[QUOTE=lekatt]
Just a guess – less than 10%.
[/QUOTE]
Okay, so who are these “less than 10%” of secularists that caused a problem? Let’s take a closer look…
In 1930, Ponca City Oklahoma receives, as a gift, and erects a statue entitled Pioneer Woman. The statue depicts “…a young, sun bonneted pioneer mother, leading her son by the hand, striding confidently, head held high—a woman of sturdy beauty and dignity, whose eyes are fixed on the far southwestern horizon.” In the other hand, the woman carries a bible. Nobody seems to complain.
For the Oklahoma state commemorative quarter to be released in 2008, “four of [Oklahoma’s] five proposed designs for the quarter had featured the image of the 17-foot bronze statue” - Bible and all. In accordance with the established procedure, all five candidates were sent to the US Mint where the designs were finalized. Following criteriapreviously established by the Secretary of the Treasury, Mint officials removed the Bible from the four designs where it had appeared.
Oklahomans voted for their preference among the five finalized designs. More than half of the 148,000 votes cast chose the one design that did not depict the statue at all. Instead, they chose one depicting the state bird and wildflower. (Did having four designs with the statue divide the pro-statue faction and lead to a non-statue victory? Dirty secular trick eh? Oh wait, that was Oklahoma’s decision.)
[Quote=lekatt]
Oklahoma’s design for its quarter was objected to by “seculars.”[sup]1[/sup] Oklahoma had chosen the pioneer woman for the quarter[sup]2[/sup], but she has a Bible tucked under her arm which[sup]3[/sup] was said to violate separation of church and state.[sup]4[/sup] If you look real hard you can see a thick book[sup]5[/sup], the title is not apparent.[sup]6[/sup] So, Oklahoma had to come up with another design to placate the complainers.[sup]7[/sup] Is it always necessary to give-in on such trivial things.[sup]8[/sup] I find this something like the argument of how many Angels can stand or dance on the point of a pin. You can find the images of the quarter http://aleroy.com/albums/thumbnails.php?album=8 [sup]9[/sup] here and an explanation of the Angels argument Religious Conflict Essay | Bartleby here.
Someone else’s opinion is http://9rules.com/politics/notes/3424/ here.
In my humble opinion I believe the seculars are hurting their cause not helping it.[sup]10[/sup]
What is your take?
[/quote]
Here’s my take…
[sup]1[/sup]Misleading if not completely inaccurate. Specifically, who objected?
[sup]2[/sup]Incorrect. Oklahoma chose to submit five candidate designs and only four depicted the statue.
[sup]3[/sup]Misleading in the given context.
[sup]4[/sup]Specifically, said by who? Only indirectly true, if that.
[sup]5[/sup]Look hard where? Your links don’t show a pre-finalized design.
[sup]6[/sup]Because there is no Bible there.
[sup]7[/sup]Incorrect. Oklahoma submitted five designs at once. Redesign by the state was not necessary and did not occur.
[sup]8[/sup]Who “gave in” to what in this case? What is the pattern here?
[sup]9[/sup]The labels in this photo album are incorrect and misleading. Compare with the five finalized designs in my link above.
[sup]10[/sup]Unnamed “seculars” (who are apparently less than 10% of secularists) are hurting “their cause”? Who are the “seculars” in this case? One of the last three Secretaries of the Treasury appointed by President Bush. The Secretary’s minions? Well I hope so. They’re all government employees. Don’t you want them to act in a secular manner?