====================================================================== MITAAH News -- Issue #4 -- August 3, 1997 (sent sporadically to mitaah@mit.edu mailing list) Pseudo-random samplings of information that may relate to atheism, agnosticism, humanism, freethought, or church-state separation issues. Please send any promising material to reagan@mit.edu. ====================================================================== In this issue: * PFAW on vouchers * AANews Excerpts: (was 'AA Rant-Of-The-Week') "Mediocre" music S.F. Cross battle More on Moore * State Department's focus on Christians * CFA in Boston! * "Banana-heads" * Sunday morning services * MITAAH Merchandise! * ...Ugh... * Humor ----------------------------------------------------------------------- "Vouchers" The following is a statement from People For the American Way Action Fund President Carole Shields in response to today's Senate Committee hearing on vouchers: "Today's stacked U.S. Senate hearing on vouchers reflects a campaign on the part of Religious Right political operatives and other conservatives to fundamentally change the debate over public education in our country. Once upon a time, we would sit down, much like a huge, diverse, American family, and have a family discussion over how to improve our public schools. "We disagreed, and that was often for the good. But today, some in our nation would fundamentally change the focus of the debate from how to have better public schools to whether to have public schools at all. Those who would give us vouchers would abandon public education for all time -- or, at least, they would leave those students left behind in public schools with significantly reduced public support and no chance to compete in a global economy. With no chance, in other words, to become employed, contributing citizens able to reach for the American Dream. "We reject this approach as shortsighted and cruel. The question is, will we be fooled by the hoax vouchers represent or will we muster the courage to do what is right and fix our schools? "Those in the Religious Right political movement who favor vouchers have two goals: First, to erode confidence in our public schools to such an extent that they can siphon off public funds for their select sectarian schools and other elite academies. And second, once they have control of many of our nation's schoolchildren, they want to instruct students according to their belief system and their limited notion of education. "Those of us who have studied the complexities of school reform know it is not so simple. To have schools that work, we need teachers who are better trained, parents who are more involved and resources that give our children a leg up on the competition -- and yes, that means more money for the nation's classrooms. For those of us who oppose vouchers, this issue is about making every child count -- and not leaving one child behind. That is the American way." *Resources: What's Wrong With School Voucher Proposals : http://pfaw.org/educa/vouchers.htm Public Funds for Public Schools: http://pfaw.org/pfps.htm -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "AA News Excerpts" *** We've reported on the uproar caused by the rock group known as Marilyn Manson, a bizarre if somewhat mediocre band that includes outrageous lyrics and ghoulish costume in its performance routine. The lead singer rips up bibles on stage, makes obscene gestures, and has proclaimed membership in the Church of Satan, an organization founded by an ex-carnival hustler named Tony LaVey. Fundamentalist Christian groups have protested just about every concert Marilyn Manson has performed; when local churches couldn't persuade governments to ban the concerts (sorry, there is this little thing known as the First Amendment), they have greeted Manson fans with picket lines and dreary tracts. The crowds keep coming, though, and at times one wonders if some of the churches really aren't in the secret pay of a PR promoter working for Manson. . . . As the group heads for Ottowa, though, religious groups are digging in to prevent the scheduled concert this Friday at the Ottawa Congress Center. The Catholic Civil Rights League is working with the Family Action Coalition to obtain an injunction against the concert, charging that the rock group promotes hatred. Other accusations include "obscenities... such as stripping naked at one concert and performing fellatio on stage at any concert." As outrageous as Manson may be, we find it hypocritical that the Catholic "Civil Rights" League -- which would howl with indignation at any similar injunction aimed at its own rituals -- hides behind the civil rights label to deny those rights for others. One may also question whether Manson, who often wears diaper-like lingerie, is any less bizarre than the near-erotic and sado-masochistic portrayals of Jesus Christ on the cross -- a symbol which even young children are instructed to venerate. *** SAN FRANCISCO CROSS SOLD TO ARMENIAN GROUP; FACES BOARD SCRUTINY, POSSIBLE LAW SUIT The 103-foot Mt. Davidson cross which sits on public property in San Francisco and was constructed in 1934 with tax monies has been "sold" to an Armenian organization; but the questionable transfer faces review on Monday from a government body, as well as approval by local voters, and a possible law suit. Disposal of the cross was mandated in March when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal on a lower court ruling which declared that the cross violated the "no preference" clause of the California Constitution. Government, civic and religious groups began a frantic effort, however, to devise a scheme to keep the cross standing. The City decided to auction off .38 acres of park land on which the cross stands, ostensibly to a private, non-profit group. Restrictions