Jay Harvey
Sartell
I would like to present a rebuttal for two of the contributors to the July 19 edition (of the Newsleaders), defending the display of the Ten Commandments in public schools. One would be hard-pressed to find a greater example of government overreach.
No public-school student is denied the opportunity to view the Ten Commandments in school. Students may keep a digital copy of the Ten Commandments on their own laptop, or a printed copy inside their own notebook or planner. This is vastly different than a government-mandated display that is forced upon the entire student body and staff.
A government mandate to display portions of a religious text in a neutral venue such as a public school serves only two societal purposes: 1) to bolster feelings of superiority in the group that purports to adhere to those beliefs, and 2) to invalidate, or render inferior, those who do not hold those beliefs.
Imagine if the shoe were on the other foot – if a portion of a non-Christian religious text were displayed in every school classroom, mandated by law, can you envision the drama and community outcry that would follow?
The First Amendment certainly guarantees the right of the individual to freely practice any religion – or no religion. Forcing taxpayers of varying religious identities to pay for, and confront daily, a religious display in their local public school, should be concerning to those who adhere to any non-Christian religious faith, and certainly Christians whose beliefs and lifestyles do not align with the religious preferences of the state (i.e., those in government who happen to hold power, at any given moment).
It is interesting both contributors invoked examples of “the Koran” and “Sharia law” – referencing Islam – without mentioning any other non-JudeoChristian religions. This makes it appear they hold suspicions about the religion of Islam itself, or perhaps harbor personal grievances against particular members of this region’s Muslim community.
There are many ways to engender respect and honesty in our public-school students without invoking the religious preferences of the majority. State-mandated religious displays are not the correct way to accomplish this objective.
