Connecting Tebowing to Public Schools and Hate Crimes (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | Two high school basketball fans were attacked after a game for Tebowing, according to Fox News. As a political scientist, I find this case extremely inviting due to the questions that can be raised from the action of Tebowing and from the attack itself. This case could easily open a can of worms which could be debated for weeks if not longer.

Tebowing is mimicking the infamous action of Tim Tebow that shows when he is praying for strength. Many fans perform the action to give thumbs up to the quarterback, but the original action from him is an act of public prayer. Some fans might use the action as a form of public prayer as well, but the symbolism behind it is what comes into question here.

Like it or not, public prayer is not allowed in most public school districts. Courts have decided that actions of public prayer in public schools constitute support for religion in a taxpayer-supported institution and are against our Constitution. Should Tebowing be banned from public school functions for this reason? Even though it is a reference to the player, the original purpose of the action is prayer. In that instance, it should be banned.

At the same time, we have people getting attacked for Tebowing. Since the action they were attacked is an act of public prayer, we have a question about religious hate crimes. In most states, a person who is attacked due to their religion or the profession thereof has been a victim of a hate crime. We enter a questionable area of the law here in which we have to ask if the people who attacked the fans for Tebowing should be prosecuted for a hate crime.

The media has pressed Tebow's religion, and his popular action of placing his elbow on a single bent knee as an act of prayer. We have gained the perception of this being a public profession of religion. It is the overall perception of the action which will make the performance of the action something which should not be allowed in public schools and the attack of a person participating in the action as constituting a hate crime.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/oped/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120115/cm_ac/10838063_connecting_tebowing_to_public_schools_and_hate_crimes

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