Greece Supervisor John Auberger Actually Allowed Someone to Say Jesus’ Name At A Public Meeting?
What is the world coming to? We actually have public officials in this community who allow community members to say a prayer at public meetings. The “watchdog group” Americans United for the Separation of Church and State brought a lawsuit against the Town of Greece for not prohibiting people from mentioning Jesus at public meetings. The story is the headline in today’s Democrat and Chronicle.
What’s wrong with these people? With all the problems in the world, they decide that Greece’s policy of inviting local clergy and residents to say a brief prayer before the start of their meeting is something to go to court over. I know local clergy have given prayers at the House of Representatives, the New York State Senate and Assembly and I’ve even been to County Legislature meetings where clergy members have prayed in Jesus’ name. Why single out Greece?
Like it or not, our country was founded on Christian principles by people who were devoted to God. That’s something that isn’t open to debate.
Founding father John Adams said:
“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net.” –October 11, 1798
Sam Adams said:
“ Let divines and philosophers, statesmen and patriots, unite their endeavors to renovate the age by impressing the minds of men with the importance of educating their little boys and girls, inculcating in the minds of youth the fear and love of the Deity… and leading them in the study and practice of the exalted virtues of the Christian system.” [October 4, 1790]
I would really like to know what the real deal is with Linda Stephens and Susan Galloway — the two Greece residents filing the complaint. What motivates them to make such a big deal over this issue?
Couldn’t they be protesting the War in Iraq? The Public Defender selection process? The FAIR Plan? What about Maggie Brooks’ decision to not automatically pick up the tab for benefits for same sex couples? Is anyone else starting to notice a pattern here? I bet you they were at least at one of these or some other liberal protest recently.
The liberal extremists have been very well organized over the past few months. I don’t know if their collective hatred for George Bush has motivated these folks to become more vocal — more aggressive in their organizing tactics.
Maybe I’m a conspiracy theorists, but I can’t help but think this lawsuit against Jesus is just one piece of a multi-faceted campaign to fundamentally change our society. I think a lot of this stuff is being drummed up or at least supported by outside organizations that are committed to making New York even more Democratic than it already is.
8 Responses to “Greece Supervisor John Auberger Actually Allowed Someone to Say Jesus’ Name At A Public Meeting?”
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I saw this on the Rochesterconservatve.com site:
Brado practice his faith in the presence of the two leftist activists, Stephens and Braiman. Both are members of Rochester Civil Liberties Coalition and they are affiliated with the Genesee Valley Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union.
I think you are on to something.
Actually, one of the plaintiffs, Susan Galloway - who is Jewish - and has been a resident of Greece since 2000, objects to, is offended by, and feels unwelcome at Board meetings because of the alignment of the Board to Christianity.
She also serves on the advisory board of Edu-Cable.
You know, that whole “cable access thing” that happened in Greece last year? Gee, I wonder if that has anything to do with it? Hmmmmmmmmmm……..
http://www.au.org/site/DocServer/Greece-Complaint-and-Exhibits-A-E.pdf?docID=2461&JServSessionIdr004=cqnxffetb1.app5b
The other woman, Linda Stephens - is an Atheist - and has resided in Greece since 1970. Her husband was a detective for the Greece Police. She’s offended too by the prayers, and feels unwelcome at Town Board meetings.
Apparently, the Pledge of Allegiance doesn’t bother her at all…..being an Atheist and all, she’d still feel welcome by the Board and wouldn’t be uncomfortable by the Pledge at all? I mean, the Pledge says “under God” and that kinda flies in the face of her beliefs, doesn’t it?
She also has lived in the town for years…..never being denied any services…..her husband worked for the Greece Police Dept. and was never denied his job or anything.
I hope the court rules in favor of the sectarian prayer…..if not, I’m going to sue Linda Stephens and Susan Galloway for infringing on my rights of free speech.
I live in Greece, and I’m not a believer in organized religion, nor do I pray. I have never been denied any services, and I have always felt welcome at board meetings.
What a waste of my taxes….these women have nothing better to do? Sheesh!
There is a Linda Stephens on Drum Cliff Way Rochester, 14612 who gave $555 to Hillary Clinton.
I wonder if she’s heading up atheists for Clinton?
jax
Good catch on the Edu Cable connection. I skimmed the lawsuit and brushed right by that. Everyone knows they’ve been grinding axes over there for a long time.
The blogs are all over this. I agree that it is odd that 2 people out of almost 100,000 sat they don’t feel welcome at the town hall because someone said Jesus and and now Greece taxpayers will have to foot the bill for a lawsuit.
Below is a post on the D&C blog that shows the tolerance and understanding that some on the other side of this issue espouse.
“Invoking magical beings and requesting their support is, however, not rational. In most cases, asking invisible entities to help you out gets you a free ticket to the loony bin. Doing so under the auspices of a government institution calls into question whether the officials involved are capable of making rational decisions - or are basing their actions on magical beings.
So, feel free to listen to the voices in your head at your favorite place of worship. Just don’t try to drag the rest of us into your delusions.”
I’m not the best practitioner of my own faith, but this is pretty offensive. I’m sure if I dumped on somethignhe/she believed in… well, there’d probably be a lawsuit. The poster gets to write it, but it is really poor form.
Debate the constitutionality of this topic all day, but this just smacks of the real reason why these people don’t want to allow others to freely express their faith are pushing this. They don’t want religion to exist.
My bigger problem is that a number of these same people will support allowing pornography in a library where there’s children, arguing that we do NOT have a right to NOT be offended.
However, they support a lawsuit brought by someone who felt offended by something.
Where I come from, that makes you a hypocrite.
Loretta:
Interesting find. I wonder what she gave to Americans United?
Bankrolling the establishment of the People’s Republic of Greece.
I found a Linda Stephens who was on a NOW PAC endorsement group.
This must be her — no surprise that PAC endorsed all Democrats.
NOW? It was NOW NY that compared childbirth for a mother to the violence a woman experiences if she is raped. I don’t think they speak for all women.
They should have just found some regular people to file this lawsuit instead of these liberal activists.
Then again, no regular people buy into this kinda stupid crap.
We’re all too busy working and paying taxes. I wish I had the time to play these damn games.
Both of these woman are members of the Greece Democratic Committee. Galloway said in the complaint she first attended with her “friend” who ran for town board.
Could that be gay marriage advocate Joe Mellaca?