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Opinion
The Battalion
Page 9 • Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Pace Design • MATT RICNEY
What would Jesus teach?
If school curriculum includes religion, Christianity must be included
|OSHUA
DWYER
n the United States, freedoms once
considered paramount are now repeat-
edly taken for granted, especially those
W ' n th e First Amendment. Ironically, public
V T schools across the country are doing little
to address the erosion of First Amendment
rights, and some are actually implement
ing policies that restrict the freedoms of
speech and religion.
After the attacks of Sept. 11, the American Civil Liber
ties Union threatened to sue schools that displayed signs that
read, “God Bless America.” It has also threatened legal action
to remove depictions of the Ten Commandments from public
schools, fearing some young impressionable minds might adopt
the principles mentioned.
While groups such as the ACLU are actively trying to remove
traditional Christianity from schools, the same organizations
turn a blind eye toward other
religions. According to its Web
site, the school district in Brent
wood, Calif, teaches seventh
grade students to “analyze
the origins of Islam, as well
as the life and teachings of
Muhammad," but does not
give the same attention to
Christianity. Further inves
tigation reveals a concerted
but unreported effort by others
to establish a different religion
I in the same classrooms.
Apparently, promoting a
particular religion in public
(schools by administrators,
legislators, activists and
I textbook selections is only a
violation of the Constitution
if the religion is Christianity.
Taxpayer-funded schools should
not be “religion-free zones,” but
the advancement of one religion with
the intent of excluding another is not
only unethical, it is illegal.
The most subversive and pervasive culprit 'c
is not a new religion, but one that many observ-
; ers have ignored: Humanism. With origins in the
Enlightenment, the values and beliefs of Humanisn
are not found in a sacred text, but in collection of writ
ings first published in 1933, entitled “Humanist Mani
festo 1, II and III. ” Charles Potter, a signer of the
“Humanist Manifesto I,” wrote, “Is Humanism
a religion? It is both a religion and a phi
losophy of culture.”
Harold Rafton, president of the
Humanist Fellowship of Boston, Inc
published an essay stating, “Humanism is a religion dedicated
to the ennoblement and enrichment of human life through hu
man effort.” In the same essay Rafton wrote “Perhsmc o-,., *
, . , , v.i nap;* me most
important characteristic ot the traditional religions is belief in
a supreme being. Do Humanists believe in a supreme being?
Emphatically yes. That supreme being is man.” \
urther sup- . T -4
fact that Humanism is a religion is
ported by a Supreme Court ruling in Torcaso v.
Watkins, which in part stated, “Among religions
in this country which do not teach what would
generally be considered a belief in God are
Buddhism, Taoism, Ethica
Culture, Secular Humanism and
others.” There is no difference
between secular and religious
lumanists; by their own
admission in “Hu
manist Manifesto I, “The distinction between the sacred and the
secular can no longer be maintained.
John Dewey is considered the father of modern public educa
tion. An early member of the ACLU, he signed the Humanist
Manifesto I and in his book Education Today wrote,
“Our schools ... are performing an infinitely reli
gious work.”
Students recognize it as well. In a contest-winning
essay published by The Humanist, John Dunphy
wrote, “The battle for humankind’s future must be
waged and won in the public school classroom
by teachers who correctly perceive their role
as the proselytizers of a new faith: a re
ligion of humanity that recognizes and
respects the spark of what theologians
call divinity in every human being.”
Charles Potter wrote in his book
“Humanism: A New Religion, ’’ that
“education is the most powerful ally of
umanism, and every American public
school is a school of Humanism. What can
the theistic Sunday schools, meeting for an hour
once a week, and teaching only a fraction of the
children, do to stem the tide of a five-day program
of humanist teaching?”
The problem isn’t just what is being taught, but what
is being left out. Few, if any, history textbooks mention that
51 of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence were
members of mainstream traditional Christian churches, while
no more than three were deists, according to Dr. Bradford
of the University of Dallas. Nor is it reported that the most
widely cited source for the Founding Fathers’ actions and
beliefs was the Bible, according to a study of their writings
by Donald Lutz in the American Political Science Review.
An individual’s religious beliefs, whether they accept
or deny the existence of God, should not preclude that
person from teaching in schools built and sustained by
taxpayers. Those same taxpayers should also have the
freedom to influence the curricula in their local schools.
Neither is the issue here. However, a systematic hostil
ity toward Christianity and blatant endorsement of other
religions like Humanism demands prompt attention and
correction by offering equal access and representation
in schools. Freedom of religion should not be inter
preted by public schools as freedom of any religion
except Christianity.
Joshua Dwyer is a sophomore
political science major.
/04
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port.
New York must put differences aside, build tower
JIM
FOREMAN
hree years ago New
York City was hit by
the most devastating
terrorist attack to ever oc
cur on American soil. As the
shock subsided, the whole
country went into mourning,
but gradually people began
to ask what to
with the ruins that were once
the World Trade Center.
While some believe the
site should remain un
touched or turned into a memorial in remem
brance of those who died, many believe it should
be rebuilt. In the fall of 2001 the official deci
sion was made to build not only a new World
Trade Center, but a visionary one as well. Over
three years later, this plan has still not been car
ried out. It is time for action.
The 16 acres that once were an integral part of
downtown Manhattan still lie in ruin. Although
a design competition produced an innovative and
symbolic master plan for the site, power, money
and politics did not hesitate to tarnish it. Delays
in construction that was supposed to begin at the
same time as the Republican National Conven
tion in New' York City have
left citizens asking, “Where
is our Freedom Tower?”
