Annie's Corner
Everyone's Rights
by Anne O. Stout

 As the New Year is fast approaching I feel I want to voice my opinion on a topic that is sweeping the country, and I feel only one side is being heard from and I want to be a voice for the other side. 

 Every time I hear another story about separating church and state, I hear about the victim, someone who is trying to have their rights and they are getting stomped on. The latest story I read is about a student who earned a scholarship, and yet because he has chosen his major to be ‘theology' he may lose the scholarship. Now how can this be if the scholarship did not specifically state he has to go into a certain field how can they do this?  What if that scholarship is the only way this student can afford college?  In order to keep church and state separate, he ends up with no college degree and can pump gas or sling burgers for 10 years and maybe work his way up to manager. 

 Now, no letters. I am not cutting down any jobs, but when someone tries to become more educated, why are we standing in his way?  

 In making sure we do not offend or trod on the non-believers rights, are we trampling on the believers, the religious? Isn't freedom of religion one of our rights, but if it is totally eliminated how is it a right?  Groups will feel they must meet in private, sneak around cause it is not politically correct anymore. 

 Do those in favor of erasing "under God" in our Pledge of Allegiance realize it is a piece of our history? Should we be changing everything in our history books as well? To me this is like libraries banning books that are not using the politically accepted terms, classics such as Tom Sawyer are being banned. Mark Twain just used the terminology of his time, he was not trying to offend but to change his words is offensive. 

 Changing all our money would cost more money then this country has and we are already too deep in debt.

 Religions have always made room for other religions, and now I think the non-religious have to make room for the religious. Why must everything be your way, everyone has rights and both sides should be taken into consideration?  When a big decision like changing life-long traditions would it not be better for a committee of believers and non-believers to meet and come up with compromises? 

 We are a country founded on religious freedom, and it is one of our rights to have or not have, so neither side should be punished. Let's not just change, let's compromise!

 On this rather serious note, I wish everyone a New Year filled with joy!