From:
Jeffrey Bergosh <Jbergosh@escambia.k12.fl.us>
To: Andre Ryland
Sent: Tuesday, October
7, 2014 9:43 AM
Subject: Re: ECSB Invocations
Andre,
Thanks for your
honest reply. I answer your question with a couple of my own. Please answer
honestly--of course you are under no obligation to do so.
Have you attended a meeting of the School Board of Escambia County,
ever? If so, when was the last time?
Yes, and most recent was Willie Spears night where I gave you some
advice as a person who has been elected
to
municipal government, --- that your invocation policy has a problem, and I'm
just trying to help you save some taxpayer $.
You mention a tutoring program. Are you currently tutoring a
student? If so, how long?
No,
but I and a number of others are interested. Would we with university degrees
not qualify due to our philosophies?
You
ask, "Can we just never be friends?" I think that is an unfair question; as a
public official, it is part of my job to undertake outreach with the
constituents, which I do. Thus this email. I am a friendly person, and If I
met you I'm certain we would get along just fine. With this said, I would need
to know a lot more about you before I would call you a friend.
Friends share
commonalities, friends share values, friends share
vision. Friends are friends unconditionally, once they
are trusted. I do not know you, therefore how can I consider you a
friend?
My apologies---I was just wondering if anyone like me could ever be
considered a friend. If we choose to disagree, like
many in history have done, and yet still be friendly, but I see
your requirements.
But let me ask you one final question. Must I bring a person off the
street that I do not know as my personal invitee to bring a pre-meeting prayer on my behalf in order
to prove I am a good and just person? Putting someone like you ahead of MANY friends I
do already have that share my beliefs--is that fair to them?
I
would have no problem with you doing it just this way in a side chapel room that
is not open to the public. Then "someone like me" would
never be heard from ever again.
If I chose
to bring someone that shares my faith, and that of the entire board, over someone like you that nobody on the board
shares a common religion with--does this make me unjust.
Not
at all if this were your church---it would make absolute sense.
Remember the context, Andre; These prayers are for the
benefit of the elected legislative body--not to satisfy some
religious litmus test. So, again I ask--if I don't choose you but instead
choose someone that is my friend, somebody I know, who shares a common religion
with my peers-how is this wrong?
Again, it is not wrong in a religious setting and I defend your
right to the freedom of religion and to worship how you choose. So if they are
for the body then have them just for the body and not the
general public. SCOTUS has said if you have invocations for the body, open to
the public, you must allow the public to also invoke you the body without
discrimination.
These are important
questions the answers for which I would like to know from your perspective.
Have a great day!
Thanks, and you
too. Andre
Jeff B.
Jeff Bergosh
Escambia County School Board
District 1 Board Representative
850-469-6147
www.jeffbergoshblog.blogspot.com
jbergosh@escambia.k12.fl.us
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