It is sad that this matter was taken so far.

Is it a matter of religious intolerance, expedience or something far worse

rosary beads They are prayer beads carried by many catholics. Rightly or wrongly, they are also worn by some as a fashion accessory.

This is a story of freedom, not just one with religious overtones

Here is what happened, just keeping to facts

A  federal judge ordered a New York middle school to reinstate a seventh-grader ,  Raymond Hosier who was suspended for wearing the Catholic prayer beads last month .

He wears  the purple beads  in memory of his younger brother , who died clutching this rosary at a car acceident

The federal jjudge ordered reinstatement at a hearing regarding his civil rights

What is worrying is the reason given by the school.

The worrying thing is that district officials contend Hosier violated a policy banning them because they are worn as gang symbols

The American Center for Law and Justice to file a lawsuit on Tuesday in U.S. District Court arguing that Raymond’s suspension violated his rights to free religion.

The matter is even more fundamental

This is what it boils down to.

In this case the choice of a gang to wear a symbol or item of clothing was sufficient for a school and district officials to deny the right of law abiding people to be denied the right to do the same

To those who treasure their freedom, that must be alarming

Let us hope the court upholds Hosier’s rights at the full hearing.

It is a far bigger issue than rosary beads or religious tolerance. It is about freedom and the rights of the majority. It is about not allowing a minority to destroy the rights we all expect in a democracy. How can the school and district officials have not seen the thin end of this wedge?