The Freedom from Religion Foundation recently sent a letter to an Ohio Public school, asking them to take down a portrait of Jesus that has hung on the school wall for 65 years.
The response was fairly predictable. The school refused to take the portrait down, which means they’ll be facing a lawsuit they know they’ll lose. Not only that, taxpayer money that could be spent on books and other educational tools will be spent fighting a battle that could be easily avoided if they had any interest in obeying the laws of the country.
The school recently held a meeting about the portrait. Here’s how that went:
"I am tired, without being blunt, of the political correctness that is going on in this country right now,” Tom Jones, a missionary from Minford, said. “It is tearing up our country."
Reaction from those in attendance made it clear which side the majority was on, as those in favor of the picture remaining were applauded. Those in favor of it being removed were booed.
"It is still violating the U.S. Constitution and must be removed immediately," Tricia Sturgeon said at a podium in front of the cafeteria.
Because the picture has hung on the walls for so long, many of the participants at the meeting said it was a ‘tradition’ and that’s why the picture should stay.
Okay, let’s use that crap-ass logic for other things.
Let’s say I’m a bad-ass thief and I’ve been stealing things for 50 years and never been caught. Tomorrow I try to steal something and I’m busted. Could I defend my actions with a conversation like this?
Police Officer: You’re under arrest for theft over $5000. You have the right to *blah, blah, blah*
Me: Look officer. I’ve been breaking the law and stealing for the last 50 years, damn it, and never been caught. It’s a freaking tradition! You can’t arrest me.
Police Officer: You’re breaking the law, son. Just because you’ve been breaking the law for 50 years, doesn’t mean you can continue to do it.
Me: Says you. Everyone steals sometimes. Haven’t you ever seen them people that steal grapes from the supermarket under the guise of ‘testing’ them? We thieves are in the majority mister, and I don’t appreciate the minority telling me and the majority what to fucking do.
Police Officer whispers to his partner: You have a Taser on you? I could really use one about now.
See how silly that argument is?
Imagine if everyone who speeds used that whole ‘tradition’ bullshit. The only ones who seem to be able to get away with it are religious groups. Then when they lose in court (a near certainty) they whine that they’ve been oppressed in some way or that they’ve been attacked.
And before anyone says it’s only Christianity and therefore The Freedom From Religion Foundation is specifically attacking only Christianity, it isn’t.
From the same news story:
And Christianity isn't the only target.
“We did some letters of objection over menorahs -- the Jewish Hanukkah symbol,” Markert said. “I've also been dealing with a school on the East Coast which allows a separate room for Muslim students to pray during the day. It isn't just limited to Christianity.”
The picture isn’t just on any wall either. Not that it really matters. It would be breaking the law wherever it hung in a public school. But to show you how much these groups feel as though they have the privilege and right to break laws at will, the picture is on the wall of honor.
The portrait of Jesus Christ has hung in the same building since 1937. It was donated by a student group.
“It hangs here amongst many other photos here in our Hall of Honor,” Superintendent Phil Howard said. “I honestly believe that for someone to say that photo excludes anyone is really a reach.”
Keep your religion in your homes, churches, sidewalks or what-have-you. You can not endorse any specific religion in public schools. It doesn’t matter whether it’s hung there for six months or a hundred years. You can pray to Jesus or any other deity, quietly, to yourself, all day in school if you wish.
Save yourselves the money that could be spent bettering the crumbling education system and obey the law.