Religious views must be allowed

June Edwards (April 17) claims "Under God" in the flag salute, imposed on children in "state" schools, takes away their First Amendment freedom of belief.

The flag salute isn’t compulsory (Supreme Court decisions, 1940s). For various reasons, some students refrain from the flag salute.

Most Americans (92 percent) profess a belief in God. Actually "state" schools continue to be the chief battleground in the war against God.

A 51-page court-documented study by Liberty Legal Institute on "Hostility to Religious Expression in the Public Square" (Oct. 8, 2004) was presented to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Rights. It shows religious persecution is real and surprisingly frequent in the U.S., especially against young children by some teachers in "state" schools.

A few examples: A boy was punished for silently praying over his food in the cafeteria; two girls "caught" carrying Bibles were punished and the Bibles thrown into the trash; a boy was forced to remove a Ten Commandment book-cover from his book.

Will the Supreme Court ban God?

If so, it will be done under a frieze of Moses and the Ten Commandments, where a new court session starts with a prayer, "God save the honorable Court," and where the chief justice administers the oath to the newly elected president, who vows, "So help me God." What about "In God We Trust" on our currency?

Our Constitution was designed to defend the minority. Today, we have a minority intent on imposing their views on the majority.

The First Amendment makes the freedom to bring moral and religious views into the public arena a protected "Constitutional civil right." (The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice).

Rita Armstrong
Oneonta

Regarding Sam Pollak’s June 23 column: I’ll admit Les Stroud is tough for carrying his camera equipment, but he also starts his journeys with food and other assorted stuff. Also, Stroud makes tons of mistakes. I lived in Costa Rica for two months and it was hilarious to watch him make mistakes in the jungle, like sleeping on that tree out in the open _ you should never do that. He also didn’t start a fire, because he’s a moron.

I also watched an episode when he was in the boreal forest in Canada and made a figure-four trap that didn’t work. The animals took the bait and the trap stayed where it was because he didn’t set it up correctly. He also, generally speaking, sits in one comfy survival spot, which isn’t what you would do if you were trying to find help. He’s just out there living off the land in one spot. So how hard is it to set up five cameras and not go anywhere?

Bear, though ridiculously dramatic, is far more helpful with the knowledge he gives you. If you were lost in the Savannah I would think elephant dung water would be the least of your problems. Plus Bear is entertaining, even if it’s stuff you’d never do, or it wouldn’t be wise to do, like jump into an icy lake and swim across instead of walking around. It just lets you know what is really possible in the wild. It makes the world seem less frightening, which will allow more people to enjoy it because they might be able to overcome any fear they might have had about going into the wild. Also, Les Stroud is a whiner, constantly complaining. He’s an oversized man-baby. Well, I think I’ve ranted long enough.

Brian Butler
Hartwick