Robert Aderholt defends Auburn University after Freedom From Religion Foundation blasts school for promoting Christianity
Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) came to the defense of Auburn University after it was attacked by the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) for their coaches’ participation in a recent prayer event. The Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter warning Auburn University that “Auburn University must put a stop to religion in its athletic programs, the Freedom From Religion Foundation is insisting, after multiple coaches promoted a religious worship event where head football coach Hugh Freeze baptized a player.” “The Freedom From Religion Foundation should remember that the U.S. Constitution protects religious expression for everyone, regardless of who their employer might be,” Aderholt said on Twitter. “This event should be praised, not criticized.” The Wisconsin-based group claimed that it has “received numerous reports that Freeze, basketball coach Bruce Pearl and baseball coach Butch Thompson were involved in promoting a religious worship service to students on September 12 called “Unite Auburn.” A video promoting the event featured Thompson saying that Unite Auburn would allow students to “come together and lift the name of Jesus.” Unite Auburn “was dedicated to worship and giving messages to Auburn students seeking to grow their faith in God or who were curious about Christianity. The event’s goal was to unite the Christian community of Auburn under one roof to worship God.” The FFRF stated, “University-sponsored religious activities violate the U.S. Constitution.” Chris Line is a staff attorney for FFRF. Line wrote to Auburn University President Chris Roberts. “Auburn University is a public university, not a religious one,” Line wrote to Dr. Roberts. “It is inappropriate and unconstitutional for university employees to use their university position to organize, promote, or participate in a religious worship event. These ongoing and repeated constitutional violations at the university create a coercive environment that excludes those students who don’t subscribe to the Christian views being pushed onto players by their coaches.” The FFRF also chastised U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) for his holds on military promotions over his opposition to the Biden Administration’s use of taxpayer dollars to facilitate abortions in the military. FFRF has gone after Auburn before, most notably in 2015, when they accused Auburn and then Coach Tuberville of being “overly prayerful” and “for establishing many unconstitutional religious practices in Auburn team sports.” Specifically, FFRF cites Auburn for allowing coaches to hire team chaplains. FFRF insists that Auburn Coaches “may not lead or encourage any religious activities in their capacity as coaches and cannot participate in any student-led religious activities.” Annie Laurie Gaylor is the Co-President of FFRF. “The abuse of power displayed by these coaches shows that Auburn hasn’t changed one bit since we published our 2015 report,” said Co-President Gaylor. “As coaches, their responsibility lies in guidance on the field, not guiding these students to pews. They should start by firing the team chaplains, whose very presence signals that Auburn University has an inappropriate relationship with Christian evangelists.” The event that upset FFRF was a prayer rally that the three coaches and thousands of others attended. A number of students were baptized at the event, drawing some headlines and the ire of the FFRF. The event was not part of any sporting event and was outside the coach’s official Auburn duties. Tuscaloosa Attorney Luisa Reyes told Alabama Today, “The Freedom From Religion Foundation has it wrong. The Constitution prevents the government from establishing a religion, but it also protects the free exercise of religion, which is what the Auburn coaches were doing at this event. Their position as coaches does not mean they lose their free speech rights or right to practice their faith.” Rep. Aderholt’s wife, Caroline McDonald Aderholt, serves on the Auburn Board of Trustees. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Flowers: Judge Bobby Aderholt
Alabama has a legacy of great men who have served as judges in our state. Recently, revered, retired Circuit Judge Bobby Ray Aderholt of Haleyville passed away at 85. He served the public for more than 50 years. As a judge, he presided over each case with integrity and impartiality. He was the Circuit Judge for the 25th Judicial Circuit for 30-years, 1977-2007. He was first elected Circuit Judge in 1976. He would have continued serving the people of Winston and Marion counties if it were not for an antiquated law in Alabama that judges cannot run for office after age 70. When Judge Aderholt first ran in 1976, he bucked a Democratic tidal wave in the state and was the only Republican elected in North Alabama that year. Our state had been overwhelmingly Democratic from the 1870s through 1964 because of the aftermath of the Civil War and Reconstruction. However, there was one area of the state that never bought into the Southern Secession from the Union. The folks in Northwest Alabama did not own slaves and figured they did not need to fight a war over slavery for the rich planters of the Black Belt. Therefore, when Alabama seceded from the Union, Winston County seceded from Alabama. Thus, Winston County became the Free State of Winston. During the 1884 to 1964, 80-year period, every statewide elected official in Alabama was a Democrat, and also every local and legislative officeholder ran as a Democrat with the exception of one county – Winston had Republican officeholders. In fact, legendary U.S. Federal Judge Frank Johnson Jr. was a Republican from Winston County. When a federal judgeship came open in the Middle District of Alabama in the early 1950s, President Dwight Eisenhower had a hard time finding a Republican to appoint. He chose young Frank Johnson Jr. The Republican party broke the ice in 1964. Alabama voted straight Republican for Barry Goldwater, and the wave carried five Republican congressmen with him. Alabama had become a red Republican state. However, we still elected Democrats to local offices like legislator and circuit judge. 1976 was a blip with Jimmy Carter carrying Alabama and the Deep South due to the post-Watergate fallout. Judge Bobby Aderholt was always a Republican, so he ran as a Republican that year and won. He was on an island with no other Republican winning in North Alabama. He became a pioneer in the Alabama Republican Party and one of the most respected judges in the state. He was known as fair, fiercely independent, and not beholden to anyone. He had a brilliant legal mind, but most importantly, he always had compassion for all individuals and treated everyone in his courtroom with dignity and respect. In conjunction with his judicial duties, he performed countless weddings and funerals in his beloved neck of the woods. Judge Aderholt was born in December of 1935 and grew up in Winston County. He went to undergraduate school at Birmingham Southern and went to Law School at the University of Alabama. He matriculated back home to Haleyville, where he had graduated high school in 1954. He spent his life in Haleyville. He was a dedicated member of the First Baptist Church of Haleyville. However, he pastored Fairview Congregational Church in Hackleburg for 47 years. Judge Bobby Aderholt was a dedicated family man. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Mary Frances Brown Aderholt, who was his childhood sweetheart. Judge Aderholt is the father of our senior Congressman, Robert Aderholt. Robert is the only child of Judge and Mrs. Mary Frances Aderholt. They raised a good one. Robert was elected to Congress in 1996 at the ripe old age of 31. He is in his 25th year of representing the 4th Congressional District of Alabama and is the Dean of our congressional delegation. Robert and his wife, Caroline McDonald Aderholt, have two children, Mary Elliott and Robert Hayes. Judge Bobby Aderholt was a good man. We will all miss him. I will miss him as a reader of my column. He read it every week, religiously in the Marion County Journal Record and the Northwest Alabamian. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at:https://www.steveflowers.us.
