LAST FRIDAY, during Saddleback College's Commencement, six protesters, all tenured faculty, held up the above banner in protest of a highly religious—perhaps undeniably Christian—invocation, offered by none other than Trustee Tom Fuentes.Some of the same protesters—and their banner—appeared again at tonight's meeting of the SOCCCD Board of Trustees.
BUT FIRST, as usual, the board opened their meeting with an invocation—led, this time, by trustee Nancy Padberg.
The new student trustee joined in the prayer.
Mr. Fuentes, as board clerk, presented board resolutions honoring, among others, IVC's Ray Chandos, or, as Fuentes had it, Ray "Chandros." Raul Villalba, who is retiring, was also honored.
Then came the protesters (who spoke during "public comments"). Margot L offered polite but pointed remarks. She stated that she did not wish for her complaint to "become personal," but she was "deeply offended" by Mr. Fuentes' invocation. She read a sample of student names—representing a wide variety of traditions outside of Christianity.
Karla W then suggested that Fuentes' invocation was "highly inappropriate for a public school." She reminded the board of the various groups that had already passed resolutions that objected to our board's highly, and narrowly, religious prayers and invocations. (These groups have generally urged the board to embrace a "moment of silence" instead.) "Shame on you," she said, evidently directing her remarks especially to Mr. Fuentes, who has close ties to the local Roman Catholic Church and who, when stepping down three years ago as Chair of the Orange County Republican Party, pointed with pride to the organization's practice of opening all meetings with prayer.
Alannah R also spoke. Though she is deeply religious, she too was offended by Mr. Fuentes' manifestly Christian invocation, she said. A prayer, she said, "doesn't cease being Christian simply because 'Jesus' is not mentioned" in it. Obviously, a great many students and members of the community are not Christian.
During these remarks, Mr. Fuentes appeared to listen intently.
I'll have more to report tomorrow. Let me say for now that, when his opportunity to speak arose, Mr. Fuentes responded to the women indirectly, but with defiance and bravado. As you can readily see, he was amused by the whole business. Here we see him joking about the information that IVC's music department seeks to purchase a "church" organ. "Did we get permission" to do that?, he asked, laughing.
Well, that's all for now. Somebody's gotta feed the cat, and that somebody would be me. —CW2004: FUENTES' FAREWELL REMARKS:
When he stepped down as Chair of the local GOP in 2004, Mr. Fuentes offered these "farewell remarks”:
Now, some have asked me what is it that gives me most joy in twenty years as Chairman of this County Party. It is a little thing. It is the fact that anywhere in this county, whenever Republicans gather, we begin our time together with prayer. You may pray in your way, and I may pray in mine, but, my friends, Republicans in this county always acknowledge a power higher than ourselves as did our Founding Fathers. And, the values, principles, and ideals that flow from the acknowledgement of the divinity, guides our conservative social agenda. It gives us pause to reflect on what is really important in life and society. It motivates us to defend causes that are so critical in the cultural war that today engulfs our nation and its society. (My emphasis.)
See also Prayer and being "out of the picture" at the South Orange County Community College District
23 comments:
"You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" ~ Matthew 8:26
There is no such instrument as a 'church organ', there are just organs and some are installed in churches.
What was Ray "honored" for?
Will Glenn send out a fawning email about it?
you know, I think the folks are the board, Fuentes especially, have been baiting the ACLU types and the non-Christain communities of faith for YEARS now - just waiting for their chance to grandstand about their Lord.
Just watch.
Well, 5:55, look at history to see why we're afraid of the zealots.
What other kind of "invocations" have been given in the past at board meetings, scholarship ceremonies, commencements, etc?
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evil men advance against me
to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident.
4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock.
6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.
~Psalm 27
So, Fuentes stated:
"Republicans in this county always acknowledge a power higher than ourselves as did our Founding Fathers."
Of course he's talking about money, right?
For the godless socialists; whether you accept it or not, this country was built on Christianity by Christians. The evidence is left by our founding fathers all over our Capitol. Nowhere in the Constitution does it say “separation of church and state.” How does a little prayer hurt anyone anyway?
Kill the tatoo wearers!
