Assembly was about drugs, not religion

Our Word
Daily Egyptian

What started as a crusade to keep children from using illegal drugs and alcohol has become a legal and media frenzy about the separation between church and state.

Despite bouts of legal disputes surrounding an anti-drug assembly at four Marion schools, which featured Texas evangelist Ronnie Hill as the guest speaker, a federal judge officially signed a ruling to allow the assembly.

While an agreement was made between Hill and the schools, and Robert Marsh, the father of a Marion fourth grader who filed a lawsuit to ban the assembly, both parties involved walked away unhappy.

Hill and the Cornerstone Community Church, who sponsored his appearance, were allowed to make their anti-drug message known to the schoolchildren. Still, they filed a lawsuit late Monday, claiming their ability to freely express the church's mission was denied because children at the school were not permitted to distribute fliers on school property promoting a pizza party and revival at the church.

And Marsh was disappointed in the ruling because the speaker was allowed to make his presentation. What seems so odd about the circumstances surrounding Marsh's lawsuit are the facts that his daughter was never going to see the assembly, as it was only aimed at fifth graders and older. In addition, Marsh is a member of the Cornerstone Community Church.

Despite these details, the American legal system allows basically anyone to sue anybody for any reason, so Marsh's case was heard, just as it should have been.

But the court ruled on a compromise, just as we believe it should have.

Hill is an experienced speaker, having spoken at more than 200 schools in his tenure. And he certainly had a clear and important message: Don't use drugs and alcohol.

Although Hill said he has never used either, his life has been surrounded by alcohol-related tragedies, making him a virtual expert on its negative effects. His uncle died from an alcohol-related disease, he has a grandmother with cirrhosis of the liver and his mother and father almost allowed alcohol to ruin their marriage.

With a story like his, who wouldn't be influenced?

But that wasn't the important detail surrounding Hill's presence at the schools. Instead, the fact that it was an evangelist who might be influencing children upset people.

Upon granting permission for the assembly, the judge required religion to not be mentioned. That was fine for Hill, who said he never intended to bring religion up at the assembly on school grounds anyway. What got Hill and the church upset, though, was a ban on passing out fliers promoting a revival later at the church.

While we do not believe a religious person's anti-drug assembly is unconstitutional, we understand the importance of the separation of church and state. With that in mind, we are thankful this issue has been brought to our attention but feel all sides should halt with their lawsuits and let this be an issue of keeping students off drugs ˜ instead of religion.

Copyright 2009 - Daily Egyptian