called for the property to remain as "open space" accessible to the public. American Atheists charged that the sale of the land was designed to circumvent the thrust of the Ninth Circuit Court ruling, however. California AA Director Dave Kong labeled the sale a "sham," and pointed to the absurdity of having a sliver of "private" land surrounded by a public park. "The only fair thing to do would be to comply with the First Amendment and remove the Mt. Davidson Cross," said Mr. Kong. He pointed to a similar case in Eugene, Oregon where the 57-foot high Christian cross on Skinner's Butte was recently dismantled and carted off to a private Bible college. AANEWS reported developments over the past month, including charges that the City of San Francisco was attempting to channel government monies to quasi-private organizations including the Museum of San Francisco in order to purchase the .38 acre of land. A religious coalition of Jews, Protestants and Roman Catholics was also formed to acquire the property. But late last month at the public auction for the property and the cross, the Council of Armenian American Organizations of Northern California submitted a high bid of $26,000. An attorney for the group then told reporters that the "cross will be preserved" and the site kept open for the public. The final price was only $6,000 above the minimum established by the City in the official Invitation to Bid instrument approved by officials, and some observers are expressing doubts about the auction proceedings and the constitutionality of the new arrangement. The sale will be scrutinized on Monday during a meeting of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and Mr. Kong suggested that American Atheists may still take legal action. Any disposal of the property must also be approved by the voters in a general election. The Armenian group beat out two other organizations which expressed enthusiasm for obtaining the property -- the Museum of San Francisco and the Friends of Mt. Davidson, which had been formed by Denise LaPointe, president of the city's Landmark's Preservation Board. Ms. LaPointe attempted to keep the cross standing by having the structure disingenuously proclaimed a "city landmark," but that nomination was bogged down in the City Planning Commission. Even so, LaPointe gushed to the San Francisco Examiner that she was "thrilled" by the sale, adding "This means it (the cross) will be kept for everyone." But at least one person attending the auction, identified as Taemi Molakides, was puzzled by the curious actions of the Friends of Mt. Davidson group, which suddenly froze its final bid of $25,000. And the Examiner noted that, "Oddly, the Museum of the City of San Francisco failed to participate in the bidding battle beyond submitting the base bid of $20,000." Ms. Molakides, who also wanted to see the cross remain, attempted to make her own bid, a gambit which was promptly refused by authorities since she was not registered as a bidder. All parties involved wanted to keep the cross, and the extent of the ideological collusion became evident when the attorney for the Museum, Richard Johns, described the sale, saying, "It didn't make any sense to bid against the Armenians. It's fine with us if they acquire the cross." Mr. John's is also vice president of the American Jewish Congress, and told reporters that his group was "satisfied" that state-church separation concerns had been addressed thanks to the sale. A lawyer for Americans United for Separation of Church and State would not comment on the matter, saying that he first wanted to meet with representatives of the Armenian council. Fred Blum told reporters, "We want to be sure that whatever they do is based on their own conscience and not influenced by The City." In a statement released to the Board of Supervisors, Dave Kong warned that the sham auction wouldn't pass constitutional muster. "In court, the Mt. Davidson cross was tied to a similar case in Eugene, Oregon. In Eugene, the city also considered selling its cross and surrounding land, but decided against it when they realized such a sale would fail to Lemon test." That test, devised in the case of LEMON v. KURTZMAN, states that government may take no action which is not primarily secular, prefers or favors one religion over another, or results in the "excessive entanglement" between state and church." Mr. Kong added that "the processes leading up to the auction have been questionable," citing poor publicity for public meetings about the matter, and attempts to "bury" notice of the auction "in a small weekly paper that no one reads." "American Atheists is firm in its position that the cross must be removed," added Kong. "The City's actions have not only demonstrated the endorsement of Christianity, but have also shown a bias against nonreligion." *** PRAYING JUDGE NAMED IN ETHICS COMPLAINT Judge Roy Moore, the Alabama jurist who has attracted national controversy for his practices of opening courtroom sessions with a prayer and posting a copy of the Ten Commandments above his dais, has been named in an ethics complaint focusing on travel expenses and contributions for his legal fees. Associated Press is reporting that a man identified as "J. Lewis" lodged a complaint with the Alabama Ethics Commission on July 27, citing travel expenses Judge Moore has received and other monies which support his legal fight. Last November, Moore's courtroom prayer and Decalogue postings were ruled to be unconstitutional in two separate decisions. Moore has appealed those decisions, however, to the Alabama State Supreme Court; a ruling on that matter is not expected until October. The judge was named in a March, 1995 suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of the Alabama Freethought Society, which argued that the prayer