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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>The outcome of last night’s Board of Adjustment hearing was a disappointment, but not unexpected. After initiating ordinances which effectively banned University of Idaho expansion into the central business district a number of years ago the BOA (Board of Adjustment) inexplicitly welcomes the same intrusion by New Saint Andrews College. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Prior to the beginning of the meeting last night attendees were warned that any mention of religion could taint the findings of the Board if the petitioning party, i.e. New Saint Andrews College, felt that anti-Christ Church rhetoric violated their <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=1st+amendment">first amendment rights</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>I think that warning was, in itself, a violation of constitutional rights – ours. Freedom of religion was not on the agenda, the petition of an educational institution to expand its footprint downtown, which is prohibited without special permission, was. Even if opponents of the conditional use permit had raised issues about the theology of the school (which, in truth are anathema to many community members, and conceitedly include discrimination based on sexual orientation, distorted and inaccurate understandings of race based slavery, the insistence of female submission to male headship, and distain for fact-based science) those community members had every right to exercise their first amendment rights to free speech – which they were explicitly instructed not to use. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>It could be argued that such expression was not germane to the conditional use permit process, but as long as the board did not (and could not) compel NSA administrators, faculty, and staff to reject their beliefs the free practice of their faith was never in jeopardy. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Moscow has, it turns out an Alice in Wonderland like ordinance that provides church associated bigotry a free pass which un-churched community members are denied. The disgusting discrimination practiced by New Saint Andrews and its parent company Christ Church is protected under the guise of religious freedom. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><a href="http://www.ci.moscow.id.us/records/Ordinances/OR_2013-06.pdf">Ordinance 13-6 of the City of Moscow</a> states:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>“</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>19-4. Exceptions. A. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>This Chapter shall not apply to: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-left:0in;text-indent:0in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>1.<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'>A religious corporation, association, educational institution, or society, trust or any entity or association which is a wholly owned or controlled subsidiary or agency of any religious corporation, association, society, trust or corporation sole. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>So, in a fell swoop last night the bigots won the battle that the secular, state university, which is legislatively banned from discriminatory practices, lost several years ago. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Would the BOA grant a conditional use permit to Fred Phelps and his creepy followers? What about the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Policy_Institute">National Policy Institute</a>, <a href="http://www.dixienet.org/">The League of the South</a>, or <a href="http://www.americaspromiseministries.org/">America’s Promise Ministries</a>? My guess is they could and they would on the grounds that their repugnant philosophies have equal standing with those of community members who value inclusiveness and human dignity. You know what? Ethically and morally they don’t. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Moscow is on the edge of a precipice - shall we just go ahead and change the name of Main Street to Hate Street and hand the key of the city to Doug Wilson et al, or do we begin to reclaim what we appear to have lost?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'>Rose Huskey<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:windowtext'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>