Ten Cs in Kentucky

[Stephanie Hysmith]

A friend whose sister is in the Kentucky General Assembly recently sent me
a public opinion article written by her concerning the bill to require the
posting of the 10 Cs in public schools. I told him of the recent discussion
and of David Bergdahl's suggestion that they be posted in Hebrew. He
forwarded my reply to his sister, and this was the result.
>>Commandment bills advance in House
>>
>>       By LONNIE HARP, The Courier-Journal
>>
>>       FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Lawmakers eager to post the Ten Commandments in
>>public schools yesterday approved one bill carefully written to avoid
>>constitutional challenges -- then approved a second measure that critics
>>said is unlikely to withstand a court challenge.
>>
>>       Neither Ten Commandments measure received a dissenting vote from
>>the House committee, and members expressed little concern about
>>church-state constitutional issues.
>>
>>       "I've become more and more convinced that regardless of its
>>constitutionality, the majority of my constituents think it's the right
>>thing to do, which makes me think I'm in the right place today," said
>>Rep. Mike Cherry, a Democrat from Princeton.
>>
>>       Yesterday the House State Government Committee first approved a
>>bill sponsored by Rep. Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, that appears to
>>restate ways that schools can already incorporate religious principles,
>>as allowed by court rulings.
>>
>>       Then the committee approved a separate resolution by Rep. Tom
>>Riner, D-Louisville, that suggests a 16-by-20 inch frame for copies
>>of the commandments and other documents with historical, religious
>>references. Jeff Vessels, executive director of the American Civil
>>Liberties Union of Kentucky, said it has "major problems."
>>
>>       Yesterday's actions left one lawmaker shaking her head.
>>
>>       Rep. Kathy Stein, a Lexington Democrat and the only Jewish member
>>of the General Assembly, handed out copies of the commandments in
>>Hebrew, saying she would like to see schools post "the original."
>>
>>       STEIN, WHO
>>
>>       attended the hearing but is not on the committee, said that this
>>year's legislature is clearly no place for a stickler for church-state
>>separation or an opponent of posting the Ten Commandments in public
>>schools.
>>
>>       "It is upsetting for it to be used as a political power play to
>>show how good some people are," she said. "When it gets to the floor,
>>I'll get up and say a few words opposing it and then sit down and watch
>>it fly through the House and Senate."
>>
>>       By her own admission, Stein's is a lonely voice of dissent in the
>>debate. The laws of Moses have become a fascination this year for most
>>men and women who make Kentucky's laws.
>>
>>       Legislators have filed a flurry of bills seeking to find ways to
>>get the commandments into public schools.
>>
>>       Legislators who voted yesterday said they didn't see a conflict
>>between the two measures -- Stumbo's bill focuses on courses that
>>include religion and Riner's resolution addresses the place of religion
>>in public schools.
>>
>>       Stumbo said that the commandments are unlikely to deter any
>>violent or unlawful conduct. He said he backed both measures because
>>religion has been shortchanged in schools.
>>--
>>jack              \ * /
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