WGOW-FM

9-29

Jeff always says we live in "the buckle of the Bible Belt." But I hear that when I go to Nashville, too. And Knoxville. I heard it when I was working in San Antonio. Doesn't anyone in the Bible Belt live over near the first belt loop? And if it really is a belt, somebody's got to be in the very back right above the butt crack.

You never hear about the Bible Butt Crack.

Assuming Chattanooga really is the "buckle" of the nebulous "Bible Belt," Fort Oglethorpe is hanging right there at the top of the zipper and, as is often the case, that seems to be where the action is. In this case, the action centers around those giant paper signs the high school cheerleaders make for the football players to run through and fire up the home crowd.

The problem, in this instance, is that a lot of the signs at LFO quote the Christian Bible. What makes that a problem now -- after all these years -- is someone complained.

You know how it is where you work. If your boss gets one phone call, he's getting "lots of calls." If he gets two, he's "inundated."

The school system in Catoosa County got one.

There are plenty of reasons why there might be a problem with the practice. The first amendment to the US Constitution comes to mind immediately, that amendment guaranteeing that the government shall make no laws establishing a religion.

Then again, if it's a student-led initiative, is a non-compulsory event and is held outside school hours, you'd have a really hard time convincing me the government is "imposing" a religion on me. People get way too offended, way too easily about way too many things -- religion among them.

Jeff opposes it on the basis of the act desecrating God's word by ripping painted Scriptural passages to shreds as the players run through them.

Not me. I never have worshipped symbols and I never will. I can't possibly support a Constitutional amendment banning flag desecration, either -- the so-called "Flag Burning Amendment" -- but that's another discussion we'll save for another time.

People get way too offended, way too easily, about way too many things.

The Catoosa County Schools superintendent has come up with what she calls a "compromise" to allow the cheerleaders to hold the signs in a designated area outside the football stadium. That doesn't address the Constitutionality issue at all. If it's unconstitutional at the game, it's unconstitutional att he game, whether it's inside the stadium or outside the stadium.

I'm thinking the best solution is simply to present the opposing point of view. To offset the Christian Scripture from Philippians that talks about pressing toward the goal to win the prize, the cheerleaders could make another sign urging the players to hang back and not worry about winning. They could counter the Scripture from Ezra encouraging the team to rise up, take courage and do it with a banner admonishing the Warriors to stay on the bench and not to do anything. And the 2nd Timothy Scripture convincing those footballers they've got a spirt of power, love and self-discipline might be neutered with a reminder that the guys are actually weak, selfish and out of control.

The whole thing is weird to me -- it's not something that was part of my high school days. It's odd to me to hear a prayer before a football game. I never heard one at either of the two high schools I attended -- or the college. My own view of the "Higher Power" doesn't have God favoring one side or the other in an athletic contest. But I'm not going to be offended by it either, living in the "buckle" of the Bible Belt.

You know, it just struck me: Maybe the Bible Belt buckle isn't the small silver clasp I wear with a pair of dress slacks from bruce Baird. Maybe it's the really big, gaudy type you'd find at a souvenir shop in Gatlinburg.

I know. I hurt somebody's feelings. Way too many people get way too offended way too easily about way too many things.

Yeah, even belt buckles.

Kevin West