PLATFORM : Animal Sacrifice

Constitutional scholars and religious communities, for good reason, are fearful that the Supreme Court is in the process of compromising the nation’s traditional protection of minority religions.

The Supreme Court will review a lower court ruling permitting the city of Hialeah, Fla., to outlaw animal sacrifice by adherents of the Santeria and Yoruba faiths. There is fear that the court will use this case to allow laws that are expressly designed to restrict non-mainstream religion.

Of course, not all practices in the name of religion should be allowed. The Supreme Court is within its proper bounds in considering whether religious practices in Hialeah should be restricted when these practices affect public health.

I urge the court to take this opportunity to reassert that the free exercise of religion may be restricted only in the face of “compelling state interests.� If this principle continues to be neglected, or is lost forever, religious freedom in America will be in jeopardy.