Dave Clark
Judge: Town Can't Censor Constitution History
Thu Oct 18 23:33:20 2001


Judge: Town Can't Censor Constitution History
By Dave Clark, correspondent

A federal judge has said a Pennsylvania borough acted unjustly in its
handling of a public display on the Constitution.

When Michael Juzwick wanted to celebrate Constitution Week last
year, the borough of Dormont, at first, gave him a community room
for free.

"When they saw that there were Christian materials involved,
(officials) decided that they were going to cancel the waiver," Juzwick
said.

And they did, billing Juzwick $2,100 on the basis that the display's
religious theme "did not benefit the entire community." Matters of
religion, it would later tell the court, don't qualify for public
accommodation.

"But we're promoting the history of the Constitution, which is
forbidden to be spoken!" Juzwick contended.

The exhibit included a video entitled "America's Godly Heritage," by
historian David Barton. Barton, who heads an organization called
WallBuilders, argues that to separate religion from history is
dishonest.

"Look at the requirements the Founding Fathers put in those state
constitutions to hold public office," Barton says in the video. "It did not
require you to be from one denomination to hold public office. It did
say you have to understand God's principles. You have to understand
the Word of God to hold office here."

Juzwick said that notion is now ironic.

"The very people that censored, or attempted to censor, our display of
constitutional materials -- they all go to church!"

Mat Staver, with Liberty Counsel, a religious-liberties legal group,
pursued the case in court.

"The judge clearly saw through the absolute blatant . . . discrimination
through all of this practice and through the polices and found that the
Christian religion, Christian heritage of this country is, indeed,
compatible with the Constitution and it must receive equal treatment,"
Staver said.

However, in response to the decision, borough officials decided
earlier this month to charge all groups using its facilities, rather than
continue its previous policy of granting waivers to certain groups.

Staver said the case should be a wake-up call to municipalities
nationwide.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
To find out more about the Christian influences on the founding of the
United States, consider requesting "America's Godly Heritage," an
hour-long video that discusses the founding fathers' view that
Christian principles had a proper role in education, government and
the public affairs of our nation.

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http://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/news/a0018194.html
================================================================
CITIZENSHIP DAY AND CONSTITUTION WEEK, 1998
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/09-1998/wh-0916.html

White House Education
Press Releases and Statements -- 2001
http://www.ed.gov/PressReleases/WhiteHouse.html

• Re: Judge: Town Can't Censor Constitution History — boots 7.5, Fri Oct 19 08:52