I'm sure that Jesus BFF Elisabeth Hasselbeck would be apopletic if a Muslim public high school coach led students in Muslim prayer on the football field. Yet, on this morning's Fox & Friends, she showed more Fox love to a Christian coach who is fighting Satan's school minions who want to stop his public prayer.
The story of poor, persecuted Joe Kennedy, a Washington public school football coach who leads his players in post-game Christian prayer on the 50 yard line, seems to have been originally brought to us by Jesus BFF Fox culture clubber Todd Starnes. As reported by an outraged Starnes, school officials had the audacity to tell Kennedy enough with the prayer because, well, that pesky 1st Amendment church/ state thingie. As defenders of persecuted Christians, Fox News immediately glommed onto this latest outrage against America's persecuted Christians and provided the coach with the requisite Fox love.
Steve Doocy praised Kennedy for standing up to those who, according to Doocy, could be infringing on Kennedy's - wait for it- religious freedom. On Outnumbered, #oneluckyguy Charles Payne said the prayer was "beautiful." Andrea Tantaros opined that it was all good because the prayer wasn't "forced" on players. As a loyal Foxbot, she mentioned that oh, so popular meme that "religion is under attack." The other lovely, leggy ladies defended his "protected free speech." Martha MacCallum stressed the voluntary aspect of the prayer. And now that the coach has been put on leave for continuing his public prayer, enter, stage right, Fox & Friends.
On this morning's patented "Fight for Faith" segment, an almost tearful Hasselbeck reported on the coach who "is fighting for his faith." Naturally, the banner reinforced the agitprop: "Faith Under Fire." She tossed to her guests, the coach and his lawyer for "the bad news" about Kennedy not doing his prayer after last night's game. The banner: "Spirituality Spike, School Forbids Coach From Praying With Team."
After Kennedy explained the nature of his administrative leave, Hasselbeck commented that, as US Marine, Kennedy has "stood for freedom and you still do and you know the enemy clearly in service to this country." She continued, "right now, your enemy is the fight for your own freedom and people who want to stop you from expressing your religion." She wanted to know if Kennedy, in the play off game, will "fight for your prayer and your religion." Kennedy replied that he will fight for the Constitution and his personal faith.
In echoing the ironic ;) words of the title to a Todd Starnes video, Hasselbeck asked if Kennedy is being pressured to be "a closeted Christian." Kennedy described suggested school accommodations which, for him, mean "hiding his Christianity." Hasselbeck was clearly irritated as she read a quote from the school and asked Kennedy's lawyer what is being done to protect the coach. The lawyer made the ridiculous comparison of the school's action to their prohibiting a Jew from wearing a yarmulke. When he said that this is "outrageous," Hasselbeck agreed. She alluded to Satanists who "showed up at the game". (She didn't mention that, at the behest of students who objected to the prayer, the Satanists were prepared to "pray" at the 50 yd. line.)
At Hasselbeck's urging, Kennedy spoke about his "fight for freedom." Her eyes glistening, Hasselbeck praised him for his "courage you're showing right now to not just this team but this nation."
Another day, another persecuted Christian and another Fox host who just doesn't understand the 1st Amendment.