Today, we are constitutional scholars. We will explore the constitutional protections for an area of religious freedom the wearing of religious symbols. Many people wear religious symbols and/or adhere to religious clothing practices to express their religious devotion, beliefs and affiliations. These include but are not limited to:
Jewelry Crosses, stars of David, Hindu and Buddhist mandalas and lotus flowers, Sikh khandas, religious text inscriptions, and many others.
Clothing depictions of religious leaders, religious text and symbols, your church affiliation (on T-shirts, etc.)
Religion-specific clothing Catholic nun robes and veils, Christian Amish hair bonnets and men hats, Buddhist robes, the many types of Muslim women and men head coverings and dresses, Jewish men yarmulkes, Sikh turbans and many, many others.
While an individual may not support particular religious beliefs or practices, these beliefs and many practices, such as displaying religious symbolism and dress, are protected by the U.S. Constitution. Even in cases regarding the issuing of identification material (driver licenses, etc.) and full head-coverings, most states and the Federal government make accommodations that allow a female religious practitioner a private method to have her picture taken and/or to reveal herself for identification purposes.
What civil liberties ensured by the U.S. Constitution protect the right to wear religious dress and symbols? At least three should come to mind immediately. Referring back to Chapter 1, what principals of American political culture form the basis of these protections?
