UPDATE on the prayer meeting/mayor-city hall/newspaper, controversy.

First to get the full context of this issue, please scroll down and read the post below this one, my original post on the matter/issue, that post wiull tell you to go to my other blog and read, do that{if you have'nt allready, and then return here to read this post;


First here is an update on what transpired after my original letter to the editor of the local newspaper about the issue of the fundy prayer meeting in the Mayors office.
First they published my original letter in the paper. Two days later they did a front page cover story on the cotroversy, with all the plaeyers opinions and what happenned,etc{Myself, the Myor, a city counsllor, well-they did'nt have anything from the religious leaders whom held the meeting}.]
The Mayors response was typcial,evasive,deceptive, and he showed a lack of understanding of satanism,paganism, and "others" whose religions he "thinks" are BLANKET anti-religious and that he "thinks" "go against the grain".

So, I wrote another letter to the editor to address his prejudgedmental misconceptions, and also to correct the Article writer for a mistake in reporting on who I am and what I do{he called me a University student, and understandable mireading oif my email address westman@UNIVERSIST.COM}.

Anyways, here is todays letter to the editor from me,a supporting letter from another citizen of my city who gives me praise for what I've done, and... the newspapers publisher short article peace of support of me and furhter questionong of the mayors and the religious groups deceptiveness:


ACTUALLY HERE IS THE FULL LETTER:{They did however altar it a bit in the newspaper from what it says here, they made it look better with less grammatical,spelling erros,etc; and in places where I SORTA REPEAT MYSELF OR DRAG ON THEY SHORTENED IT UP A BIT OR RE-WROTE IT SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT BUT GET THE SAME POINTS ACROSS: oops..sorry for the "shouting" there-the "caps lock' button keeps getting stuck in place w/out me noticing it and I don't feel like going back to correct it, LoL!!! I'm lazy, sorry}

.LETTER TO EDITOR: "RELIGIOUS GROUPS SHOULD PAY TO USE CITY HALL".Thank you for printing my letter about the prayer meeting in Mayor Burgess office,and thank you for the front page article on the matter.I wanted to clear up a couple misunderstandings that appeared in the June 9th,front page article.First, I am not a University student{at the moment}. I think that this misunderstanding is from my email address which ends with @universist.com. Universism is a faithless freethought pseudo-religion that unites Atheists,Agnostics,Deists,Pantheists, and Trancendentalists. I figured I should clear this up, again I am not currently a University student, and the misconception is likely from the email address.Second, Mayor Burgess should indeed make an apology, even if, as Councillor Barletta put it,it is an "isolated incident". Because as we can see in your article, Mayor Burgess is playing favoritism at least to "some" degree as I said before in my letter. Mayor Burgess ignorant attitude against Satanists{and "others"} is appalling. Let me make this clear to you,"most"{not neccaserily "all"} Satanists don't 'oppose' "all" other religions, they 'oppose' those ones that seek to dominate above everyone else, that think they alone have the one true way and thereby demonize all other religions/non-religions. Mayor Burgess says he's not respectful of those that have an anti-religious attitude. REALLY? Hmmm..what do you call those fundamentalists you allowed to pray in your office? I know for a fact that they are anti-religion against EVERY other religion and non-religion in existence, I used to be one of them; in fact I used to be involved w/Bethel Temple. So, I't's ok for these people whom think every other religion,non-religion, and even many sects of those that share their basic faith is demonically decieved and must be saved from that belief to do this, that is'nt anti-religious; but those groups that are opposed to that kind of one wayist arrogant attitude and are ok w/other religions that are'nt of that kind of prejudgement and arrogance are anti-religiuos, please explain the logic of this argument to me?! As far as those that go against the grain, please- elaborate, is that why you were hesitent abaout paganism too{ie: Wicca, Asatru, Odinism,etc}? It saddens me to see that this kind of ignorance and double-standard still exists here. It's acceptable for those that think EVERY belief/unbelief and even many sects of their own faith are evil and demonically decieved,etc, and to be opposed and saved from their wicked ways,to do such things and are respected for it; and yet those that are democratically minded and oppose only those religions that are like that, and do not oppose those that are'nt so much so. Wow! I'm truly disgusted at these hypocritical double-standard. I think burgess owes a public apology to those freethinking,progressive non-revealed religions that he has just insulted as well as those that he by proxy has insulted{other revealed religions included} by assuming that fundamentalist christians are respectful of other religions whilst satanists,pagans, and other groups that go against the grain {but are more fair and just in their thinking}are not- and are anti-religious. Truly this ignorance should be addressed and altered. Obviously, the fundamentalists mindsets have indeed had a subversive affect on the Mayor after all{just as I suspected}I propose that "if" this is going to be allowed in City Hall, that Brandon do something akin to what Winnipeg does, and make religious groups pay up first. But I do demand that Mayor Burgess publicly apologize for his lack of understanding and his ignorant double-standarded comments making satanists,pagans, and those myterious "others"{please elaborate on whom?} anti-religious and "against the grain"{whatever that means} and bad, whilst making the fundamentalists whom by nature of their fundamentalist faith see EVERY other belief/unbelief and even sects of their own faith as demonically decieved,sinful,evil. Also, I hope that he will apologize for allowing them to hold their worship service in his office, "isolated incident"or not, as the Maypr he should have known better, he is obviuosly trying to shirk responsibility for his mess up.I hope this letter will be published for a few reasons. {1} to clear up the "university student" confusion, and {2} to clear up the ignorant misconceptions and double-standards of that Mayor Burgess spoke and showed. and {3} to show that those so-called "anti-religious", "against the grain" groups are actually more fair and equality minded than the fundamentalists that have been showered w/praise when they are by nature quite the opposite.Thank you again to the "Brandon Sun" for allowing me to address this very important issue of religious tolerance, equality, and seperation of church and state.I appreciate it, and others of like mind likely thank you as well.In Reason: Bill Baker


