Stop the Presses! The Daily actually commented on something useful relating to campus life! Unfortunately, it missed the bigger picture, but I give you credit for trying.

On Tuesday, Nov. 4, the editorial board presented an article concerning the separation of church and state. Since about 1993, both the Daily and GSB have been hounding the student body to participate in student elections.

The article clearly states why we have a downfall of student participation: GSB fumbles issues around, destroying all credibility. Why should anyone care about these bandits, when they bumble important things like this, yet manage to pass resolutions that the country should go to war (some of us were around here in 1992)? If a resolution to dissolve the GSB formalized, please sign me up in support!

But the board missed the real issue: separation of church and state. What does this concept really mean? To me, a conservative Catholic citizen of these United States, I interpret that the government will not regulate or “assign” the population a religion, nor outrageously support one religion over another.

By the same token, the collective churches of this land agree not to generate an uprising against the government or encourage illegal activities. For all the extremists on both sides, I hope my view is not too broad and liberal.

We need to remember as citizens that religion remains a vital part of our country. We all celebrate it in one fashion or another, by either choosing to celebrate or by choosing not to celebrate. We defend our religions, most recently by starting holy wars here in the newspaper.

Take a look around you and see how religious ideas have impacted our lives. On the back of any dollar bill, we have the slogan “In God We Trust.” The Memorial Union has a chapel inside it. The armed services have chaplains to encourage prayer and religious observances.

In court, or at other civil ceremonies, we swear an oath upon a Bible. Finally, has anyone ever said a prayer before an exam or after witnessing an automobile crash?

GSB itself is a student organization, not the arm of a governmental body. It burdens the student body to generate funds for the GSB propaganda machine in addition to supporting student organizations, such as TRA, RCA, LGBTA and probably some sports teams such as the Hockey Club. Why not the Campus Crusade for Christ? It is not a conflict of church and state to do this, as neither organization is a church, nor a state.

The real reason: the GSB is too chicken shit to handle the awesome responsibility of reviewing the bylaws and doing the right thing — funding student organizations that students are taxed to support.

Chew on that one, GSB.

Christian J. Reynolds

Senior

Liberal studies