Some of you won’t like me for this.

C’est la vie.

Here we go again. Another debate over imposing religious symbolism on the walls of public buildings. When will it ever end?

The state legislature in Raleigh took a giant step backwards last month by passing a bill that will permit the posting of the hallowed Ten Commandments in public schools despite the fact that courts have repeatedly struck down such displays throughout the nation, saying it violates the separation of church and state.

Our elected officials have knuckled under to the religious right knowing full well that such action will only fuel the fires of litigation, as witnessed during the five-year Haywood County courthouse debacle where the commandments are etched in stone over the judge’s bench. That suit cost local taxpayers over $200,000, thwarted only because of the plaintiff’s death. Those were dollars desperately needed for more pressing matters, like teachers, libraries, cops and child care. Now, more and costly litigation at the expense of state taxpayers, destined to reach into the millions, is as certain as a January snow in the Klondike. Such a waste.

Will someone tell me of one student out there yearning to ogle the words of God from a wall placard every time they pass by the dean’s office? The schools are functioning fine without it. Why blow taxpayer’s money?

The notion that the ancient tablets mounted in a school will somehow have an impact on teen violence can be likened to fighting cancer with aspirins. Anyone in the business of crime, education or child psychology knows that the underlying problems of juvenile delinquency run deep and the causes of such violence have a thousand roots. The absence of the commandments displayed inside public schools is not one of them.

Supporters and pundits would also have us believe the Ten Commandments do not promote one religion over another, and therefore violate no one’s rights.

Excuse me?

One needs to go no further than Commandment Number One: “Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me.”

If that isn’t an edict telling the reader what God they must worship, I don’t know what is.

Western North Carolina is becoming increasingly diverse as demands for technology and expertise are attracting people from foreign lands and of other religions. Like it or not, we are seeing more Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, Buddhists and, yes, atheists and agnostics. With them, come their families and children who become enrolled in tax-supported schools. While Christianity may be the majority religion, it is not the only religion, and the God of Moses is not the same God for people of all faiths - or no faiths for that matter. That is why the commandments should not be installed in public schools.

Every religion deserves equal respect in a tax-supported setting. By promoting the Ten Commandments, the state is, in fact, promoting one base of religious faith over others.

We have those that will argue the Ten Commandments are the foundation for our legal system and influenced our government.

Think again.

Read them. The first four commandments are exclusively religious. Besides telling us what God we must accept, it prohibits graven images, prohibits using the Lord’s name in vain and requires remembering the Sabbath and keeping it holy. It has nothing to do with our system of laws.

Then there is honoring mom and dad. Well, let me relate a story about two kids named Willie and Greta. They were born into a home of self-indulgent drug addicts, raised without love or nurturing, made to endure unreasonable punishments at an early age for minor infractions, thrown loose Cheerios on a kitchen floor for their dinner, were not permitted friends, kept from school, tied and whipped for recreation, and left unsupervised for hours at a time. Finally, when they reached the ages of 10 and 11, they were rescued by relatives and given a better home.

The last thing they want to see on a school wall is a religious edict telling them to honor their father and mother.

That’s commandment number five, by the way, and it, too, has nothing to do with our system of laws and government. If you don’t think there are a lot of Gretas and Willies out there, check with your local Division of Social Services.

Maybe parents in the time of Moses all deserved to be honored. But, as a 30-year cop and a grandparent of once-neglected kids, I can tell you first hand, they don’t all deserve it today.

Another commandment tells us not to covet anything that belongs to our neighbor. I might agree with this, but what has that got to do with our system of laws?

So, we have four remaining of the 10 which might possibly have influenced a legal system; prohibiting killing, stealing, bearing false witness and cheating on your spouse, which, incidentally, is the most serious commandment dealing with matters of sexual misconduct.

I always wondered why there wasn’t an eleventh commandment which made offenses against women a bit more serious? Perhaps, “Thou Shalt Not Rape.”

Don’t forget the hypocrisy of it all. I cannot help but wonder how many judges, juries, governors and executioners in this nation have sent a criminal defendant to his or her death, all while facing an inscription of commandment number six: “Thou Shalt Not Kill.”

Oh well, it’s OK if we say it’s OK.

Meanwhile, if fine God-fearing folks feel their children need indoctrination in matters of religion, there are 133 hours remaining in every week - after the 35 hours they spend in a public school forum - when they can view the Ten Commandments to their hearts content, or any other religious literature in homes, churches and other settings. If people want to see them posted on classroom walls, private schools are available where every child and their families of similar ilk can be assured of the presence of God’s word everywhere they go.

In this situation, legislators have forgotten that public school is for everyone, no matter their religious preference.

(Marshall Frank is a retired Miami-Dade law enforcement officer and novelist. He lives in Maggie Valley and can be reached at mlf283@aol.com)

 

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