and Ten Commandments posting violated constitutional guarantees for state-church separation. Moore argued that the free speech and exercise provisions of the First Amendment should permit him to practice religious rituals in his courtroom. But critics charged that the issue has nothing to do with freedom of expression, and instead is a discriminatory sanction in favor of religious belief and ritual in government. . . . Moore has attracted considerable media coverage and support from both local and national groups for his increasingly belligerent, defiant stand on courtroom religiosity. Alabama Governor Fob James, an unabashed supporter of the Etowah County jurist, has repeatedly threatened to mobilize the state guard, police and even the University of Alabama football squad to resist any "federal order" trying to end Moore's courtroom conjuring. In April, thousands of prayer supporters flocked to the front of the State Capitol building in Montgomery for a rally supporting Judge Moore and a number of related causes; and the Moore has become a bit of a national celebrity, travelling to Washington and elsewhere. In reaction to the Alabama prayer controversy, the U.S. House of Representatives even passed a non-binding resolution in favor of displaying the Ten Commandments in government venues. According to Moore's legal team, nearly $100,000 has poured in thus far to support the judge's challenge against the earlier rulings. The bulk of the fund raising effort comes from Save Our Commandments, a coalition of religious and partitionist groups which spear headed the April rally. Moore's supporters have also come under attack for selling kitsch replicas of the alleged Ten Commandments for prices ranging from $49.95 to $149.95. The war over the First Amendment, though, has also sparked charges and countercharges over issues like honorariums and inurement. Moore insists that he has no direct involvement with the fund raising efforts on his behalf, and has never accepted fees for speaking; in addition, he claims that his trips were "educational," thus allowing him to accept travel expenses. That flap has spilled over to Judge Charles Price, the other county jurist who ruled against Moore in two separate cases examining the Baptist invocation and the Decalogue posting in the courtroom. Price recently won the prestigious John F. Kennedy Profiles in Courage Award, which included a $25,000 honorarium. Moore and his backers quickly challenged Price's right to keep the money, however, and the Ethics Commission concluded that Judge Price must donate the money to charity. Related Story... DEMENT RESPONDS TO JAMES' CLAIM THAT STATES ARE EXEMPT FROM THE BILL OF RIGHTS There have been plenty of peculiar events associated with Judge Roy Moore and his battle for public prayer and religiosity in Alabama; but one of the more bizarre aspects of this story involves Gov. Fob James, who in a recent 34-page document argued that, essentially, individuals states are exempt from a cumbersome federal document known as the Bill of Rights. James originally penned his remarks for U.S. District Judge Ira DeMent, who last March struck down Alabama's school prayer law. James agreed with DeMent's ruling striking down the statute; like many in the state, the governor considered the legislation too weak in enforcing public prayer. He argued, though, that only a state court -- not a federal court -- had the proper jurisdiction to do so. James also challenged the legal authority of all U.S. Supreme Court decisions. Last week, DeMent denied James' request to discard the school prayer case, saying that, "The governor's invitation to ignore the Supreme Court's interpretation of the 14th Amendment... poses a serious threat to our system of democratic self-government." James' argument is a simple rehash of earlier "state's rights" ideologies; and perhaps it is no coincidence that at last April's rally in front of the state capitol in Montgomery, there was a sea of Confederate Flags and participation by secession and partitionist groups like the Southern League. On Thursday, Gov. James issued another verbal salvo, declaring that he would appeal DeMent's decision to -- where else? -- the U.S. Supreme Court. (Thanks to Barb Buttram and Larry Mundinger for keeping AANEWS informed about this story...) *** Make Your Support For The First Amendment Known! SUPPORT THE AD In October, American Atheists will be hosting a special display ad in USA TODAY, "The Nation's Newspaper," with an estimated total audience of nearly 5 million readers. You can participate in this unique, historic public statement on behalf of state-church separation, the First Amendment and freedom FROM religion. For details, check out the FLASHLINE section of our website at: http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/index.html *** ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "State Department's focus on Christians" from the church-state@infidels mailing list: |I downloaded the total of 56 pages which constitutes this report and have not |had time to read all of it but I gagged on the first page where M. Albright & |whoever set themselves up as a group to "...promote tolerance of legitimate |religious expression....". What is illegitimate religious expression. Is |this M. Albright and crew nee Vatican XX or whatever. If you like the word |Xtian, you will find lots of it. |Happy indigestion |--------------------- |Forwarded message: |Subj: State Dept: Focus on Christians |Date: 97-07-26 00:07:55 EDT |From: Qrgezus |To: church-state@infidels.org | |The word is that the State Dept. is not mailing out the report U. S. Policies |in Support of Religious Freedom: Focus on Christians. | |You can get it this way: Go on the Internet to http://www.state.gov. |Under Hot Topics on the home page you should find it near the top. | |Happy searching. