ACLU Foot In Mouth
Posted on August 26, 2005
Hat Tip Freerepublic
The director of the Louisiana ACLU issued an apology Thursday for comments made in an Eyewitness News interview last week during which he compared the mindset of school prayer supporters in Tangipahoa Parish to that of the 9-11 terrorists.
“I want to express my sincere regrets for my use of hyperbole and the analogy that I made regarding Tangipahoa Parish public school officials,” said ACLU Director Joe Cook. “I see how my unfortunate choice of rhetoric could be interpreted as disdain for religious beliefs, but that is absolutely not my position, nor the position of the national ACLU or any of its affiliates.”
Cook made his comments on August 15 when asked about classes being held for teachers in Tangipahoa Parish as school system officials tried to explain what can and can’t be done as far as prayers in the school room.
In his comments, Cook, who has made legal moves against the Tangipahoa Parish school board following some incidents of prayers being said over loudspeakers and in classrooms, said the system has done little to enforce a judge’s rulings.
“They don’t want to abide by the agreement,” said Cook in the August 15 interview. “They have always crossed the line of separation of church and government… They believe they answer to a higher power, in my opinion which is the kind of thinking you had with the people who flew airplanes in the buildings in this country and people who did that kind of thing in London.”
Lets consider this apology. “I see how my unfortunate choice of rhetoric could be interpreted as disdain for religious beliefs,… How else would you expect it to be interpreted? It IS disdain for religious beliefs. And as for the ACLU supporting religious liberty…lol…only if it is Islam or Wicca. Mr. Cook should be apologizing for attacking freedom to express religion, that would be an apology worth accepting. I will not accept an apology for saying something he absolutely means.
I suggest that everyone go to the Louisiana ACLU’s website complaint form, and flood them with complaints. This guy’s unprofessional behavior and hatred for Christians needs to be stopped.
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“This guy’s unprofessional behavior and hatred for Christians needs to be stopped”
I think you may be a tad confused about one point.
He seems to have a very professional hatred of Christianity. At least his public professions seem to support that consclusion.
I’m with you on this one. Ideally, the ACLU should only be advocating civil rights. However, they’ve lost their way long ago.
This kind of marginalized apology makes me sick. Pat Robertson tried it the other day for his comments about Chavez. Thankfully he realized how ridiculous he sounded blaming the public for misinterpreting his statements and proceeded to make a full and unconditional apology.
Mr. Cook, like Mr. Robertson originally, is stating that his criticism stems from an interpretation of his statement. I fail to see how Mr. Cook’s original statement could be interpreted in a way that wasn’t worthy of criticism. His words were emotional, antagonistic, and deliberately controversial. Mr. Cook ought to have taken full responsibility by saying, “My statement was made in the heat of the moment and they do not reflect my true views of the matter. I apologize and take full responsibility.” This is, of course, assuming he is truthful in his regret. Speculating about people’s intentions is about as productive and useful as following Brad & Jen.
People respect accountability even if they don’t like your position. It shows character. Mr. Cook apparently doesn’t care about such things.
He should not try to upset Cajons they are pretty head strong and the idiots at the ACLU might get more than what they bargained for.
Super site!