As we leave these hallowed halls...

let us remember that firm belief in our religious convictions gives us the right to talk about those beliefs, at length, at inopportune times.

Found this at Pharyngula:

"The [Jacksonville, Florida] valedictorian's speech was about Jesus Christ and suggested those who don't believe would go to hell.

"I want to tell you that Jesus Christ can give you eternal life in heaven," Spaulding said before the crowd. "If we die with that sin on our souls, we will immediately be pulled down to hell to pay the eternal price for our sins ourselves."

Some woman (ah, hell: Carileen Bollinger), who was in attendance at the high school graduation, said these ideas were important to her, and she was valedictorian, so she had a right to say them. A right? Yes, maybe. Interesting question, given this was a public school...though there's usually some preacher delivering a prayer even at public school grad ceremonies, isn't there. Sigh. Even if she does have the right, it's tremendously obnoxious. I would have thought so before I quit God. I wonder how Carileen Bollinger would have felt if the valedictorian had been Muslim. Or Wiccan.