[Vision2020] When the Fox Preaches, Look Out for the Geese

[Tom Hansen]

>From today's (June 11, 2005) Moscow-Pullman Daily News with a very, very
special thanks to Saundra Lund and Rose "Moscow Rose" Huskey.

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When the fox preaches, look out for the geese

By Rose Huskey and Saundra Lund

We grew up with the old-fashioned notion that ministers behaved more
ethically than the rest of us. After all, we reasoned, they chose godliness
as a career path. 

When Douglas Wilson, pastor of Christ Church, declares that "members of a
very weird alliance of evangelical Christians, gay activists, abortion
rights activists, open theists and secularists" are conducting a
"diversity-cleansing" campaign against him and his congregation, it must be
true. Why would he lie? The fact is, people lie to protect themselves or to
enhance their standing. Wilson is no exception. 

For several years community members have bumped heads with Wilson over many
issues. In 2003, Moscow residents became aware of Wilson's biblically based
defense of Southern slavery. Wilson insists that the content of his book,
"Southern Slavery As It Was," is not racist and that it is scripturally
correct. Despite scathing reviews and biting criticism from professional
historians and religious scholars, Wilson continues to defend his book. 

Peaceful protesters were on-hand for his annual church-sponsored history
conference in February 2004. The three-day event was not disrupted, but
Wilson's apparent anger over the negative community response to his book and
his conference has not diminished. In the April 28 edition of the Moscow-
Pullman Daily News Wilson claims the Latah County commissioners were used as
a "cat's paw" for settling personal scores. What personal scores? 

Last summer we protested property-tax exemptions given to Anselm House, a
church-owned office building, and New St. Andrews College. Two of the three
parcels in question lost their tax exemptions. We don't believe this loss
justifies the subsequent, continuing, public attacks on us from Wilson, some
church members and their allies. Recently we have been called: vultureness
(sic), ugly, troubled women, pigs, god-haters and hypocrites. 

This winter, zoning issues drew community attention to NSA. Pastor Wilson is
a founder and life member of the board of trustees of NSA. City code does
not allow educational institutions or schools to locate in the central
business district. Wilson's prior experience with similar NSA problems
should have prepared him to expect difficulties with the Main Street
location. 

In 2000, NSA operated from a private home in the Fort Russell District. When
unhappy neighbors complained about the increased traffic and parking
problems, city officials, who were unaware of the college, notified NSA
administrators that the college was violating zoning laws and must relocate.
Zoning officials specifically alerted them to the applicable codes and
processes required for operating schools and boarding houses. Meanwhile,
Christ Church members opened two new church-sanctioned schools, one in the
Nuart Theater, and the other just around the corner from the old NSA
location. Monthly reports on these schools are provided in Christ Church
congregational meetings. That information, however, was not shared with city
officials, who were unaware of their existence until last month. 

Because NSA administrators, including Wilson, philosophically oppose college
dormitories, NSA facilitates a boarding program for students. Approximately
22 Christ Church family households in Moscow, including Wilson's, offer room
and board for one to five students. This lucrative business operates beneath
city radar and with arrogant disregard for their effect on neighboring
homeowners. 

These surreptitious activities give lie to Wilson's blog-published remarks
"I am a believer in full disclosure." 

Like most of us, Wilson doesn't enjoy being thwarted. But few mature adults
retaliate like schoolyard bullies when they don't get their own way. Wilson
recently claimed in a national evangelical magazine (where he was reciting
the troubles heaped upon him by the Moscow community), that the University
of Idaho offered class credit for protesting his 2004 history conference.
That is a lie. 

His allegation that the Moscow School District was "materially involved in
the harassment of the history conference" is pure baloney. 

Wilson's practice of being silent when speech is lawfully required damages
our community, his credibility and his ministry. The fact is, twisting the
truth, name-calling, bellyaching, and bullying invite more, not less,
community scrutiny. 

Insisting on civic accountability doesn't make Wilson a victim of
intolerance; it just means that he is held to the same standards we are;
standards that apply even to ministers. 

* Saundra Lund is a graduate in philosophy from the University of Idaho, a
community activist and a Christian committed to social justice. Rose Huskey
has a master's degree in history from the UI, is a\~50-year\~resident of
Moscow,\~a lifelong human rights activist and Quaker.

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To these exemplary, selfless citizens, Moscow, Idaho will be eternally
grateful.

(And it's not even July yet)

Take care, Moscow.

Tom "batting fifth and playing cleanup for the Nasty Nine" Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

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"When people sin, everybody has to pay."

- Douglas Wilson of Wilson, Inc. (dba Christ Church) (June 7, 2002)

For more details:  http://www.tomandrodna.com/notonthepalouse

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