From: Ron & Heidi Wegner
To: (30 citizen's names removed)
Sent: Saturday, May 29, 2004 11:24 AM
Subject: Countryside Nursing Home Cross

Hi everyone,

I often have an opinion on local politics, but usually don't display my opinions in letters to editor and in too many public places short of over the back yard fence. But reading Friday night's May 28th Jefferson County Union's front page struck a nerve so hard in me that I feel compelled to burst at the seems and write my "letter to the editor" and share my thoughts on a wider scale.

I am not sure if you have read the article on the front page entitled "Countryside cross, altar placement questioned", if you have not, I strongly encourage you to take a moment and give it a look. I hope after reading it you will also be outraged and moved to action.

It would appear that once again our local liberal pain in the ass John Foust whose reputation precedes, him has stuck his nose into an area that is none of his concern. I think it is time for Mr. Foust to either get a real job, find a new hobby or perhaps move. Mr. Foust believes that now it is inappropriate to have an altar and cross in plain view and in a public building such as Countryside. He was "outraged" to see this during the Mayoral forum that was held a month or so ago, and he has demanded that it be removed or hidden out of site. Shame on our County Board for even entertaining this notion to this point and for taking the action of hiding this altar and cross behind a curtain for the time being until we can entertain Mr. Foust.

Mr. Foust, I believe you should be hidden out of site. The generation of people who now reside at Countryside and their visitors (having been a frequent visitor myself) are of a generation where religion was important. They come from a generation where religion and respect for their Lord was paramount regardless of the denomination to which they belong. How dare you come into this place for which you have no regular business and begin to dictate what can and can't be displayed. I believe that it is reasonable to believe that the majority of residents at Countryside are from one of our local churches, or maybe they don't belong to any. Either way, I haven't heard any of them or their family members complaining that the altar and cross are offensive to them. I have had the unfortunate opportunity to sit at the beside of dying family member in that building. I have had the opportunity sit in front of that altar and cross and ask for strength for the day at hand and the days to come. I did this without having to "pull the curtain" out of the way or go and dig out the altar and cross out of the closet first! If you don't like it, there are two options available to you as I see it 1) Don't come into that building (I don't recall seeing you at the old building where a similar cross and altar stood forever Mr. Foust?) 2) If you do have business there, don't look! and just go about your business, this obviously isn't there for you anyway. If you want the idol that you worship and that makes you feel good, then buy it and stick it there. But until you are willing to do that.......sit down and shut up!

There is an email that has been floating around in recent weeks that describes in detail the references to God all over the monuments in Washington D.C. I wish I would have saved it for just this occasion. Pick up a coin or a bill, "In God We Trust". This country and this county has deep seated roots in religion, I don't care which denomination. I for one will not sit quietly by while one man tries to scare the Jefferson County Board of Supervisors and make us hide the basis for which this area of the country was built on. The RESIDENT's of Countryside Home need our assistance to make sure this atrocity is not committed.

I implore you to join me on Thursday night June 3rd, at 6:30 pm at Countryside Home to express your outrage at Mr. Foust's "issues". I think it is time to stand up for what we believe in and let the majority voice be heard for once and not just the minority. Let your elected County Board members know how you feel.

Please pass this along to anyone you wish. I believe that this is an important issue and really hits at the heart of this community. Enough is enough! It is time to show Mr. Foust that there are just some issues in this community that you don't mess with.

Thanks for you time!

Ron Wegner