(From this photo album)

2007.04.03 Tue - It's About Trends, Ergo It's Often About Future Generations

This will anger some, encourage others (although I would question these), but perhaps be ignored by the rest.

"Hostage drill prepares school for crisis"
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/112-03232007-1318937.html

"...Two Burlington Township police detectives portrayed the gunmen. Investigators described them as members of a right-wing fundamentalist group called the “New Crusaders” who don't believe in separation of church and state. The mock gunmen went to the school seeking justice because the daughter of one had been expelled for praying before class..."

What the ?!?

I wrote a relatively peaceful email to the article's author:

Dear David Levinsky,
This is not a hate email. Perhaps I'm jumping to conclusions, but I'm guessing you're probably getting a lot of these for the article essentially complimenting the actions of the school and law enforcement agencies in mocking conservative christians. It saddens me that our country has come to this. It starts with rumors, develops into stereotypes, and ends in a blind and prejudiced society. It's not new. Your article and the reported drill are only an expected continuation of a trend our country has been on the path of for awhile now. I hope that the country's awareness would only be enlightened by this sad story, unless, of course, people are already at the stage of thinking it only natural or expected that a parent of a child expelled for praying in the classroom (what happened to freedom of religion? and expelled of all disciplinary actions?!?), would commit such a terror as Columbine, the many other school examples (which have all NOT been right-wing religiously motivated), or 911 even. It is offensive and well... sad. If you still can't understand why, then what do you think would have happened if instead of Christian right-wing "New Crusaders", a group called "Muslim Jihad" was used, or "Jewish Crucifiers" was used? Do you think the country would be expected to stay silent? Would people not be outraged at the religious prejudice and distaste? But then again, if you really do think all fundamental Christians would rise up in arms, then you ought to look a little more into the majority of fundamentals-believing Christians (or at least those that would call themselves such, like myself), and not just the violence bent crowd that the media seems to only look for and publicize. Thanx for your time and attention (if you did indeed get this far in my email).

Blessings Abound, * "Finally, brethren, whatever is true,
Ben Yu * whatever is honorable, whatever is right,
* whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
* whatever is of good repute, if there is
* any excellence and if anything worthy
* of praise, dwell on these things."http://benyu.smugmug.com * ~ Philippians 4:8

(From this photo album)

2007.04.03 Tue - It's About Trends, Ergo It's Often About Future Generations

This will anger some, encourage others (although I would question these), but perhaps be ignored by the rest.

"Hostage drill prepares school for crisis"
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/112-03232007-1318937.html

"...Two Burlington Township police detectives portrayed the gunmen. Investigators described them as members of a right-wing fundamentalist group called the “New Crusaders” who don't believe in separation of church and state. The mock gunmen went to the school seeking justice because the daughter of one had been expelled for praying before class..."

What the ?!?

I wrote a relatively peaceful email to the article's author:

Dear David Levinsky,
This is not a hate email. Perhaps I'm jumping to conclusions, but I'm guessing you're probably getting a lot of these for the article essentially complimenting the actions of the school and law enforcement agencies in mocking conservative christians. It saddens me that our country has come to this. It starts with rumors, develops into stereotypes, and ends in a blind and prejudiced society. It's not new. Your article and the reported drill are only an expected continuation of a trend our country has been on the path of for awhile now. I hope that the country's awareness would only be enlightened by this sad story, unless, of course, people are already at the stage of thinking it only natural or expected that a parent of a child expelled for praying in the classroom (what happened to freedom of religion? and expelled of all disciplinary actions?!?), would commit such a terror as Columbine, the many other school examples (which have all NOT been right-wing religiously motivated), or 911 even. It is offensive and well... sad. If you still can't understand why, then what do you think would have happened if instead of Christian right-wing "New Crusaders", a group called "Muslim Jihad" was used, or "Jewish Crucifiers" was used? Do you think the country would be expected to stay silent? Would people not be outraged at the religious prejudice and distaste? But then again, if you really do think all fundamental Christians would rise up in arms, then you ought to look a little more into the majority of fundamentals-believing Christians (or at least those that would call themselves such, like myself), and not just the violence bent crowd that the media seems to only look for and publicize. Thanx for your time and attention (if you did indeed get this far in my email).

Blessings Abound, * "Finally, brethren, whatever is true,
Ben Yu * whatever is honorable, whatever is right,
* whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
* whatever is of good repute, if there is
* any excellence and if anything worthy
* of praise, dwell on these things."http://benyu.smugmug.com * ~ Philippians 4:8