Lev. 19:28
I believe today that I am acting in the sense of the Almighty Creator. By warding off the
Jews I am fighting for the Lord's work.
- Adolph Hitler
Well, it sure didn't take long for Godwin's Law to end that argument. The heathens lose again. By the way, loser, it's "Adolf."
For 2:55 -
Actually I may not be 100% correct on all I am about to say but I do believe I am close to correct all around with regard to intent and spirit.
I thought the country was founded on the principles of the right to have self-determination, to not have to answer to a government across the Atlantic Ocean, so that the business owners could run things and not be compelled to pay unrepresented taxes to the Crown, and much more. Not on Christianity, - yet another religion based on persecution, blood, vengeance, and murder.
Christianity has little to do with the words of Jesus Christ, its based on a story of a Pontius Pilote Kangaroo court mob-trial followed by a murder, (or so goes the lore), who really knows. Frankly, I am not sure I buy the 'tale', especially since the first gospels came about 40 years after the fact, -- we think. What a foundation of tolerance and love on which to stand. Makes me feel all warm inside.
The early settlers, if I minimally recall my history, (the early Puritans that is), left England due to religious persecution, (or so goes the lore), and not to themselves then turn around and persecute others in such manner; though that changed very quickly now didn't it.
Nothing is worse for the cause and practice of arrogance and of pain inflicted upon others than religion, paradoxically, for some nothing can be more comforting or become a safe haven than religion, or better a sense of sprituality - rather than the people-built religions that, have more often than not, been the tools of persecution and all that that can bring to human pain and suffering. Ask the victims of the Crusades, Ask the victims of the Nazis, Ask the victims of 9-11, all caused in some way by religion. In fact most of the religious intolerance, pain and suffering caused seems to happen mst often en masse at the hands of the three Abrahamic guys - Christians, Jews and Muslims! Why? As Joseph Campbell said once, "We can't get our ocons straight" - Pretty sick if you ask me. We the Abrahamics are the problem.
The "All men are created equal" part of the Declaration of Independance did not include women, children, non-land owners, non-whites, the slaves, the native Indians, (or better the ones here prior to the Europeans - who knows if they really were native or not), indentured slaves who had finished their terms of 'service' but did not yet own land, or, in some states, with regard to voting, (Virginia for example), people who were not members of the Anglican Church.
I think we have improved a skosh since the 18th and 19th centuries. The contemporary religious 'intolerantia', (from both the left and right wings), or the loudmouth arrogant pontificators of religion, and other Liberty University or Oral Roberts University types seem perhaps to prefer the United States of that quaint time prior to the Civil War, 1920 and the women's right to vote, the Griswald ruling, and much much more.
Sorry, obviously you are an idiot.
Remember now, if you are a student at conservative Protestant University, (Liberty for example), - don't get caught having sex standing up otherwise they may think you are dancing!
Well, what about all those lovely Spanish Missions you all glorify? Aren’t there babies in them thar walls? Al Gore lost fair & square in 2000, Hillery should’ve dumped Bill over the Monica affair, there are WMDs being found every day in Iraq & all the Dems voted for the war. Boy, I look at all your goofy pictures of yourselves... you sure are a bunch of self-righteous happy winners you are!
I'm guessing the student trustee will have you guys all figured out in less than one month. that's usually how it goes
Liberal hatred - it's ubiquitous.
I am an atheist who fears the intolerance of most organized religion and I opt for more prayer at all official college and district gatherings. Let's have a Christian prayer, a Jewish prayer, a Muslim prayer, a Buddhist prayer, a Hindu prayer, a American Indian prayer, a Pagan prayer, a Voodoo prayer, a Jain prayer, a Baha'i prayer and one for any other world religion.
Since that would obviously take too long, let's just say three at each meeting, in rotating order. Many adherents of religions are incredibly intolerant of each other; I bet this practice would stop the interest in invocations rather quickly! There are some very interesting prayers out there, ones that would stimulate much more interesting talk than what actually takes place at our meetings.
11:10, accept Christ as your savior and the anger and fear will leave your heart and you will live in eternal peace. God be with you.
Fuck Jesus
Karla W is the anti-Christ
Jesus still loves you, 7:59, but I think you're an asshole!
Fuck Jesus.
Post a Comment