Smith, Jones, Allah and Messiah

(Fair Use)

ZalyKah Graceful Lorraina Allah now joins Messiah DeShawn McCullough as living breathing examples of First Amendment rights.

Both babies were thus named by their parents, and both religious components of their names were ordered by judges to be changed.

Messiah's case came up in the State of Tennessee, where “the code requires judges to perform all duties without bias or prejudice based on religion.”  Allah’s came up in the State of Georgia, where the judge’s ruling was challenged by the American Civil Liberties Union.  Both sets of parents won their cases.

Resources

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/tennessee-judge-who-vetoed-messiah-as-babys-name-is-fired/ 

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/georgia-parents-win-battle-over-toddler-last-name-alla

Copyright April 21, 2017 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved