Purely Harassment

Below is the latest letter from the atheist group who find it necessary to continue to harass the Lenoir city schools and government. To be honest, I think we're all getting a little tired of foolish attacks. I'm going to tell you the dirty little secret about what's really going on.

You notice that all the complaint letters generally start out by claiming they, the atheist bunch, have received a complaint. Ever wonder where all those complaints are coming from?

Unfortunately, the Lenoir City school administration apparently have on staff a couple of anti-Christian atheist. These individuals are who have been causing all the problems. This anti-Christian harassment has been going on much longer than most realize. The Godless duo have been filing complaints against the school system for a couple of years now. Remember, the complaint about the police officer's patches came in a long time before the atheist student's rise to fame.

If these employees are such avowed anti-Christians, why did they ever take jobs in our Christian community? They could have gone to some other state or country that was not Christian. Seems like they don't mind taking our Christian tax dollars that say "In God We Trust" for their pay.

I guess my message to these anti-Christian, atheist, hate filled individuals would be, maybe they should move on to somewhere else where they can find other anti-Christian, atheist, hate filled individuals to mingle with, you know, their own kind. Our community values are Christian based and not two or two hundred atheists is going to change that.

I would hope that at some point in their lives, these atheists would turn their hearts to God. But if not and they are dedicated to dying lost and going to Hell, they have no right to try to make any of the rest of us go with them. 



Group challenges Lenoir City Schools over basketball show

By Hugh G. Willett knoxnews.com
 
The Lenoir City school system is again under fire from a secular organization that alleges it recently promoted an inappropriate religious assembly.

In a letter dated April 11, the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation claimed the school's hosting of the "Spin-Tacular Basketball Show" in the gymnasium March 12 violates Supreme Court rulings that prohibit promotion of religion.

"After reviewing the Spin-Tacular Basketball Show's website it is clear that they are a pervasively sectarian religious organization. Given the overtly religious nature of this program, Lenoir City Schools must refrain from hosting these types of assemblies in the future," the letter said.

Chuck Cagle, attorney for Lenoir City Schools, said he had received the letter and was preparing a response. With regard to other accusations by the FFRF, including prayer at school board meetings, he said he has advised Lenoir City to follow all existing law.

"It's the same advice I've given all my clients. They have to follow the law," he said.

Cagle advises 77 school districts across the state, including the Tennessee School Board Association. He said he is not sure how many school boards in the state still offer prayers during school board meetings.

"Some have changed their practices, some haven't," he said.

For Loudon County activist James Raucci, the latest letter from the FFRF is just more proof that secular organizations have targeted his community.

"I don't think they will stop. They want to remove religion from our community," he said.

Raucci, who helped organize a rally in Loudon several weeks ago that drew more than 500 attendees in support of prayer, said another rally will be held 6 p.m. Thursday at Lenoir City Park.

The assembly is not affiliated with any church or organization but was brought about by the continued concerns of residents who believe prayer should remain a part of the Lenoir City school system, Raucci said.

The FFRF recently sent another letter regarding the use of the word "religion" on patches worn by police officers. The letter dated April 16 rejects arguments made by Lenoir City attorney James Scott in support of the right to use the word on the patches.

In a March 27 letter, Scott replied negatively to requests to remove the word from patches. The word religion does not specify any one type of religion, but reflects the values the officers are sworn to defend, Scott argued.

FFRF attorney Annie Laurie Gaylor cited the 1986 case of Friedman v. Board of County Commissioners of Bernalillo that determined use of religious imagery on a county seal or sheriff's department patches had the primary or principal effect of advancing religion and thus violated the Establishment Clause.

In concluding, the letter said, "We urge Lenoir City to remove the word religion from its police patches. Substituting wording more appropriate to the stated goal of ideological freedom. Freedom, liberty or protection would all be constitutional choices. Changing the voluntary patches to conform to constitutional dictates will be far less costly than defending a lawsuit."

Sound Familiar ?

Rhode Island Cross Controversy: Atheist Group Demands Fire Department Remove 91-Year-Old Monument

A cross is at the center of another church and state controversy in Rhode Island.

Earlier this year, Jessica Ahlquist, 16, successfully sued to remove a school prayer banner from her high school in Cranston, R.I.

Now, an atheist group called Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) has written a letter to Leo Fontaine, mayor of Woonsocket, R.I., stating that a cross in the parking lot of the town's fire department is "unlawful" and requesting that the town remove it.

According to the Daily Caller, the letter also asked that a memorial angel and firefighter's prayer be removed from the department's website.

The offending monument was unveiled in 1921 in memory of William Jolicoeur, a member of the American Expeditionary Forces who was killed in France during World War I, the Woonsocket Call explains. The monument was later rededicated in May 1952 to honor three brothers killed in World War II. The original monument was dedicated by French Field Marshall Ferdinand Foch, Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, who came to Woonsocket at the end of World War 1.

The mayor is exploring the city's options, but says he has no intention of removing the cross.

However, the cross could be relocated to private property if a lawsuit is mounted. City Council President John Ward informed the Woonsocket Call that the city is on the verge of bankruptcy and cannot afford to get dragged into a costly legal battle over a principle.

The controversy has prompted Tom Poole, a disabled veteran, and Barbara Dardeen of Warwick to start a vigil at the monument. As WoonsocketPatch reports, the couple is hoping to stop any removal of the cross: "We'll both spend as much time out here as we need to, to make sure that the monument stays put," Dardeen said.

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4/30/12