National Safety and the First Amendment?

Question

Do you think that National safety comes before freedom of religion? Specifically, does a muslim woman need to take her burka off for her drivers license picture?

Answer 1

Freedom of religion protects belief absolute, expression almost completely, and conduct to a much lesser degree.

Wearing a burka as part of daily life is expression -- but there are still situations where there is an overriding govt interest to be protected -- such as the example you name.

I think reasonable accommodations can be made -- such as having a female officer take the picture, and all males close their eyes -- that would satisfy the religious concerns with a minimum of disruption -- and without jeopardizing govt interests.

Answer 2

Yes. There are many different relegions and the way things are today someone could easily start up a new "relegion" and claim anything is their "relegious belief" to keep from obeying anything they don't happen to like. I mean I would really hate to think of a church claiming their right to their relegious beliefs to stone to death a person because that's what their relegious text says to do. I mean there's some accomodation but we can't cave to every little thing that's supposidly "relegious belief" when others are put in possible jeopardy.

Answer 3

religious freedom should mean you don't get singled out for specific laws. it would be wrong to say that muslims must be held to a different standard from everyone else.

it should not mean that you get exceptions from the rules that everyone else must follow.

Answer 4

Yes. Freedom of religion is not absolute, and doesn't apply to every trapping of religion. Mormans have to be monogomous, too.

Answer 5

I think we should all cover our faces for those gawd awful pictures.Even men.But I guess they should remove it for security reasons.