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🌊 Is the UK Banning Prayer?
VP Vance said the UK is prohibiting prayer and protest. We give the facts so you can make up your own mind.
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Many readers have been writing in to tell us that our “silence is complicity.” They mean that by not condemning certain policies, we’re endorsing them. Yet this is the very reason news companies have lost readers’ trust: Our job is not to rule on who is right. Our job, rather, is to equip readers with the facts so they can form their own opinions. Today’s story exemplifies how we try to do so.
-Max Frost, editor and co-founder
In November 2022, Adam Smith-Connor stood outside an abortion clinic in Bournemouth, England, his head bowed in silent prayer. He spoke to no one, carried no signs, and made no gestures. Within minutes, he was approached by local authorities, informed that his actions were in violation of the law, and later fined. When he refused to pay, he was taken to court and convicted.
To many Americans, this sounded dystopian – punishment for private prayer in public space. It even caught the attention of Vice President J.D. Vance, who framed it as a chilling example of “thoughtcrime” in modern Britain.
In Munich last week, Vance cited that case as an example of creeping left-wing authoritarianism in Europe. He then alleged that a new Scottish law prohibited people from conducting certain prayers in their own homes.
But was Smith-Connor really prosecuted for praying? Is Scotland banning private prayers? Or is there more to the story?
Those allegations of authoritarianism in the UK are the subject of today’s deep-dive.
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Editor’s Note
Thank you all for reading. Also, an ironic note: When we’ve featured conservative feedback, we’ve had people on the left write in to ask us why we didn’t share a liberal perspective. We share any and all perspectives. If you want your voice heard, please reply. Speaking of, if you have thoughts on today’s email, reply to share them.
An example of that criticism came from Jennifer, who unsubscribed:
Hi! I’ve been subscribed for a while and I’ve noticed recently most of the reader’s responses that you choose to include in your newsletters are right-leaning. For example in the newsletter from February 18, there were no left-leaning opinions shared. I’m wondering if that accurately represents your audience, or are you deliberately choosing to only include conservative views? It seems to me that Roca news is starting to lean more heavily to one side rather than be unbiased, which is why I originally followed you.
Editor’s Note: Jennifer: We wish you’d have replied with your response! Also some diverging takes on yesterday’s story on Clinton’s DOGE:
Katherine says there’s a major difference between Clinton’s and Trump’s efforts:
[Clinton] didnt have a billionaire with self serving interests running it.
Alex agrees:
There is a key difference between Clinton and Musk. One is an elected official and the other is an unelected billionaire idiot. Many defend him by saying "you need someone separated from government in order to do these things", clearly that wasn't the case in the 1990's and it still isn't the case today.
And another:
Cut government spending? All for it! Find waste and corruption? Yes please! But they are hunting for the small rats that are a very small component in order to turn our attention from the RAT KINGS! The "all for me,,,none for you" How many billions does Elon need? As many as he can get! Maybe if some of them just paid their fair share this country would be better off,,, Read "A Tale of Two Cities". They don't care about you,,,or anyone but themselves.
But Karl sees things differently:
If Clinton did anything, he diverted money to his own pocket!!!
That’s all for today. We’ll be back tomorrow with some on-the-ground reporting. We think you’ll enjoy it. See you then.
–Max and Max