7/2/2009 2:56:00 PM
Christian cross at crux of Camp Verde controversy
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| Duane Burris, director of the Bread of Life Mission displays the old wooden cross, made of barn wood that has hung in the Town's gymnasium for the last four and half years. A recent complaint that has forced its removal is now at the center of controversy between council member Norma Garrison and the actions of Town Manger Mike Scannell. |
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CAMP VERDE - Although a Christian cross has been removed from Town property, and the complainant satisfied, not everyone is happy.
During the Town-sponsored Easter egg hunt on April 11, an unidentified woman accosted Parks & Recreation Director Lynda Moore, demanding that a cross on display in the Town's gymnasium be taken down.
The cross is owned by Bread of Life Missions, which uses the gymnasium to serve free meals on Tuesday evenings. It has been hanging in the gymnasium for about four and half years, according to Bread of Life Director Duane Burris.
In a memo dated June 26 to Town Manager Mike Scannell, Moore stated she informed then-Mayor Tony Gioia, Vice Mayor Brenda Hauser and Parks & Recreation Commissioner Robin Whatley, who were working the event as volunteers, of the conversation.
"They agreed that the cross should be left up," Moore stated in the memo.
On or about June 25, Moore received a letter from attorney Ian Smith, with the Americans United for Separation of Church and State, stating the cross violated the establishment clause of the U.S. Constitution, and asked that the cross be removed.
Moore's memo, the attorney's letter and the sequence of events quickly drew the ire of Whatley, now a member of the town council. She voiced her objections, first to the fact that Moore had failed to follow the Town's established procedures, then to Moore's accusation that she (Whatley) had "agreed" the cross should stay up.
June 29, Moore sent a letter of apology to Whatley stating, "It was inappropriate of me to reference your name and I had absolutely no intention of making the memo appear that you directed me to leave the cross hanging."
Moore went on in the letter to admit she "did not handle the situation in a proper manner."
That same day, Scannell forwarded a memo to the council stating he had spoken with attorney Smith and agreed the display of the cross on Town property violated the constitution.
He also stated he had contacted Burris, who had agreed to remove the cross from Town property and display it only during Bread of Life functions.
With the cross gone and an apology written, the matter was still not finished.
Council member Norma Garrison is now on record as being upset with Scannell for not following what she believes to be the correct procedure.
"Mike Scannell didn't have the authority to have the cross removed. It's a policy decision of the council," Garrison said. "He just sees it as a legal issue. I think my rights are being stepped on."
As for Burris, he said he has tried to make things as easy as possible for the Town.
"We are blessed in just being able to use the gymnasium for free, so we don't want to do anything to jeopardize that," Burris said.
Scannell is on vacation this week and unavailable for comment.
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Posted: Monday, July 13, 2009
Article comment by:
Desertman
To all: The "establishment clause" of the 1st Amendment restricts government from respecting religion and applies to government. The "free exercise clause" allows any American citizen their right to exercise their own religion--or none at all. The free exercise clause applies to individuals, not the government. The government does not have the right to free exercise of religion. The government owns the gymnasium, not individuals The 1st Amendment is the law that prohibits government from respecting religion.
Posted: Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Article comment by:
Ron
Regarding the Cross in Camp Verde gymnasium, the establishment clause referred to states "Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;....." The display of the Cross does not qualify as the passing of a law. It's time to stand up and say enough.
Posted: Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Article comment by:
Freedom is never free
Why is it all of a sudden that an image that has been hanging up for four years is now being taken down? For years, it has not offended anyone, and now somebody is making a big legal mess out of it? People should be happy that someone is willing to feed our brothers and sisters. Remember, somebody died so that we could have the freedom to put up that cross in the gym. Freedom is never free, no matter what kind.
Posted: Sunday, July 05, 2009
Article comment by:
Teri Von Gausig
Who is this "unidentified woman", why doesn't she make herself known, and why has this one cowardly person been allowed to push her own sad agenda onto an entire town? At what point in our country and our society did we acquiesce to one who certainly is not representative of the majority? She may have a "legal" leg on which to stand (and I don't if she does), but morally speaking, she is pathetic. Go to another country where the inhabitants are not allowed to exhibit their religious preference for fear of retribution...there are plenty of them out there, with our men and women there fighting for your right to do so. Show your face, madam.
