Americans have it pretty great. So great, in fact, that some Americans have to create issues to be upset about to give their lives purpose.
Sometimes there isn’t a boogeyman to crusade against, so these people have to seek one out and sometimes create one out of thin air.
This appears to perfectly describe an activist organization known as the “Freedom from Religion Foundation,” a group of sad Wisconsin people with a national following who scour the internet and their emails looking for stories to get outraged about.
Their “outrages” are usually a school prayer or prayer before a city council meeting.
They find these horrific events and send off a letter to the entity that is seeking God’s guidance and protection and a press release to lazy local reporters who will gladly jump on an issue that they feel could get some national traction by paraphrasing a press release from a group like this.
One of their most recent outrages comes right here from the state of Alabama, where Reeltown High School’s head football coach Matt Johnson witnessed some of his players being baptized after school activities were over.
No students involved have complained. Instead, someone sent an email to the organization and off they went.
According to FFRF spokesman Dan Barker in an interview with WVNN’s “The Dale Jackson Show,” Tallapoosa County Schools did not respond to his organization’s harassment.
Good for them.
The head coach made it clear that he would not be bullied by a letter and a press release, saying, “[This] will never ever change as long as I am here or as long as this place is open.”
Good for him.
Even Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope) responded and defended the school, its coach and this state from absurd outsiders with an internet connection and too much time on their hands by saying the FFRF “needs to pack it up and stop forcing their ungodly, un-American views down our throats.”
Byrne understands what pretty much everyone in the state of Alabama knows: that this is something to celebrate, not demonize.
Barker attempted to explain that his organization had a higher purpose than picking stupid fights.
Not one to take this situation lightly, Barker argued, “It’s kind of embarrassing. They got this, like, big bathtub out there. It’s kind of demeaning, kind of debasing, telling these students they need to debase themselves and submit to this lord master god thing.”
I wonder what Barker thinks of Jesus “debasing” himself when he was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River?
Clearly having a great grip on this situation and reality, Barker continued on to say that Coach Johnson needs to “stop violating his office.”
He’s talking about the head football coach’s “oath of office,” so he is clearly on solid ground here.
When pressed, Barker acknowledged that no one has been baptized against their will. He also had a hard time remembering which school he was pretending to be outraged about.
He knows that no one at Reeltown High School is upset about this and Barker even reluctantly admitted that with 10 full-time attorneys and office space in Wisconsin, the FFRF can’t even find an aggrieved party to act as a basis for a lawsuit here.
My takeaway:
The solution to this is simple. FFRF needs to leave these kids, coaches and Alabamians alone.
They are attempting to create controversy in a community where there is none.
Reeltown High School and every other government entity in Alabama and beyond should ignore the email they got from this group of busybodies operating from their sad offices in Wisconsin while they keep living the best life they can.
Listen:
Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.
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