Freedom OF - not freedom FROM

A story hit the AP wire early this morning about a Spartanburg Bible study group meeting in the common area of a low income housing apartment complex. It appears that the owners of the complex think that such a study violates the supposed "separation of church and state" clause. This is nuts!

The Vice President of the company, Jenny Petri, says, "It's not our rule. It's Fair Housing law, which says you cannot discriminate against religion. It's unfortunate, but we are required to comply to Fair Housing laws. We hope that the residents can continue doing what they're doing within their own apartment."

Lady, if that is what the Fair Housing law means, then you have actually broken the law because you just discriminated against religion in favor of no religion. This is the kind of thing that the First Amendment was designed to stop - the government being able to keep people from practicing their religion.

It is freedom OF religion - not FROM religion.

I agree with William Dudley Gregorie, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's field office director for South Carolina. He says, "If you let one, you have to let all." Still, to clarify further - isn't the law for the purpose of "housing" not "assembly" at the housing? The Fair Housing law stipulates that you cannot withhold the opportunity for housing based on religion. They are stretching it big time to take it as far as they have.