Daniel Libeskind, archi
tect of the winning master
plan, designed the Freedom
Tower to echo the silhouette
of the Statue of Liberty and
stand 1,776 feet tall. He said
the model was inspired by
the first time he saw Lady
Liberty when he emigrated
from Poland after World
War II, according to PBS
Frontline. Libeskind’s plan
embodies the idea that the
Freedom Tower should be
built as a symbol of Ameri
can spirit and in memory of those who were lost
on Sept. 11.
Unfortunately, in the nation’s largest city, the
language of money and politics is spoken much
more fluently than that of symbolism and remem
brance. Larry Silverstein, a powerful real estate
dealer who owned the lease on the former tow-
Unfortunately, in the
nation's largest city, the
language of money and
politics is spoken much
more fluently than that of
symbolism and
remembrance.
ias a different view of how the tower should
be built. Silverstein collected
the insurance on the Trade
Center and feels it is his re
sponsibility to rebuild it. Of
course it wouldn't hurt if he
designed his own tower, one
that would naturally bring in
an even higher profit than its
predecessors.
Silverstein holds almost
all the cards in this game,
and though he claimed he
liked Libeskind’s master
plan he eventually took
away almost everything that
made it distinctive — a clas-
sic example of big money
walking all over the little
guy. Nicolai Ouroussoff, architectural critic for
the Los Angeles Times, said “The new design
for the Freedom Tower at the site of the former
World Trade Center is exactly what the public
should expect from a process in which com
mercial interests push the public interest to the
background: a slightly better-than-average de
sign that lacks imaginative power.”
All the while, New York Gov. George Pataki
has been pushing to get construction started as
soon as possible. PBS Frontline reported that Pa
taki needed to show progress because it was his
decision to use the design by Libeskind. In hopes
of pushing the project into motion before the Re
publican National Convention, Pataki had the 20-
ton cornerstone laid for the tower. Three years of
lies, compromises and politics and all we have to
show for it is a glorified brick.
What the public thought would be an emblem
of America’s “show ‘em what we’re made of’ phi
losophy and a memorial to those lost to terrorist
attacks has turned into a power struggle between
groups who view the tower as an opportunity for
personal gain. The public has been waiting long
enough for the closure that will come with the
construction of Freedom Tower, closure that the
American people need and deserve.
Jim Foreman is a junior
mechanical engineering major.
OP
03
J
n\
j
Music review
crossed the line
\ln response to Shawn Millender's
| Sept. 13 review:
I There is nothing wrong with criticizing
a football team or even its quarterback.
However making a joke about the leader
of our team in an article that has nothing
| to do with football is about as unsupportive
and inappropriate as one can get.
Mr. Millender references other bands
| that released acclaimed first albums that
were followed by lackluster efforts and
says, “Truly these are the Reggie McNeals
of music.”
This is a music review column, not a
sports recap column, and the comment
was nothing but negative and, opposed to
uninformed opinion, false. But this letter
isn’t about Reggie’s performance, it’s sim
ply about being informed as to what is OK
MAIL^CALL
joke material. I would say a joke about a
superb athlete giving everything he or she
has to represent A&M does not qualify.
John Ripley
Class of 2007
Some women able to
serve on front line
In response to a Sept. 13 Mail Call:
“I believe in women’s rights as much
as the next person, but this is one issue
too important to concede to political cor
rectness.” This last line of Paul Sims’
letter showcases two points, the first of
which is that he does not in fact believe
in women's rights and secondly that he
completely mischaracterizes the issue.
The opportunity for women to serve on
the front lines in this country’s fight for
freedom is not about political correct
ness, it is a question of moral correctness
and good public policy.
First, on average men are stronger than
women, but that does not say that every
man is stronger than every woman. There
are some women (even if few) who are
physically stronger than some men serv
ing on the front lines now. Those women
should have the same opportunity as
those men. If gender-neutral requirements
were set at a necessary level of physical
strength, some women could effectively
and safely serve on the front lines. Many
women would not meet the requirements,
but some would.
Second, on Sims’ argument about
morale: The same exact argument was
made to keep black from serving with
white soldiers, but was proved false. The
unit evolved and became better for it. To
imply that these soldiers would not be
able to cope in combat is to insult their
professionalism. Soldiers will tell you
that watching any of their fellow soldiers
die, regardless of gender, is the worst
sort of trauma.
Jennifer Harvey
Class of 2004
Aggies must respect
others’ beliefs
Believe it or not, I happen to be an Aggie
for Kerry. Unfortunately, however, my “Ker
ry/Edwards” sign only lasted three days.
1 came home last night to a missing sign
and to neighboring students who laughed
and shouted, “Kerry sucks!”
What I want to ask of the student popu
lation is to please respect others’ political
views, even ifthey differ from your own. I’m
not taking down any “W" signs, so please
respect my right as an American citizen to
have my own sign in my own front yard.
What upsets me the most is that the major
ity of Bush fans also believe that our troops
are over in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting
for our freedom. Are you not undermining
the very thing you say our buddies are risk
ing their lives for, by taking away my own
freedom of speech here on our own soil?
Let’s be honest. John Kerry does not
stand a chance in our voting district. Bush
signs, T-shirts and bumper stickers are
everywhere. Chopping down a few oaks
growing in a pine forest is not going to
accomplish anything other than angering
your fellow students and neighbors. Even
if Kerry did stand a chance, however, it is
still my freedom to be able to express my
opinions. As election-time draws near,
let us remember that we are living in a
community filled with varying opinions,
cultures, religions and races. In order to
co-exist and, heaven forbid, learn from our
differences, we must first learn to respect
one another.
Ryan Elizabeth Stewart
Class of2008