Mr. Deseno,
I never ceases to amaze me how someone like yourself, who makes their
living in a profession that demands factual basis for argument, has
such a disdain for accurate and truthful statements.
You wrote:
"So you don't think the City should expend any money on cultural
events."
I never said this. Please go back to my previous email and document
where I made this statement. I was clear about religious and pseudo-
religious events. I also was clear about why I took issue with a
specific cultural event, Columbus Day.
You wrote:
"I note it is only the Columbus Day celebration which you publically
oppose (with great vigor I might ad, including props). Why not
support them all with such vigor?"
I think you erred here in your copy, I believe, based the entirety of
your email, that you meant to say, "Why (are you) not opposed them
all with such vigor?"
Again, I have been clear about my groudning in objecting to the City-
sponsored Columbus Day event with "such vigor" as you put it.
You wrote:
"By the way, you march in the Fourth of July parade. That is also a
cultural celebration."
I am not against all cultural celebrations. I know this is difficult
for you to handle, given your binary worldview, but an individual can
actually come to decisions based on the merits of each case (i.e. It
does not have to be "all or nothing.")
You wrote:
"Do you also opposed to public resources spent on the Pride Parade?"
Your grammar is a bit off here, but I get your point. As far as I
recall, there were not public resources spent on the Pride Parade, it
was an event that was financed by a non-profit entity and they
applied for permits the same as any other outside group would. Do
you have facts to the contrary?
You wrote:
"Finally - where is your stance on the City scubbing all mention of
the word "Christmas" from its celebrations? For or opposed?"
As I shared in my earlier email, I do not support the City's
expending of any tax-dollars on Christmas, so, your above question to
me is moot.
You wrote:
"In that line: Isn't Christmas a cultural part of America, and has
been so for many, many years?"
Christmas has evolved in the mainstream American consciousness into a
hybrid of the religious and cultural. But, if we are honest with
ourselves about the facts, Christmas IS a religous celebration. To
deny that is to be disingenous to its origins. Given that it is a
religious holiday, I believe that any tax dollars used to celebrate
Christmas is a violation of the establishment clause. Finally, just
because something exists or has happened for "many, many years" is no
grounds for its just continuation. We have enough examples in world
history that show this to be very faulty logic.
On a more personal level, as a fellow Christian, I do not think that
we need the State to edify (by celebrating Christmas) our counter-
cultural commitments to following the "Good News" of a radical,
itinerant preacher from Galilee (Jesus). When it comes to this, I
think the sage advice of St. Francis of Assisi is worthy of
consideration. Francis said, "Preach the Gospel at all times and
when necessary use words."
This is my final response to this issue Mr. Deseno. I thought you
might have learned from this most recent election that the people of
our great nation want their leaders focusing the majority of their
energy on issues that really matter and they do not want these
leaders caught up in the minutiae of the culture wars. There are
many more important matters that this community, our state and our
nation are currently facing that demand attention.
Peace, Councilman Jim Keady
------------------------------------
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