ACLU puts it's foot in it's mouth AGAIN !!
"Sunday, October 7, 2001
ACLU: God Bless America Sign 'Hurtful
... Divisive'
In a protest that has many wondering if the
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has finally
become mentally unhinged the ultra-liberal group
has attacked a sign at a school asking that God
Bless America, saying it is not only
unconstitutional but "a hurtful divisive message"
bound to do grievous harm to poor defenseless
schoolchildren.
The sign the ACLU finds so offensive is hanging
from a marquee in front of the Breen Elementary
school, in Rocklin, near Sacramento, California,
and to the shock and dismay of the ACLU school
officials swear. it is going to remain in place,
And most local residents agree. According to the
Sacramento Bee some 250 people, "many clad in red,
white and blue, gathered to support the message,"
placed on the marquee after the Sept. 11 terrorist
attacks on the United States.
Incredibly, according to the ACLU the words, made
famous by the late Kate Smith in the song of the
same name, and chorused all across America in the
wake of the September 11 outrage, somehow
broadcast "a hurtful, divisive message."
In a letter to the school the ACLU says the
message is a "clear violation of the California
and United States constitutions, as well as the
California Education Code."
The letter from one Margaret Crosby, staff counsel
for the ACLU of Northern California, impudently
demands that the sign " ...must be replaced
immediately."
But Phillip Trujillo, an attorney for the Rocklin
Unified School District, insists the words "God
Bless America" don't violate any laws on the
separation of church and state.
"It's simply not a religious expression," he told
the Bee. "It's instead a patriotic expression."
In a letter to the ACLU he described their
argument that the words God Bless America
represent a "hurtful, divisive message," as simply
"absurd."
"I would like to think that the ACLU would not
attempt to preclude or inhibit the free expression
of patriotism and goodwill at a time when it is
most appropriate, helpful or even healing," he
said.
Mark Forbes, the president of the district's board
of trustees, was more blunt, telling the Bee he
was "disgusted" by the ACLU request.
"I would like someone to explain how 'God Bless
America' hurts anyone," a bewildered Mr. Forbes
said.
ACLU attorney Crosby told the Bee that "this is a
time when we need to promote unity among Americans
of all faiths. Many schools are flying flags to
instill a sense of unity in a time of trouble."
"By displaying a religious message, the Breen
Elementary School is dividing its young students
along religious lines," Crosby added.
"School officials are hurting and isolating their
schoolchildren of minority faiths when they should
be supporting them and the values of pluralism and
tolerance."
Displaying such a message is not only
unconstitutional "but implies only students who
share the faith are truly patriotic," she
continued.
Continuing their excursion into the outer limits
of leftist arrogance the ACLU's Stella Richardson,
media relations director for the ACLU of Northern
California, said, "It is entirely unprecedented"
for a school not to take down a message such as
Breen displays."
Terry Thornton, Breen Elementary principal, told
the Bee the words on the school marquee reflect a
grass-roots effort following the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks and will remain where they are.
"We are planning on keeping up our message,"
Thornton said.
God Bless America, and the folks at Breen
Elementary school." |
