In Itasca, Minnesota, the county
jail just painted over its display of the Ten Commandments. With two coats,
just to make sure a commandment—or part thereof—didn’t eventually become
visible. Other religious and inspirational quotes were also slathered into
oblivion. I mean, why would somebody doing time need those, right? Truth be
told, it would have been better for the jail’s inhabitants if they had read,
say, “Thou shalt not kill” and “Thou shalt not steal” before they were
incarcerated.
Why was the decision made to
obliterate the Ten Commandments? Brett Skyles, an Itasca County administrator,
said: “Ultimately, it just had to do with defending the situation and how many
public dollars might be at risk there.” Huh?
In truth, the Freedom From Religion
Foundation was involved. Imagine that. The Madison, Wisconsin-based
organization claimed to have received 20 complaints about the jail’s pious and
hope-inducing displays, most of them alleging they were unconstitutional due to
violating the First Amendment’s establishment clause which states government
must not advance any particular religion. I’m pretty sure “Thou shalt not kill”
and “Thou shalt not steal” are tenets of most religions and not specific to
Christianity and/or Judaism.
Itasca County commissioners
recently informed constituents that they’d received hundreds of emails, calls
and texts about the issue, the majority of them in favor of keeping the
religious writing on the wall. Moreover, the jail’s voluntary
faith-based programs are well attended, so it is unlikely the opposition came
from inmates. But, as per usual, “authorities” bowed to the wishes of a tiny
but aggressive minority, to Hell with the majority.
FFRF’s co-president, Annie Laurie
Gaylor, stated: “Even those who are incarcerated have the right to be free from
religion.” Nice take, Gaylor. Sadly, there are a great many things we are no
longer free from, that we should be free from. Religion isn’t one of them. And
perhaps if the inmates weren’t already free from religion, they wouldn’t be
inmates…and would be free.
An Itasca county resident named
Karen Ferlaak was one of those who could simply not abide the religious nature
of some of the jail’s quotes and art work. She stated, “I don't mind sayings on
the walls if they’re accurate and they're not religious based.” Karen?
Of course. Yes, Karen is a stickler, as most “Karens” are, for accuracy. But,
even if the sayings are “accurate,” if they are religious based, she
won’t stand for them. Not on her walls, and not on anyone else’s.
Non-religious, secular sayings such as, say, “There once was a girl from
Nantucket……” she can tolerate. Apparently, the authorities agree.
Though I don’t see how this
potentially helps the inmates. Not that Karen—or the authorities-- care…about
anything but how they think others see them.
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