Posted: Sunday, July 05, 2009
Article comment by:
Carl Nye - Jerome
Keep in mind that freedom of religion also includes freedom from religion. When the first European settlers came to America they were often leaving countries where the government endorsed an official religion (Church of England, for example). The first American colonies, however, did not grant religious freedom to all. Rhode Island was predominately a Baptist colony, Pennsylvania a Quaker colony. If you weren't Baptist or Quaker in those places, there was still intolerance. The 'founding fathers' chose to write the first amendment so that government could not support, endorse, or impress any specific religion on the citizens. Today, what is often referred to as the 'wall between church and state' simply means that government (at any level) cannot support, let's say by spending your taxpayer money, any specific religion. Your tax dollars, in some small way, support the Camp Verde gym. Therefore, if the cross is in the gym, your tax dollars are supporting, in a small but tangible way, the Christian religion. That's the essence of the argument. Let's be clear - the first amendment only prohibits government from "respecting" any religion. Any other place or organization that has no government connection can put up as many crosses, or other religious symbols, as may be desired. Unfortunately, these days, it's difficult to find an organization or location that doesn't have some kind of government support, and that is the Catch-22.
Posted: Sunday, July 05, 2009
Article comment by:
Finding peace, in a piece of wood.
I think it is a crock myself...people have nothing better to do than to complain about something like this. The woman who complained about this cross has other issues and she should have kept them and her negative energy to herself...look at the headache and heartache she caused, and for what, legal (? yeah, right ) or moral cause? She wanted to stir up crap over something that doesn't even involve her, if she doesn't like the cross, don't look at it, if it offends her to be in the building, then stay out of it. Is she going to go cruising around looking for other crosses in buildings that she feels doesn't belong? More power to this poor creature that feels she has to cause trouble so that our rights are violated by having the cross removed.It is a piece of wood, woman, it only has significant importance to those how GIVE it the "power" to mean anything to them. To some it is a symbol of their beliefs, to others, it is a beautiful piece of art work, and yet to others, it is a piece of dead tree, sparking no emotions whatsoever to them.
Posted: Saturday, July 04, 2009
Article comment by:
Ron Kling
It wasn't somebody in Washington who took this cross down. It was a few of our neighbors, intimidated by a letter from a lawyer. This isn't a Constitutional crisis. It's just a symptom of how much the liberal, postmodern, politically-correct culture has permeated our little town ...
Posted: Saturday, July 04, 2009
Article comment by:
Bill Frerking
First Ammendment of the Constitution of the United States of America: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, . . . etc.
How does a wooden cross on a gymnasium wall violate this ammendment? Does this public school require that all students accept Jesus Christ as their God? What about the second half of that clause referring to the free exercise of religion? The Constitution was written to restrict congress not the people.
We are free to do as we wish (without harm to others), we are not free to stop others from doing as they wish. Proper procedure or not, this is simply a tantrum by small-minded people to stop others from exercising their religious freedom.
Posted: Saturday, July 04, 2009
Article comment by:
a Christian Citizen
Our country was founded on "Freedom of Religion" and yet our "Servants" in Washington insist on removing religion from our lives. Are they now going to tell us we can't go to Church or worship as we see fit? Our country was established "under God" and it's time we stood up for our rights! Don't let one person push us around and dictate our lives for us. This is America - Land of the FREE! You don't like the Christian Symbols? Then ignore them and let us worship in peace!
Posted: Saturday, July 04, 2009
Article comment by:
Ron
Have you people READ the Constitution? That cross did not violate the Constitution. A lawyer scared the cowardly folks of the Town of Camp Verde, that's all. And that's just kind of sad.
Posted: Friday, July 03, 2009
Article comment by:
Get over yourself, Norma
Norma Garrison needs to get over herself. Who does she think she is? Now she thinks that she is bigger than the U.S. Constitution? Maybe she would be better served attending an English speaking class and understanding that she is in her position to do what is right for the citizens of Camp Verde and not to make herself feel important!
Posted: Friday, July 03, 2009
Article comment by:
Thomas McCabe
Let us put our differences aside on the FOURTH OF JULY and embrace Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Stupidity. To banish the symbol of Christianity, or that of any religion, which exalts our creator and thus our birth is unleashed conceit. Mortality will harvest believers!
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