Judge Crabb’s Hate Mail on National Day of Prayer

[babylonsister]

knuckledraggers untie!

http://www.progressive.org/wx050510.html

Judge Crabb’s Hate Mail on National Day of Prayer
By Matthew Rothschild, May 5, 2010


With the National Day of Prayer upon us, I went over to Judge Barbara Crabb’s office to look at the mail she’s received since she declared this day unconstitutional.

Last month, she ruled that “the government has taken sides on a matter that must be left to individual conscience. . . . The government may not use its authority to try to influence an individual’s decision whether and when to pray.”

Judge Crabb got much more mail than usual, says Susan Vogel, secretary to Judge Crabb.

At the clerk’s office, I was handed a file containing the correspondence. I counted 61 letters and e-mails, and 55 were negative.

Some were very negative.

“Judge Crabb needs to be removed from her position,” wrote Bob Ferguson by e-mail. “She is a stupid bitch.”

Al Kafer of Cleveland, who described himself as a “70-year-old Vietnam vet,” addressed her as “Babs” and wrote: “We could give a damn what some INTELLECTUAL PYGMY in a skirt in cheeseland says.” And he added a P.S.: “We are no longer taking your shit anymore.”

“You mam <sic> are a disgrace to America,” wrote Michael Yeager. “Only an Anti-Christ individual would deny a national day of prayer. . . . Basically, you have committed treason against God who established our nation.”

snip//

As for the positive mail, Kelly Karas of Sacramento, California, wrote, “Thank you for your intellectual honesty and integrity.”

And Dr. Manfred Rothstein, a dermatologist in Fayetteville, North Carolina, said in his letter that he feels “left out” when people deliver a prayer and say “in Jesus’s name.” He told Judge Crabb: “I am sure you took criticism for this ruling, so I wanted you to know that some people do agree with you and appreciate your taking a stand.”


Matthew Rothschild is the editor of The Progressive magazine.

[rurallib]

1. kudos to Judge Crabb for her courage

I was having a discussion on prayer in school with my 13 year old mentee yesterday.
His family is strong Catholic. He couldn't understand why there wasn't prayer in school.
I told him, pray all you want by yourself, but once the school or teacher leads it then it violates my rights and the constitution.
Long discussion followed.
When I said 'How would you feel if you were Jewish and everyday you had to say a prayer recognized Jesus as God?' he got it.

don't know if this story is appropriate, but it was so interesting to see him think and reason this out.

[babylonsister]

3. I applaud you for having a grown-up conversation with a 13-year

old and educating him. I'm sure he appreciated the fact that an adult took the time to have an adult conversation with him, too.

And the story is very appropriate!

[Junkie Brewster]

2. We had a problem like that at my office

We always have a small potluck the Friday before Thanksgiving. It's really nice, but every year, we would have to wait for an employee whom everyone called "Rev" to say a five minute prayer. I had a couple of coworkers ask me to do something about it (I'm in HR, and both knew I was a liberal, but I'm a closeted atheist at work). I said something to our VP, but she just told me that no one HAD to pray. No, we just had to stand quietly while someone prayed for all our souls in Jesus' name. The following year, Rev was terminated for stealing and we got a new VP, who but the nix on the compulsory group prayer.

[babylonsister]

4. Rev got caught stealing? How christian of him!

Good riddance, huh.

[mrbarber]

5. Yeah, I wouldn't have.

He can pray all he wants, but I'm gonna be eating while he's preaching.

[undeterred]

6. kicking!

It doesn't surprise me that the Freedom from Religion Foundation gets hate mail but I am a little shocked that people direct their ire at a judge. Judge Crabb wrote an intelligent decision based on law and apparently a lot of people who wrote to her don't understand the separation of church and state. Scary indeed.

[Dappleganger]

7. Oh the hypocrisy, it burns! nt