Wrong Recall
Estes Park, Colorado, is a sleepy little town during the winter. The summer residents have left, there are few tourists, and many of the town’s businesses are closed for the winter. The town council apparently doesn’t have enough to do, so the Trustees have decided to drum up a little excitement. They’re trying to get one of their members recalled– for refusing to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
Somehow Trustee Lori Jeffrey-Clark got the Pledge to be made a part of meetings last May. Trustee David Habecker said he will remain seated because of the words “under God” which he thinks he should not be compelled to recite. Citizen Richard Clark (said to be Jeffrey-Clark’s husband although she has not taken his name) organized a successful recall petition.
Backers of the petition are saying that it is an issue of patriotism, not religion. This despite the fact that Trustees recently arrived at a meeting to find, on each chair, an enlarged copy of a dollar bill with the words “IN GOD WE TRUST” highlighted.
Citizen Norm Pritchard was reported to have helped collect signatures on the recall petition, because “he didn’t think a public official should use dramatics to air a personal view.” OK.
He went on to say that he agreed with Habecker (the recallee) on one issue– the “rising political power of conservative Christians is troubling. Any fanatically religious group scares me, especially as a voting block.”
We hope he will read the newspaper reports, think about what he said, and suddenly remember that the “dramatics to air a personal view” were first used, and more than once, by Jeffrey-Clark. Yes, Estes Park, there should indeed be a recall. But you’re recalling the wrong Trustee.
–SG
What do you think? Please enter a comment below.
December 10th, 2004 at 9:33 pm
When I lived in Colorado, about fifteen years ago, the xtians crafted an admittedly confusing amendment codifying homophobia into the State’s constitution. Jesus, were there such a character, would freak out at the things being done in his name. He spoke not of abomination, but of love, giving and tolerance, if we are to believe the old writings. Why do his followers go back to the old testament and pick and choose passages that support their own hatreds and fears, and ignore the ones they don’t care about?