Monument should stay in Farmin Park
I visited Farmin Park Thursday, March 13, curious about the Ten Commandments monument hullabaloo. I sought out the people/organization(s) who lodged the complaint, and surprise!, they were nowhere to be seen. They were in Madison, Wis. “They” are the Freedom From Religion Foundation, headquartered in Madison. All the people attending this rally were, as far as I could tell, in opposition to the FFRF.
I obtained a copy of the letter sent to the city by the FFRF. May I quote: “We were contacted by several area residents and persons with business in Sandpoint who object…”; “…to protect the constitutional principle of separation …;” “… and to, educate the public about nontheism (sic).”
This group, or any group for that matter, that cite anonymous complainants are cowards, pure and simple.
Not being a constitutional scholar, perhaps someone can educate me by pointing out where in our Constitution there’s one word about separation of church and state. Danged if I can find it. I assume this FFRF drivel is based on their interpretation of the First Amendment, although their letter never specifically cites it.
The FFRF dispatch includes one statement with which I unreservedly agree: “… the government has no business telling citizens which god they must have…” As I understand the First Amendment (Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;…), it clearly says nothing about separation. It does say “… the free exercise thereof.” Am I wrong? Enlighten me.
As a pantheist, one small step away from a heathen (strange and uncivilized), I wonder, of what are atheists afraid? It puzzles me. Atheism seems to fit Webster’s definition of a religion: A personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices. Now I’m doubly puzzled. The FFRF can cite the Constitution until hell freezes over to justify their position, which is, I believe, a smoke screen, a misdirection, to camouflage an arrogance that compels them to claim intellectual superiority.
FFRF cite statistics claiming, “Nearly 20 percent of the U.S. population identifies as non-religious …” Does it then follow more than four out of five (80 percent) people are religious to one degree or another? Anecdotally, it appears the 80 percent are quite tolerant of the 20 percent. Reciprocation would be nice.
The monument? Personally it has caused me so much angst over the decades, I don’t know where to begin. Even though I didn’t realize the Ten Commandments monument was in Farmin Park until this FFRF complaint surfaced, had I known I would certainly have been, retroactively, mentally and spiritually tortured beyond repair. As the FFRF message states, the monument causes, “… distress.” Really? Good grief.
Remove the monument? No, leave it right where it is. I would like to continue to be offended, distressed and anguished. However, I do make a motion to remove a very small group (FFRF) of very small people from the equation and get on with life.
As Albert Einstein famously said, “The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.” I submit this tempest-in-a-teapot exercise fits well in the latter category.
God (oh my!) bless America, and God bless our military.
STEVE BRIXEN
Sandpoint