty girls to attract the male inmates, would come into each cellblock (pod) set up their electric guitars, keyboards, amps, and drum sets, and play Christian songs (very loudly, for about an hour), interspersed with preaching. There was no escaping the proselytizing. This became part of a Section 1983 lawsuit I filed in federal district court; this claim survives. The court ignores my pro se facts, so if ACLU wants a case, here it is, ready-to-go. I believe in the free exercise clause of the First Amendment, but do not believe in forcing anyone into participating in any religious activity. It is clear that the MDC administration has determined that Christianity is *the* official religion. From July, 2004 through May, 2006, I was a “guest” at the Albuquerque, NM MDC jail. Every year around Christmas, a Christian rock-style band, complete with pretty girls to attract the male inmates, would come into each cellblock (pod) set up their electric guitars, keyboards, amps, and drum sets, and play Christian songs (very loudly, for about an hour), interspersed with preaching. There was no escaping the proselytizing. This became part of a Section 1983 lawsuit I filed in federal district court; this claim survives. The court ignores my pro se facts, so if ACLU wants a case, here it is, ready-to-go.
I believe in the free exercise clause of the First Amendment, but do not believe in forcing anyone into participating in any religious activity.

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