Carpenters In The Forehead/  Pity The Cumberland Historic Cemetery Organization:

Our State Delegate Joins In The Whining

  The Allegany County Board of Education continues to be embroiled in the issue of separation of church and state, resulting from the attempt by the Cumberland Historic Cemetery Organization (CHCO) to have religious symbols placed in our public schools.

   For those not aware of the controversy, a quick update:  CHCO recently donated pictures of George Washington to two of our local schools, and at the bottom was placed the organization’s seal, depicting a cross with a decidedly religious scene.  

The Superintendent of Schools had the seal covered, presumably due to its religious message, and the hackles of CHCO were raised to the rafters.  Numerous letters to the editor have appeared in the Times-News, and most recently one of our State Delegates has weighed in on the issue.

You would think that upholding the secular basis of our Constitution is a grievous offense committed by the Superintendent and Board of Education for Allegany County.  An offense, that is, if you occupy the same mind-space of Delegate LeRoy Myers, Jr. and fundamentalist Christians.  According to Mr. Myers, there has been “recent effrontery inflicted on the Cumberland Historic Cemetery Organization.”  The action of the Board constitutes “a mean and trifling response.”  Effrontery, mean, trifling: all in the eyes of the beholder.  I would prefer to think of the board’s action as:  appropriate, fair, Constitutional.

Delegate Myer’s letter once again demonstrates his desire to meddle in the policies and decisions of our elected school board.  His exhortation to “resolve this issue” means one thing only: the board should rescind their decision and accept what CHCO interprets as their true history of our nation.

Perhaps Mr. Myers, our local Tea Party, CHCO, and fundamentalist Christians should reflect on our delegate’s comments in the Times-News:

“This clause not only forbids the government from establishing an official religion, but also prohibits government actions that unduly favor one religion over another.”  The school board has in no way favored one religion over another.  The prohibition against religious indoctrination applies to all religions, not just fundamentalist Christianity.  In fact, if I were a gambling type, I would wager all the tea in the Tea Party that they would be stricken with apoplexy if a devout Muslim wanted to have symbols of his faith placed in our schools. 

Delegate Myers goes on to say, “It also prohibits the government from unduly preferring religion over non-religion, or non-religion over religion.”  I fully concur with this principle of governance, but obviously Mr. Myers and CHCO give only lip service to the concept.  Hypocrisy at its best is on display here in Allegany County when you consider that we have 10 religious commandments on our courthouse lawn and yet there is local government censorship of the word secular.

Unfortunately for the mental well-being of CHCO and their followers, as a country we are not going back to those fantasized good-old-days when prayer was recited in schools, gays were locked in closets, and racial bigotry was unofficially accepted.

Nonetheless, when you go to the website of CHCO, one finds continued evidence of the paranoia in the following rant directed at Dr. Cox:

“CHCO is offically calling the immediate resignation of Dr. David Cox. This letter demonstrates how extreme Dr. Cox is in his hatred of our western culture, United States History and our Christian-Judo cuture of the United States. He has not only covered up the Christian cross in our seal, he now wishes to remove our portraits of our nations first President, founding father, and General of our continental army, George Washington from our public schools in Allegany County, MD. We are asking the public to demand from our public servince, the Board of Education to fire this man immediately.” (sic)

Regardless of all the whining and carping by fundamentalist Christians about being victims of religious discrimination, the final decision on this heated controversy has been made by Dr. Cox and the school board.  While I am not aware of any other public notice, a letter has been sent to Mr. Taylor of CHCO, which also can be seen on their website, informing him that his donation is being returned and should be picked up at the school board office by July 21.

I would once more suggest to Mr. Taylor, Mr. Myers, et. al:  Profess your faith and your version of our nation’s history to high heaven and to your heart’s content, but the fact remains that our Constitution is secular, our government is secular, and you will not be allowed to have religious propaganda in our public schools.  Hopefully this issue and your cemetery group may now RIP.

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