[CSPS] To FSCIC re Mayor Silva's comments

Larry Oliver larryo49 at hotmail.com
Fri Oct 14 14:43:54 CDT 2005 

All,

I sent the following message to the listserv of the Faculty and Staff 
Committed to an Inclusive Campus (FSCIC). I know that some of you are 
members, but not all of you.  It's imperative that we build a coalition to 
oppose the CS council's retrogade words and actions.
.........................................................................................................................

FSCIC,

Here we go again....

If you read the front page of today's (Friday) Battalion, then you know that 
members of the TAMU Pagan Student Assoc (PSA) protested at last night's 
College Station City Council meeting because they (PSA) will not be allowed 
to conduct one of the prayers that will open each Council meeting--because 
the mayor and council do not recognize Paganism as a religion.  Moreover, 
according to the newspaper account, Mayor Ron Silva has declared that 
College Station is a "Christian community" and he is apparently standing by 
that statement. The mayor's (illegal?) declaration has angered many members 
of our University community, Christians and non-Christians alike.   
Ironically, the Council's action and mayor's remarks come at the very moment 
that the Council is addressing the climate of intolerance and hate at 
Northgate; and that hate and intolerance, as we know, is often directed at 
non-Christian international students.

I realize that many FSCIC members--and particularly the leadership--are 
weary from recent campaigns against the local forces of intolerance and 
discrimination, but I would hope that we have enough energy to protest 
vigorously the mayor's appalling statement and to insist that since the 
Council has decided to open every meeting with a prayer, then *all* 
recognized religions should be able to contribute to it.  FSCIC could work 
with off-campus organizations that may register their protest.  (Or the 
Council could rescind its unanimous decision to open meetings with a formal 
prayer and instead try to conduct its business without "divine guidance," 
which is the publicly stated reason for instituting the prayer.)




