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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Cross (as in the Cross of Christ) (08/17/06)
American Civil Liberties Union
Mr. Anthony D. Romero
Executive Director
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor,
New York, NY 10004

Ms. Heidi Clare
666 Daemon Way
Hell, Michigan 48169

Monday, August 21, 2006

Dear Mr. Romero:
Thank you for your tireless work on behalf of Americans everywhere. I was especially pleased to see the win against the Ten Commandments being displayed in Alabama’s court house; and also gladdened when many schools, through pressure from your excellent organization, banned their valedictorians from mentioning God in their final speeches.

However, I believe there is more we can do to enforce the separation of church and state. For example, every day when I drive home from work I am insulted to see so many crosses. I am not referring to the ones seen on church steeples (although hopefully in the future we can work on that too), or even the crosses misguided people place by the side of the road when someone is killed. No, I am talking about the cross bars used in objects like electricity poles, telephones wires, street signs and the like! It is an affront to me that private companies can place these things on public property and get away with it. I even wrote a few complaint letters to the local electric company, as well as my telephone company. I received responses back from both companies, and they said essentially the same thing: the ‘cross-bar’ also known as the ‘t-bar’ is the best, strongest way to keep wiring intact, and has proven durability in the middle of bad weather, and they have no plans to change the cross bar building technique in the foreseeable future. As far as I am concerned that is a huge infringement on my civil liberties, I should not have to be subjected to the sight of thousands of crosses every time I leave my house. Surely this is a case in the making? Non-Christians have rights too and my rights are being trampled on when it comes to this. Using government land is surely a violation of church and state.

Another issue that I believe needs to be dealt with as soon as possible has to do with education. Your organization has made great inroads in making sure we take religion, specifically Christianity out of the classroom, but I think there is one vital piece you have missed and that is part of the alphabet. My children, when they learnt their alphabet had to print all the letters out, including the lower-case ‘t’. What is the lower-case ‘t’ but a cross? So in every day writing we are all subjected to the cross, and I for one, am tired of it. I believe it is our right and our duty to eradicate the letter ‘t’ from the alphabet completely! And who better than the A.C.L.U. to achieve that? We can get the letter replaced with something less religious and more pleasing to people from all walks of life.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible as I really think we have compelling evidence for a court case in both of the issues I have raised. I am also contacting my local A.C.L.U. chapter so that we can start proceedings against my local utility companies. “Eradicate crosses!” is my new battle cry. I am sure that is one you can rally around too.

Yours sincerely,

Heidi Clare
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This article has been read 1611 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Kevin Kindrick
08/24/06
I would be laughing - but it's so close to the truth that it's frightening instead. I hope we can pull this nation out of the pit it's heading into before it plunges to the bottom.
Thanks for sharing, and God bless,

Kevin
Lynda Schultz 
08/25/06
Only too true, but it isn't hard to sense the paranoia of a society that actually believes that eradicating symbols can also eradicate truth. Great writing.
Jan Ackerson
08/25/06
This is awesome! I was predicting that we wouldn't see many humor pieces this week, and I'm so glad you found a way to inject this wry piece. More satire and irony than giggles, but wonderful, whatever you call it. One of my favorites.
Joanne Sher 
08/28/06
How clever is this??? What wonderful satire - couldn't we all see someone doing this?? I truly enjoyed this read!
Lynda Lee Schab 
08/28/06
HA! What's sad is that I can believe that letters similar to this one have actually been written and sent. It's getting so ridiculous. These days we hear about the rights of everyone (except the Christian, of course). Great reminder to raise our own voices in response to things like this. Creative and clever entry on topic. :-)
Rita Garcia
08/28/06
Creative,a light hearted touch with a heavy and powerful message!
Trina Courtenay
08/28/06
lol - loved this piece. So sad but so true.
Beth Muehlhausen
08/28/06
Great format and content . Creative way to use a a letter for this topic. :-)

This is sooooo ludicrous and yet sooooo possible. That's what makes this such a great entry!!

I'll think of this while looking at the electrical poles along my road for sure. Not to mention the "t's." LOL

Jan Ross
08/29/06
Well, Heidi Clare .... I declare!!! LOL What a letter and what a sense of humor! As others have said, it would be hillarious if it wasn't so close to the truth. I remember my teacher reminding me to "cross" my T's ... goodness! Did she say "cross"??? How far we've come from the nation our forefathers spilled their blood for! Regardless, this was an extremely creative piece and I appreciate your take on this topic! Wonderful!!!! :)

Shari Armstrong 
08/29/06
Oh - very nice - an excellent example of how rediculous their suits truly are.
Virginia Gorg
08/29/06
Priceless. I never thought of all the t's that are seen daily - I think I'll look around as I'm driving tomorrow. This is well done, flows well, and held my attention.
Verna Cole Mitchell 
08/29/06
Very creative irony!
Teri Wilson
08/30/06
How sad that this could be an actual letter! Great entry. I really enjoyed it. Loved the letter writer's name. LOL
Phyllis Inniss 
08/31/06
This is a timely and well thought out entry. Christians everywhere are under siege. Here in Trinidad & Tobago some non-Christians want our highest award, The Trinity Cross, to be replaced by something suitable to them. The relevance of what is happening around us makes your article more striking and very much to the point.