WITHDRAW TROOPS FROM SYRIA
WHICH WE ARE NOW TOLD IS A
BIT ON PAUSE.
PETE: TAKE A LOOK AT THIS
PAINTING DISPLAYED IN A
COURTHOUSE IN CAMDEN COUNTY,
MISSOURI TO HONOR THE
VICTIMS OF THE
SEPTEMBER 11TH TERROR
ATTACKS.
IT SHOWS THE CROSS EMERGING
FROM THE RUBBLE AS A NEW
YORK FIREFIGHTERS AND YOUNG
GIRL LOOK ON.
YOU CAN SEE THE TWIN TOWERS
IN THE BACKGROUND.
JEDEDIAH: NOW THAT PAINTING
HAS COME UNDER FIRE FROM
ANTIRELIGION GROUP THAT
CLAIMS IT'S A VIOLATION OF
THE SEPARATION OF THE CHURCH
AND STATE.
FREEDOM FROM RELIGION
FOUNDATION WANTS THE
PAINTING TAKEN DOWN.
PETE: HERE WITH MORE IS THE
CAMDEN COUNTY COMMISSIONER
GREG HASTY.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THE
RATIONALE FOR TAKING DOWN A
PAINTING LIKE THAT THAT'S
BEEN UP SINCE 2002 SUDDENLY
IT'S A PROBLEM, WHY?
>> WELL, APPARENTLY THEY
THINK IT HAS SOME SORT OF AN
ENDORSEMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN
FAITH OR SOME FAITH.
WE HAVE NEVER CONSIDERED IT
WITH REGARD TO THAT AT ALL.
WE HAVE ALWAYS CONSIDERED IT
AS A MEMORIAL TO THE EVENTS
THAT TOOK PLACE ON
SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2001.
JEDEDIAH: THE FREEDOM FROM
RELIGION FOUNDATION NEEDS TO
BE EDUCATED ON THIS THE
ESTABLISHMENT CLAUSE
INHIBITS THE ESTABLISHMENT
OF A THEOCRACY.
THAT PAINTING DOES NOT DO
THAT REGARDLESS, WE HAVE A
STATEMENT FROM THEM.
THEY HAVE SAID IF CAMDEN
COUNTY WISHES TO REMEMBER
THE VICTIMS OF 9/11, A LARGE
PORTION OF WHOM WERE NOT
CHRISTIANS, THEN A CROSS IS
A POOR WAY TO ACCOMPLISH
THAT GOAL AND THE PAINTING
SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH A
MORE INCLUSIVE MEMORIAL.
THE CROSS PAINTING SHOULD
COME DOWN.
NOW, THERE WAS ANOTHER
PAINTING THAT HAD A BIBLE
QUOTE THAT YOU GUYS DID
CHOOSE TO TAKE DOWN AND
REMOVE.
THAT D. THAT GIVE CREED
DENSE TO WHAT THE FREEDOM
FROM RELIGION FOUNDATION.
>> WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO
AT THAT POINT IN TIME WAS
JUST SIMPLY FOLLOW THE
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
GUIDELINES WITH REGARD TO
RELIGIOUS ITEMS WITHIN THE
WORKPLACE OF A GOVERNMENT
BUILDING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST --
IT'S PART OF A BRODERSEN
NARROW
BRRROW
BROAOW
BROADW
BROAD BROADERSCENARIO.
IF YOU TAKE IT TO THIS
LOGICAL CONCLUSION WHERE ARE
YOU GOING TO GO.
IF YOU REMOVE BIBLE VERSES
FROM WORKPLACES, THEN YOU
REMOVE THEM FROM THE STATE
CAPITOL.
IT GOES RIGHT TO THE SUPREME
COURT BUILDING.
PETE: GREG, IT'S NEVER
ENOUGH.
THAT IS YOUR POINT.
YOU MAKE A GOOD FAITH
GESTURE.
BUT TO THEM THEY WANT TO RIP
EVERY RELIGIOUS REFERENCE
POSSIBLE OUT OF THE PUBLIC
SQUARE.
FOR THEM, IT'S NOT FREEDOM
OF RELIGION TO YOUR POINT.
IT'S FREEDOM FROM RELIGION.
GET IT ALL AWAY.
WHAT IN THE -- WILL YOU
STAND BY THIS PAINTING
STAYING WHERE IT IS, WHICH
IS OFFENDING NOBODY EXCEPT
SOME RADICALS WHO HAVE MADE
THEIR WAY INTO YOUR TOWN?
>> WELL, THE PEOPLE OF OUR
COMMUNITY DON'T REGARD IT AS
BEING AN ENDORSEMENT OF ANY
PARTICULAR FAITH.
WE REGARD IT AS A -- BEING A
REMEMBRANCE OF WHAT TOOK
PLACE ON SEPTEMBER 11TH,
2001.
AND OUR COMMUNITY IS UNITED
AND WANTING THIS TO STAY ON
THE WALL OF OUR COURTHOUSE.
JEDEDIAH: IMPORTANT TO
MENTION HISTORICAL DEPICTION
OF WHAT HAPPENED ON 9/11.
THAT CROSS WAS PART OF THE
HISTORY.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT
RELIGION.
IT'S ABOUT HISTORY.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR TAKE ON
IT AND LOOK FORWARD TO
HEARING --
PETE: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THE REAL RADICALS ARE THE
FREEDOM FROM RELIGION