>From: "Rebecca Hankins" <RHankins at lib-gw.tamu.edu>
>To: 
><larryo49 at hotmail.com>,<csps at PHILEBUS.tamu.edu>,<hugh at stearnsconstruction.biz>, 
><alvard at tamu.edu>,<feagin at tamu.edu>
>Subject: Re: [CSPS] Mayor Silva's comments
>Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2005 14:19:58 -0500
>
>I called and left my name and a message too.  I agree with Mike, what
>should I tell my children if they have to interact with these folks.
>
>Rebecca
>
> >>> "Larry Oliver" <larryo49 at hotmail.com> 10/14/2005 1:18:14 PM >>>
>
>I called (and so did Mike Alvard) and protested to his voicemail, but
>he has
>not returned my call
>
> >From: <feagin at tamu.edu>
> >To: <hugh at stearnsconstruction.biz>,"'Mike Alvard'"
> ><alvard at tamu.edu>,"'Larry Oliver'"
> ><larryo49 at hotmail.com>,<csps at PHILEBUS.tamu.edu>
> >Subject: Re: [CSPS] Mayor Silva's comments
> >Date: Fri, 14 Oct 2005 11:30:48 -0500
> >
> >Do we know for sure exactly what the mayor said? I hate to rely just
>on the
> >Battalion:) JF
> >
> >----- Original Message ----- From: "Hugh"
><hugh at stearnsconstruction.biz>
> >To: "'Mike Alvard'" <alvard at tamu.edu>; "'Larry Oliver'"
> ><larryo49 at hotmail.com>; <csps at PHILEBUS.tamu.edu>
> >Sent: Friday, October 14, 2005 10:29 AM
> >Subject: Re: [CSPS] Mayor Silva's comments
> >
> >
> >>The mayor was also quoted as saying something to the effect that
>Wiccas
> >>are
> >>not a real religion.  I have spoken to Bud Wurtz, the president of
>our
> >>local
> >>ACLU chapter, and they are looking into legal action.  Though with
>our
> >>courts the way they are, it seems unwise to challenge anything.  The
>way
> >>to
> >>beat this is by playing their game.  We need to make sure that we
>provide
> >>diversity - Pagans, Buddhists, Animists, Atheists.  I would love to
>see
> >>them
> >>try to impose some sort of Christian affirmative action plan.
> >>
> >>The usually meek mayor is actually the one person who stood up to
>this
> >>effort when it was voted on.  Sadly, Suzan Lancaster, who has been
>the
> >>progressive hero of this depressing council, is the initiator of
>this
> >>effort.  I encourage everyone to write a letter to your council
>people
> >>(even
> >>if they are not your council people) who are:
> >>
> >>Mayor Ron Silvia - rsilvia at cstx.gov
> >>Place 1 Ben White - bwhite at cstx.gov
> >>Place 2 - John Happ - jhapp at cstx.gov
> >>Place 3 - Ron Gay - rgay at cstx.gov
> >>Place 4 - Suzan Lancaster - slancaster at cstx.gov
> >>Place 5 - Chris Scotti - cscotti at cstx.gov
> >>Place 6 - Nancy Berry - nberry at cstx.gov
> >>
> >>Additionally, I would encourage you to copy Robert Borden of the
>Eagle -
> >>rborden at theeagle.com.
> >>
> >>As you write, keep in mind that the District Attorney is
>investigating
> >>this
> >>City Council for violations of open meetings regulations, so the
>prospect
> >>of
> >>legal action will resonate well with them.  We don't have to
>tolerate
> >>this. - Hugh
> >>
> >>>-----Original Message-----
> >>>From: csps-bounces at PHILEBUS.tamu.edu
> >>>[mailto:csps-bounces at PHILEBUS.tamu.edu]On Behalf Of Mike Alvard
> >>>Sent: Friday, October 14, 2005 9:20 AM
> >>>To: 'Larry Oliver'; csps at PHILEBUS.TAMU.EDU
> >>>Subject: Re: [CSPS] Mayor Silva's comments
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>This seems to be a move to demote non-Christians to second class
> >>>citizenship.  How can I feel I will be treated fairly by a
> >>>city government
> >>>that believes, apparently, that I am hell-bound.  I have come
> >>>to terms with
> >>>my neighbors' believing that I am to suffer eternal
> >>>damnation, but my city
> >>>council and mayor?  How can I trust the courts to treat me
> >>>fairly? What do
> >>>they expect me to tell my children when they ask about living
> >>>in a Christian
> >>>town...?
> >>>
> >>>I called Silva, but had to rant into his answering machine...
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>Michael Alvard, Ph.D.
> >>>Associate Professor of Anthropology
> >>>Department of Anthropology
> >>>4352 TAMU
> >>>Texas A&M University
> >>>College Station, Texas 77843-4352
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>web:http://anthropology.tamu.edu/faculty/alvard/profile.htm
> >>>
> >>>e-mail: Alvard at tamu.edu
> >>>Office: (979) 862-3492
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
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> >>>
> >>>
> >>>-----Original Message-----
> >>>From: csps-bounces at PHILEBUS.tamu.edu
> >>>[mailto:csps-bounces at PHILEBUS.tamu.edu]
> >>>On Behalf Of Larry Oliver
> >>>Sent: Friday, October 14, 2005 8:47 AM
> >>>To: csps at PHILEBUS.tamu.edu
> >>>Subject: [CSPS] Mayor Silva's comments
> >>>
> >>>CSPS,
> >>>
> >>>Re our City Council's decision to open its meetings with a prayer
> >>>(supposedly non-sectarian):
> >>>
> >>>I was astounded to read in today's Battalion that our mayor
> >>>has stated (if
> >>>quoted accurately) that College Station is a "Christian
> >>>community."  and he
> >>>is not backing away from that declaration. He has invited
> >>>community members
> >>>to contact him to voice their opinions.  I think we all
> >>>should do exactly
> >>>that. His personal phone number is  690-6519.
> >>>
> >>>Larry
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>_______________________________________________
> >>>CSPS mailing list
> >>>CSPS at csps.tamu.edu
> >>>http://philebus.tamu.edu/mailman/listinfo/csps
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>_______________________________________________
> >>>CSPS mailing list
> >>>CSPS at csps.tamu.edu
> >>>http://philebus.tamu.edu/mailman/listinfo/csps
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >>_______________________________________________
> >>CSPS mailing list
> >>CSPS at csps.tamu.edu
> >>http://philebus.tamu.edu/mailman/listinfo/csps
> >>
> >
>
>
>_______________________________________________
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>CSPS at csps.tamu.edu
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>

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