We’ve been here before; County Clerk, Dallas Schroeder, and underlings proselytizing their religious views while on duty at their government jobs. First there was the infamous poster expressing a religious viewpoint on traditional versus nontraditional marriage. The issue went nationwide; solidifying the reputation Elbert County has for being a backwater vortex of dull-witted hicks. After the bad publicity, the County Clerk moved the poster to a less prominent place (but still visible in his office). Fudging, only breaking the law “a little-bit.”
Did Dallas learn anything from the previous hubbub? Apparently not; now a Christian cross has been spotted hanging on the door to the Election Department. So if you find yourself wandering the Old Courthouse and spot said door, don’t mistake it for a religious stop and go in to confess your sins. It’s actually where you register to vote your favorite incompetent idiots into office.
To be clear, I don’t care if your preferred religion involves waving a bag of Brussels sprouts over your head and reciting Edger Winter lyrics every night. As long as you don’t hurt anyone outside of yourself… go for it. But just keep your wacko beliefs out of my face (I have my own, thank you) and outta my government.
While hanging a Christian symbol on the Elections Department door may seem innocuous, it is not. Government cannot establish, promote or give preference to any religion because that’s the law of the land. Here’s the reason: What if the next County Clerk is a devotee of Drukpa Kunley and his Flaming Thunderbolt of Wisdom? If that Clerk hangs a 10 inch dildo on the door to proclaim his version of “the good news” someone, like maybe Dallas or other Christians might object to his religious symbol. Your “symbol” can be just as offensive to others and illegal to boot. The simple-minded might hate that and argue otherwise, but one religious symbol is just as valid to its adherents as another’s.
This isn’t anti-Christianity, so no Dallas, you don’t get to play the ever popular Republican “victim card.” Poor little fella. This is anti-stupidity. There are laws, obey them or get yourself another non-governmental job. The Elbert government doesn’t need another lawsuit caused by elected officials who are willfully stupid… We’ve had enough of those already, and it’s getting expensive.
(1) Sandra Day O'Connor wrote in 2005: "Those who would renegotiate the boundaries between church and state must therefore answer a difficult question: why would we trade a system that has served us so well for one that has served others so poorly?"