Let’s Keep Religion out of the County Fair
By Michael Pearlman, 8-16-09
Aaahh, the county fair. Ferris Wheels, fried dough and 4H exhibits. And in northern Wyoming, a healthy dose of government-paid-for evangelism.
I’m no native, but I’ve lived in Wyoming long enough to realize that most residents, to a large degree subscribe to a live and let live attitude. Something along the lines of, “I’ll stay out of your business as long as you stay out of mine. Oh, and keep the government’s hands off my property and my guns.” Of course, diversity isn’t one of our state’s strengths, and sometimes government officials don’t bother to pause and think about whether they’re supporting a religious message, even when it’s cloaked in “wholesome, family-friendly entertainment.”
If you lived in Park County, Wyoming and decided to attend the county fair last month, you had a wide selection of free entertainment to choose from. Alongside the agricultural exhibits and 4-H livestock, there was also a performance by Reach, Inc. a nonprofit group out of South Dakota which offered KidzJam. Among other things, KidzJam includes kids being lead in prayer and being instructed to spread the word of Jesus.
Park County funds the fair, which means they footed the bill for the program, which apparently cost taxpayers around $16,000. Reach Inc.’s program was popular enough that it returned three years in a row, with neither county commissioners nor Park County’s fair board stopping to question whether it was appropriate or legal to hire an entertainment group that that spreads a religious message. In fact, according to Ruffin Prevost’s excellent story in the Billings Gazette, they claim they were unaware of the extent of the group’s religious message, though it appears pretty clear to me with a single click over to the Reach, Inc. website.
Wyoming’s Constitution is crystal clear on this issue: “No money of the state shall ever be given or appropriated to any sectarian or religious society or institution.”
Houston, we have a problem.
As a Wyoming resident raised Jewish, I accept my minority status. I long ago came to terms with my own belief system, which is personal and private and not something I try to push on others. I’m not a crazed atheist- I don’t advocate removing “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance. At the same time I’m not eager to see the 10 commandments on display in public places either. My personal take is that there are plenty of outlets and appropriate environments for people to worship the god of their choice, in the company of their fellow believers. If you want to speak in tongues and handle snakes or believe that Muhammed received revelations from God, good for you. But the minute my tax dollars go to funding a performance that supports one belief system over another, I’m going to raise a ruckus, even if I’m going to hell.
It would be one thing if the Park County commissioners and the county’s fair board recognized their mistake, apologized and assured the community it will never happen again. But after reading their comments, it seems that they are completely clueless as to why this performance would be a big deal to anyone, or offend them. Religion may be “ingrained in our society” as one commissioner commented, but not all of society wants to be preached to.
A county fair should be a family-friendly, positive experience, regardless of your religious beliefs. But it’s easy enough to book family-friendly entertainment that keeps religion out of the fair. The commissioners need to follow the law and use some common sense, regardless of whether there’s a public outcry or not.
Man, if that's all you have to worry about maybe you should walk the other way, get a beer and chill.
Attention to harmless things like this reveals that NewWest is becoming a leftist blog.
I couldn't agree with the article more. Spending state money, my taxpaying dollars, on a religious group's pomp and preaching at a public fair is offensive, and against our state constitution. Bring Debbie Gibson or Tiffany out of retirement, but don't force feed me your religious views. One of the fundamental beliefs our founding fathers supported was the separation of church and state.
Comment By dave, 8-16-09this group was popular and has returned 3 years in a row, just like you say michael. let park county do whats good for park county. no money was given or appropriated to this group. our country and our state was founded on biblical principles. reach inc gets to drive on our highways and use our parks, do you want to ban them from those uses as well?
would you ban the rodeo riders as they say a prayer or do a cross over their heart before their ride?
americans and park county residents have choices. we dont need to legislate to park county commissioners and their fair board what choices are available.
if youre interested in the well being of our kids why arent you railing against hip hop, mtv, or hollywood movie menu that kids are fed?
we all need more of the good choices that park county has chosen and hopefully will choose in the future.
