Knights of Columbus Files Lawsuit Against Biden Admin for Blocking 60 Year Tradition
They hate you. Can they make it any more clear, you deplorable Christian nationalist Nazi?!!!
Daily Caller: Members of a Knights of Columbus council in Petersburg, VA filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration Tuesday after being denied permission to hold their traditional Memorial Day Mass at Poplar Grove National Cemetery.
The members of the Catholic service organization are suing the Biden administration citing religious discrimination, according to the news release. This denial marks the second consecutive year that the group has been unable to hold the service, which had been a longstanding tradition for 60 years. Represented by attorneys from McGuireWoods, the organization filed a motion for a temporary restraining order against the National Park Service (NPS), challenging the decision.
“The policy and the decision blocking the Knights of Columbus from continuing their long-standing religious tradition is a blatant violation of the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act,” said John Moran, Partner at McGuireWoods, the release stated. “We urge the court to grant our restraining order and allow the Knights to hold their service this Memorial Day.” (RELATED: ‘Toxic’: Federal Judge Calls Out Discrimination Against ‘Religious Conservatives’ On College Campuses)
Alexa Viets, the superintendent of Petersburg National Battlefield, defended the cemetery’s policies.
“National Cemeteries are established as national shrines in tribute to those who have died in service to our country, and as such any special activities within the cemetery are reserved for a limited set of official commemorative activities that have a connection to military service or have a historic and commemorative significance for the particular national cemetery,” Viets told the Times.
The National Park Service has classified religious services and vigils as “demonstrations” since at least 1986, prohibiting them unless part of officially sanctioned commemorative events. This classification is the basis for denying permits.
“Conducting a special event or demonstration, whether spontaneous or organized, is prohibited except for official commemorative events conducted for Memorial Day, Veterans Day and other dates designated by the superintendent as having special historic and commemorative significance to a particular national cemetery,” the Code of Federal Regulations stated.
Representatives for the Knights of Columbus argue that the recent policy change leading to the denial is new and inconsistent with past practices.
“The National Park Service is way out of line. This is the kind of unlawful discrimination and censorship RFRA and the First Amendment were enacted to prevent,” Byron said, the news release stated. “Hopefully the court will grant the Knights the relief they need to keep this honorable tradition alive.”
Think about this. They’re standing against holding a Mass for the fallen troops. Why would we defend this country anymore? Why would we send our children to fight for it, given that they won’t even allow a Mass to be said for them after they’ve sacrificed everything for this country?
I hope and pray that the Knights win this particular case but this is indicative of a much larger problem. They hate us and even when we die defending the country, they still hate us.