May 15, 2008
The Board of Trustees for Saddleback and Irvine Valley Community Colleges has been offering formal prayers at the annual scholarship ceremony for years, despite repeated protest. This is board president Donald Wagner's response to a letter from the legal staff at Americans United for Separation of Church and State informing them that this was unconstitutional. How sad that he chose to introduce an angry and divisive speech into a ceremony whose purpose was to honor students.
Nothing says "I'm secure in my beliefs" like a bitter, public diatribe.
Epicrebt07 2 years ago
It angers me that such deliberate unconstitutionality occurs in residence acclaimed with higher education. What further angers me is that no one stood up for to protest such a blatant violation of constitutional rights.
surfjunkie44 2 years ago
Thomas Jefferson was notorious for his unbelief in the doctrines of Christianity (he was an outspoken Deist, not a Theist), and George Washington refused to take part in any act of Communion (among other things, leading many to believe that he too was an unbeliever).
Not only this, but google the Treaty of Tripoli, more precisely Article 11:
"Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion..."
Coldannon 2 years ago
What a douche bag.
jedum1 2 years ago
What's sad is he will likely never realize he was so worked up, and inappropriately used this ceremony, to shout off about an issue he knows little about... that tons of Christians would be embarrassed by him because he has no clue that NEUTRALITY is NOT pro-atheism.
OhioJoe2000 2 years ago
Leave it to Orange County to elect guys like this to lead educational institutions.
qsynergy 3 years ago
Im totally right there! The guy in the crazy shirt. i love it. The star of the show.
plummypal 3 years ago
That a tantrum that was. What a smug and self-serving diatribe. I hope that guy loses his office for such a shameful display of immaturity.
saturdaynightbob 3 years ago 2
The Board of Trustees for Saddleback and Irvine Valley Community Colleges has been offering formal prayers at the annual scholarship ceremony for years, despite repeated protest. This is board president Donald Wagner's response to a letter from the legal staff at Americans United for Separation of Church and State informing them that this was unconstitutional. How sad that he chose to introduce an angry and divisive speech into a ceremony whose purpose was to honor students.
westphalkarla 3 years ago 2