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Post by Randall Lord on Dec 8, 2005 13:48:49 GMT -5
I have emailed the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Dept. requesting contact information for the person(s) responsible for the public display of a Bible near the securtity guard's station. I was informed by them that the Caddo Parish Commission was responsible for the courthouse. I have emailed them asking the same question and am awaing their reply.
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Post by del on Dec 8, 2005 15:13:45 GMT -5
Good for you, Randall. Keep us posted. Del
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Post by Randall Lord on Dec 9, 2005 12:37:20 GMT -5
I just received the following email from the Sheriff Department's attorney: "Sheriff Prator has referred to me your email message concerning this matter since the foyer is maintained by the Parish rather than the Sheriff’s Office. In order to respond to your inquiry I need some additional information that we are currently gathering. I will be back in touch regarding this matter sometime later this month. Charles C. Grubb Parish Attorney Parish of Caddo 505 Travis Street, Suite 810 Shreveport, LA 71001 Telephone (318) 226-6947 Facsimile (318) 226-6974" Apparently they can see a legal fight coming. Depending on how they react to my inquiry, it may well be!  |
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Post by Amanda Dove on Dec 9, 2005 14:54:21 GMT -5
Maybe while we're waiting on the lawyers to get back with you, we can donate some kind of monument to Flying-Spaghetti-Monsterism to stand next to the bible. I suggest a full-sized mannequin in full pirate regalia. Arrrrgh.
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Post by Randall Lord on Dec 9, 2005 15:44:59 GMT -5
I got a reply from the Caddo Parish Commission today:
"Hello Sir,
You may contact the Facilities and Maintenance Office with the Commission at
(318)226-6899. Good Luck!"
I went to the Caddo Parish's website and found the director of this dept and emailed him the same question and am awaiting his answer.
Sure, I could have called each of these offices and received an answer quicker but I want a paper trail.
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Post by Randall Lord on Dec 9, 2005 15:53:31 GMT -5
Amanda, Actually I am not going to just demand they remove the Bible. I will point out that they have a problem in allowing only one book to be displayed as this would violate the establishment clause of the US Constitution. They can do one of two things to come into compliance: 1. Allow other clubs to have a display, which could include your suggestion about the "Flying Spaghetti Monster" www.venganza.org/2. Remove the singularly allowed display of the religious artifact. Failure to do one of the above two WILL result in a lawsuit. I believe that they will opt for the lawsuit. I hope not, but am ready to move forward in this direction if necessary. |
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Post by Randall Lord on Jan 9, 2006 14:29:29 GMT -5
I just received the following response from the parish attorney:
Mr. Lord,
You're correct in that I said you would be hearing from me last month.
I apologize for not doing so. I think my time expectation was a little
optimistic because of the holidays.
Since we last communicated I inspected the Bible to which you refer
(which, frankly, I have never noticed before), paying particular
attention to the inscriptions at the front pertaining to its origin. As
you may know, the Bible was donated to Caddo Parish in the 1980's by a
class that met at First Methodist Church that, so far as I know no
longer meets.
I have written to the church asking for some background information on
the class and how the Bible came to be donated to the Parish. Late last
week I was contacted by a member of the church and advised that they are
working on gathering the requested information.
In the meantime I think I have done the necessary legal research to make
a determination on whether the Bible's placement is lawful once I
receive the information I have requested from the church.
Charles C. Grubb
Parish Attorney
Parish of Caddo
505 Travis Street, Suite 810
Shreveport, LA 71001
Telephone (318) 226-6947
Facsimile (318) 226-6974
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zwan94
Junior Member
Posts: 12
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Post by zwan94 on Jan 14, 2006 22:05:05 GMT -5
Ok so what does that mean? Alright, so the bible was "given" or donated to the Courthouse by a Methodist class which I believe uses the Living Bible and/or the Holy Bible for their rulebook. It doesn't matter if it was given or not. Its orgin as I see it, is irrelevant. The fact of the matter is that NOW its in the foyer of a federal building and its violating the 1st Amendment of the US Consitution and the personal rights of atheists and the alike all over Caddo Parish.
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Post by Randall Lord on Jan 15, 2006 8:01:05 GMT -5
It doesn't matter if it was given or not. Its origin as I see it, is irrelevant. The fact of the matter is that NOW its in the foyer of a federal building and its violating the 1st Amendment of the US Consitution and the personal rights of atheists and the alike all over Caddo Parish. That's correct. The nonsense about waiting for the church to respond about the history about it's donation is irrelevant. The only thing that is relevant is who (which officer/agency of the parish) allowed it to be displayed. I am trying to be patient and give them all the time they need to come up with an absurd excuse. It will make for a more interesting story should this go to trial and be discussed in the media. One correction, it's in the foyer of a Caddo Parish building, not a federal one. |
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Post by militantatheisst on Sept 24, 2006 15:30:48 GMT -5
What finally happened with this? We have 7 Bibles in the Science books/software cabinet at BPCC. I don't know who put them there. But I'm pretty sure of this: If I make a stink about it now, I will probably not be offered a full time job should one become available in the near future.
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Post by Randall Lord on Sept 24, 2006 16:41:02 GMT -5
Janet,
The Bible was removed from the courthouse.
As far as the bibles you mentioned, I don't suggest that you make a stink about if you want them to hire you full time. You get someone not employed there to raise the issue, like me. You could ask politely why they are misfiled under the science/software heading.
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Post by I M Livid on Oct 31, 2006 20:44:42 GMT -5
militantatheist lost it today on the job....
more details to follow
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Post by Randall Lord on Aug 26, 2009 11:01:00 GMT -5
Holy Crap! I found another bible on display two days ago, this time in the Clerk of Court's office. I have called them on it and they said it was a gift from a former employee as a memorial. That's not gonna fly. Its still a Bible on display in a public place and its not in context of other historical items. I have contacted American United for Separation of Church and State to assist me as they refuse to remove it and appear willing to defend it.
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Post by Randall Lord on Oct 11, 2009 18:22:58 GMT -5
After checking with their attorney, they decided to remove it.
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