Thank God for the American Atheists, Inc.

Of note on Sunday, from the Salt Lake Tribune:

The Utah Highway Patrol Association has signed a settlement agreement that sets a time frame for removing 12-foot-high crosses intended to memorialize state troopers killed in the line of duty.

The association is still reeling from an October decision by U.S. Supreme Court justices, who declined to hear the contentious First Amendment case over the appropriateness of the memorials on public land. The decision means that 10 of the 14 white crosses that currently sit on public land, either outside UHP offices or alongside a highway, must come down or be moved to private property.

All 14 of the crosses, whether on public or private lands, must have the UHP insignia removed. The state also has agreed to pay $388,000 in attorney’s fees.

Yes, those contentious and highly-offensive memorial crosses honoring fallen Utah Highway Patrol troopers who died in service, thank God they're being removed.

Reminds me of this e-mail I recently received:

After being interviewed by the school administration, the prospective teacher said: "Let me see if I've got this right.

You want me to go into that room with all those kids, correct their disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse, monitor their dress habits, censor their T-shirts and instill in them a love for learning.

You want me to check their backpacks for weapons because they can no longer have lockers, wage war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, and raise their sense of self-esteem and personal pride.

You want me to teach them how to register to vote, how to recognize inequality, be kind to the environment, love animals and hate capitalism.

You want me to check their heads for lice, recognize signs of anti-social behavior and make sure they pass all their final exams.

You also want me to provide them with the highest education and communicate regularly with their parents in English, Spanish, Vietnamese or Chinese, by letter, telephone, newsletter and report card.

You want me to do all this with a piece of chalk, a blackboard, a bulletin board, a few books, a big smile and a starting salary that qualifies me for food stamps.

You want me to do all this and then you tell me: I can't pray."

Correct.

BZ