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "CFA in Boston" To: cfa-dist@darkwing.uoregon.edu Sender: owner-cfa-dist@darkwing.uoregon.edu Campus Freethought Alliance Mini-Conferences Across the U.S. Fall-Winter, 1997 Freethinking students across the nation are invited to attend any of these events arranged by the Council for Secular Humanism for free. Students who attend will be able to meet with CSH organizers like Paul Kurtz, Tim Madigan, Matt Cherry, Tom Flynn and Luke Vaughn to discuss issues relating to the development of Campus Freethought Alliance (CFA) chapters across the country. They will also be able to meet with and listen to other prominent humanist activists in attendance. Students who would like to start an atheist, humanist or freethought group at their schools are encouraged to attend, and will receive valuable support in this endeavor. Members of CFA chapters are also welcome to attend and discuss the development of CFA and its affiliated organizations. Admission is free to students interested in CFA, and there will be a free lunch for all students who attend. Please check the schedule below for an event in your area. If you plan to attend, please contact Tim Madigan at the Center for Inquiry for details. SCHEDULE: . . . * Boston, Massachusetts -- September 20-21 * Boston, Massachusetts -- October 16-19 Please contact Tim Madigan if you're interested in attending any of these meetings. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Banana-Heads" From the Dayton Daily News, Aug 3: In Columbus, Ohio, Matthew Peterson (a Presbyterian minister) and the ACLU have filed a suit challenging the inscription of the state motto, "With God, all things are possible," in front of the statehouse. Governor Voinovich said he got the idea from a public building in India that bore the statement, "Government work is God's work." Tax Commissioner Roger Tracy, who has the motto inscribed on state tax forms, said he has long expected such a legal challenge and was glad it finally arrived. "I've been waiting for these First Amendment banana-heads to sue. In America, we believe God exists." ------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Sunday Services" The First Annual MITAAH Fellowship Retreat November 8-9, 1997 -- Intervale, NH A weekend of god-free, human-centered outdoor entertainment to provide fellowship and support to humanists, skeptics and non-believers at MIT. Location: MITOC Intervale Cabin (near North Conway/Jackson) Departure: 9-10am Saturday Return: 8-9pm Sunday Cost: $20 (includes lodging, dinner, breakfast, and gas money) The cabin is located on top of a hill about 1/4 mi. from the nearest road (unless of course someone brings an off-road vehicle!). It's a real wilderness home, with gas heat, gas stove, gas lighting, and no electricity or running water. The grounds include several acres of woods, a spring, and a (cute) outhouse. We have room for up to a dozen people in the cabin, with additional space on the couch, on the floor, in the yurt (yurts are cool), or in the woods (winter camping is fun!). MITAAH plans to use the $20 to cover lodging, gas, dinner, breakfast, and snacks. If you are interested in going, please email me at reagan@MIT.edu so we can plan ahead. Know any other MIT folks who would be interested in our group? Tell a friend! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "MITAAH Merchandise!" You've been waiting for it--now it's here! Official MITAAH merchandise! We're selling two types of MITAAH t-shirts to raise money for AAH activities. See the actual designs at: http://web.mit.edu/reagan/www/shirts.html We need advance orders to estimate our purchase, so if you're interested, tell us now! http://web.mit.edu/reagan/WWW/shirts.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------- "...ugh..." Re: Serial killer David "Son of Sam" Berkowitz From AA TheistWatch: The latest convert is none other than David Berkowitz, the "Son of Sam" serial killer who terrorized New York two decades ago, and at age 44 is serving six consecutive 25-years to life terms for the murder of six people, and the wounding of seven others. His arrest in August, 1997 didn't end the torrent of speculation that the killing spree was the work of some cabal, but Berkowitz -- who claimed that he took orders from a dog named Sam -- has now turned his life over to a new master, Jesus Christ. In a letter to the New York Daily News, Berkowitz declared that "Christ has chosen" to dispense some forgiveness, even though he "truly deserve(s) punishment and death." "The police and the news media used to call me 'The Son of Sam,' but God has given me a new name, 'the Son of Hope,' because now my life is about hope... I am no longer the son of the devil," gushed Berkowitz. Might we point out that this "miracle" or blessing is a trifle late? Some feel-good preacher may rejoice that "another soul has been saved," but, hey, where was this all-forgiving deity when Son-Of-Sam was on the loose with his Charter Arms .44 Bulldog revolver plugging holes in hapless New Yorkers? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Humor" "One of the areas in which the Lord has been the most negligent, the Justice Department claims, is in providing His followers with adequate access to education: Fundamentalist Christians remain, after thousands of years, among the least educated groups in the world, ranking below pro-wrestling enthusiasts and carnival workers." --the Onion, "Lord Under Investigation For Failure To Provide" A few more button quotes: "If Jesus was Jewish, why did he have a Mexican name?" "Reality is what refuses to go away when I stop believing in it" "Thou shalt eat green eggs and ham--obey thy God, I-am-that-I-am" ------------------------------------------------------------------------