Dave your right this country was founded on biblical principles so lets start burning the witches and stoning the unruly children just like it says in the bible.
Comment By Lace, 8-17-09Dave:
So in other words if next year a group chose to "preach" about Hinduism, or Druidism, Shamanism or Wicca, using your tax dollars, you would be okay with that?
Somehow I doubt it.
Oh, sorry, I forgot, those groups don't proselytize or recruit....
it would not be ok with park county,,, that is my point
Comment By Lucas Baumbach, 8-17-09The article's point hinges on whether any money was given to the religious group. Apparently that can't be borne out by facts. My Mennonite family came from Europe, like many Jews did, to avoid being marginalized and persecuted by governments. Please, remove the anti-religious fervor. To be consistent, however, you must ban Hare Krishnas too. I have never seen a Christian group promote Jesus as the Hare Krishnas promote and worship Krishna in public parades with loudspeakers. And, Anti-Christian sentiment is so boring.
Comment By CJ, 8-17-09Dave and Lucas: Since there seems to be confusion, yes, the group did receive public funds. As mentioned in the Gazette piece and here, KidZJam received $16,000 from the fair board this year, and $15,000 last year, though I don't know how much they received their first year. That's why the story was originally written and the issue raised.
Hope that helps.
if its true that park county is paying this group then i stand corrected. now i would say that it is money well spent by the park county commissioners and fair board.
Comment By Wyoming Native, 8-19-09The KidzJam is an optional event, just like the rodeo, or the demo derby, or any other concert. It's a matter of preference -- fair goers are not exposed against their will to these performances. If you don't want to attend a particular event, then don't. I don't particularly like to ride the zipper, but I don't condemn the fair because it's there -- I just stick to the tilt-a-whirl.
Big whoop.
From a business perspective, it seems like a wise choice to bring this group back year after year. Obviously they are a big enough draw to justify it.
Save the ever-noble "church-state seperation" pleas for something a little less benign than the county fair.
Being Wiccan myself I would not go to the one event. I do wonder if a Pagan group wanted to set up a booth as well, would they also recive state funding? Such a booth will fit in quite well with the fair.
Comment By Batman, 8-20-09This country was founded by a majority of Deists you bunch of fuckwads. Fuck you and your closed-minded, prejudiced christian ignorant selves.
Comment By Rud Frutz, 8-20-09President Has Been Set.
They are giving out cash to religious groups that want to participate in the fair, so let’s all apply. If our requests are denied, sue them. They are the ones who opened the door, now they want to pick and choose who can walk through it when that $$$ belongs to ALL of us?
precedent, not president. srry.
Comment By dave, 8-21-09batman,,, your perched in your own guano. very intelligent
Comment By Cat, 8-22-09Interesting that people want less government, but it's ok for religion to take hand outs from public funds. I'm not anti-religion and that's great if KidzJam to be there, but on their own dime.
Comment By horst, 8-24-09What could be more appropriate for a congregation of yokels than a snake handlers' tent?
Comment By Max Frisson, 8-24-09If the county used county funds to pay for the Reach group it violated the state Constitution the moment they called the audience to pray. Apparently it did. Citizens of Park County need to sue for reimbursement and throw the Park management out
FYI, the first coven of Witches arrived at Jamestown in 1619 and that link remains unbroken to this day. When the unaware speak of the Founding Fathers as Xians they are following post-Civil War revisionist history and treat the Puritans and Cotton Mather as our founders. Which they were not.
100 years before the American Revolution a small war was fought against the Theocracy and Mather in Virginia. Known as Bacon's Rebellion. Mather was nearly hung along with Bacon's men. Bacon was poisoned. Mather ran back home to Mass. to persecute witches
Wiccans are just mystical Trekkies, playing at a fantasy. According to my Mother who's Family arrived at Jamestown in The Red Letter Year.