Now here is the newspaper publishers response and thee reponse from the local citizen:


Here are those articles. First, what the newspaper publisher had to say about the issue{his name is Ewan Pow}, and then what the local citizen wrote{the local citizens name is Tanya A. Ross}


.EWAN POW:{quote}Mayor Dave Burgess told the Brandon Sun he makes no apologies for letting religious groups use Brandon City Hall for prayer meetings. The issue was raised in a letter to the editor in last Tuesadays Sun. The Writer, Bill Baker, questioned the appropriatness of holding, as he described, "fundamentalist prayer meetings" in the Mayors office.Mr.Burgess Told the Sun neither he nor other City Hall administration took part in the session saying "...they pray for the work of city services and elected officials and the city at large. I think that's a very credible,worthy endeavor to take on". The Use of City Hall for that meeting was not an isolated occasion. City communications staff reported this particular group has been meeting at City Hall for about three years.Forgive my cynicism, but I can't help but feel there is an ulterior motive for meeting at City Hall. After all I am sure there is adequate space in one of the churches for such a prayer meeting. Some might view them as a lobby group. You know- if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, chances are it's a duck.Last month, intergovernmental affairs and trade minister Scott Smith wondered out loud whether Brandon should rethink the choice it made against gambling less than three years ago. Mr. Burgess was annoyed, saying for the minister to even bring it up risks tearing the community apart and fuelling the racial tensions that marred the casino debate.Bethel Christian Assembly Pastor Mike Davis claimed the the city's clergy was even more opposed to a city casino today than it was in 2002.Citizens of Brandon can legitametely ask whether or not a third party influenced the city's position on casinos unduly.City Council and administration need to be conciuos of the optics of such use of 410 ninth street. Ewan Pow{Brandon Sun Publisher}-{unquote}



Letter the Editor:KUDOS TO BAKER:{QUOTE} I just read Bill Bakers recent letter to the editor{June 7}. I found it to be a well-reasoned, articulate expression of concern about the influence that a select few local religious groups may have at City Hall.Mr. Bakers letter served to expose an important issue that many others were too timid to write about. That took courage on his part. I look forward to reading future letters written by Mr.Baker regardding issues of concern to him.Tanya A.Ross. Brandon {UNQUOTE}



This is truly awesome folks. Brandon {my city} is alot like the Southern States of the U.S. heavily inundated w/evangelical/fundamentalist Christianity. To have this kind of impact for the faithless, the freethinking the non-fundamentalists, and the people{including those of faith} that are concerned about seperation of church and state beeing honoured; well, I'm shocked that the respose to this thus far has been so positive to be honest, seriuosly shocked!!! and happy the culture war in indeed on!!!



p.s. I think another reason this is of concern to the local newspaper and some other citizens is because last yeaar w/the mayors approval some workers from city hall were sent to America on a "business training trip: to the U.S. to a conference held by a Christian evangelical business group, and they were sent on the citys dime.


Anyways, this is what has traspired, I will continue to keep you informed of what happens.

In Reason:
The very irreverand Bill Baker