[Vision2020] Religion Has No Part in Process

[Tom Hansen]

>From today's (August 22, 2007) Moscow-Pullman Daily News with thanks and
appreciation to Joann Muneta -

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Religion has no part in process

A dispatcher from the Latah County Sheriff's Office posted a message to her
church's e-mail list regarding job openings suitable for "good Christian
men." In response to concern by members of the Latah County Human Rights
Task Force, Lois Blackburn and I visited with Sheriff Wayne Rausch on Aug.
17. We were pleased he was willing to discuss this matter with us. We
learned he had written a letter of correction to the dispatcher, who had
apologized.

We assured Rausch the concern we expressed did not relate to the particular
church that was contacted, but rather the principle that religious
affiliation should never be a part of a job search and that it is
unconstitutional to have a religious test for hiring. Our concern is to
maintain the separation of church and state and to assure Latah County
residents that people of all religions or no religion are welcome to apply
for government positions and all will be treated equally and fairly.

Rausch assured us religious affiliation is not a part of the hiring process.
We also believe he understands that it is inappropriate for religion to be
discussed by his government employees relative to their professional work,
and contacting any church regarding open positions and discussing the
religion of the people in office gives the wrong impression to our
community.

We asked the Sheriff to explore ways to contact the media to clarify his
policies regarding this matter, and he agreed to do so. (Opinion, Aug. 21)

Joann Muneta, chair, Latah County Human
Rights Task Force, Moscow

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"People who ridicule others while hiding behind anonymous monikers in
chat-room forums are neither brave nor clever."

- Latah County Sheriff Wayne Rausch (August 21, 2007)