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ACLU 1
12-21-98

Richard Church, Jr., Mayor
10 North First Street
Miamisburg, Ohio 45342

SENT VIA FAX AND CERTIFIED U.S. MAIL

Dear Mayor Church,

It has come to the attention of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio Foundation that you recently issued a proclamation designating 1999 to be "Year of the Bible."
The purpose of this correspondence is to inform you that the ACLU of Ohio feels very strongly that such a proclamation, together with the language contained in the proclamation itself, amounts to an undeniably unconstitutional and inappropriate action by a government official. Indeed, encouraging Miamisburg residents to read through the New Testament and apply the teachings to their lives represents an excessive entanglement of government and religion. Furthermore, it serves no compelling interest that would warrant such a blatant disregard for the separation of church and state that we abide by in this country.

In fact, the ACLU of Ohio feels that such actions on the part of your office are so offensive to the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment that we demand that you rescind the proclamation at the next possible legislative session. Failure to rescind said proclamation at the earliest possible date will inevitably invite litigation from the ACLU.

Should you have any questions or comments please feel free to contact me at the below address.


Sincerely,

Scott T. Greenwood
General Counsel
ACLU of Ohio

Greenwood & Associates
1 Liberty House
PO Box 54400
Cincinnati, Ohio 45254-0400

ACLU 2
Tuesday, December 22, 1998 -- ACLU Says Ohio Bible Proclamation Violates the Constitution




MIAMISBURG, OH -- The ACLU of Ohio is challenging a mayoral proclamation declaring 1999 "The Year of the Bible" violates the constitutionally required separation of church and state.
"Encouraging Miamisburg residents to read through the New Testament and apply the teachings to their lives represents an excessive entanglement of government and religion," Ohio ACLU General Counsel Scott Greenwood said in a letter to Mayor Richard Church.

The proclamation's "blatant disregard for the separation of church and state" and obvious endorsement of Christianity, Greenwood wrote, "will inevitably invite litigation from the ACLU" if it is not rescinded.

Lawsuits have already been filed in other states regarding similar religious proclamations by government officials.

The Miamisburg proclamation, which was issued Dec. 10 to local members of the American Society and the Christian Miamisburg Ministerial Association, is being reviewed by the city attorney, the Associated Press reported.

Along with promoting the proclamation, the groups are also distributing copies of the New Testament and a daily reading guide.

The Miamisburg Bible proclamation is not the first such proposal that has drawn the ire of civil liberties advocates.

The ACLU of Arizona filed lawsuits against that state and the city of Gilbert over Bible Week proclamations. In November, a federal judge stopped both the city and the state from implementing those proclamations. A similar proposal also stirred controversy in New Mexico, AP said, while the ACLU of Utah has also encouraged state and local officials rescind bible week proclamations.

But, Greenwood said, the Miamisburg proclamation, "goes so far beyond any government proclamation in favor of religion that I ever heard of. It's like putting the city stamp of approval of on Christianity, particularly during this time of year which several faiths consider religiously significant."

The Rev. Ronald Mixer, the Year of the Bible program director for the New York-based American Bible Society, told the Associated Press that his organization generally discourages enlisting the support of government entities.

For More Information:



The ACLU of Ohio letter can be found at:
/community/ohio/c122198a.html

The ACLU of Arizona legal documents can be found at:
http://www.primenet.com/~azclu/gilbert.htm