 On October 26, 1999 the School board of Harrisburg Illinois voted Unanimously to place the 10 Commandments in the 4 schools in their district. This followed a rally at the local community college where Daryl Scott, the father of slain Columbine student Rachel Scott, had spoken. According to local newspapers, Daryl Scott is one of the speakers for a group known as "Raise the Standard", formed as a result of the Columbine shootings. Locally, this group is led by the self-ordained Rev. Terry Gwaltney. What followed was known as the White Ribbon Campaign, where citizens and businesses of the town placed white ribbons on their doors, cars, persons...etc. to show support for the posting of the 10 Commandments in school. I want to stop here for a moment to clarify that ORIGINALLY the 10 Commandments were said to be merely historical documents to be placed alongside the Bill of Rights and the Magna Carta. All pretense of this was dropped prior to the November 16th school board meeting.
The short form of what happened at the meeting was that the Board voted 4-3 to post the 10 Commandments.
What has taken place in this town since then has been really scarey. Reports have come in the people have been intimidated into displaying white ribbons, told that if they don't they are anti-Christian, anti-values, satanic. Children were harassed, some were even attacked physically for things such as not wearing the white ribbon, being Catholic, Jewish etc. It's been a nightmare. Freedom of religion means ALL religions. Not just the one with the most supporters.
You may have noticed the "God Bless America" logo at the top of this page. Good. Because like most, but certainly not all, of those who oppose the posting, I do believe in God. I also believe that I live in the greatest country in the world with regard to the history of religious freedom, and I've lived in many nations. I don't, however, want to make anyone who doesn't believe in God, believes in a Goddess...etc, be made to feel that their thoughts and opinions aren't welcome. They are most welcome. That's the beauty of this great land we live in: All faiths are welcome. I am able to create this page, worship as I please, because America is Blessed. And because America is so blessed, we can each decide for ourselves by WHOM we are so blessed......WHAT A COUNTRY!
  
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