Michigan Prisons Mandated To Allow Faith Group Based On Race Separation
Although those who are arrested, convicted, and booked into prison are stripped of most of their rights while within the confinements of the state correctional facility but not all of them. There are still some protected rights that prisoners have while serving their time. One of those rights is the right to assemble and the right to assemble for religious services.
As we know, the world is filled with a number of religious or faith-based groups that have similarities and differences. Most religions are open to any individual to practice but the foundational framework of the ideology may turn some people away. Even when those ideologies might cause division, they must still be allowed to gather, and now Michigan prisons are required to let a certain group meet.
State officials were fighting against letting certain groups meet based on the foundation of their religion and how it may cause further friction between racial groups within the prison walls. The decision ended up making its way to a federal appeals court where the court voted 3-0 in favor of the religious group and now Michigan prisons have been ordered to allow them to meet.
The group in question is known as Christian Identity. They are known for having the belief that white people are God's chosen people and focus on teaching Caucasian heritage and history along with Christian heritage. This is where the lawsuit and argument come into play for both sides.
Scott Perreault who is serving a life sentence is a believer in Christian Identity and says that even though the religion has been tied to many white supremacists and anti-government groups doesn't mean it's a supremacist mentally but is instead all about being a separatist.
The meetings will be allowed to happen and any prisoner is allowed to attend and will know the base idea of what will be taught ahead of time. The door will be monitored by an armed guard rather than a prisoner, and they are hoping to reduce aggressive situations due to racial disparities.