Rob Sherman of Buffalo Grove is a warrior for the Constitution, which makes him one of my heroes. His latest quest, detailed in a June 10 Daily Herald story, has been a protracted battle in the judicial system to prevent $20,000 in state taxpayer money from being spent on the repair of a gigantic downstate mountain cross where annual Easter services are held.
Ever since Ronald Reagan made his political deal with the religious right, organized Christianity has become increasingly emboldened to extend its encroachment into the public square, endlessly seeking taxpayer cash. George W. Bush blew the lid off this situation with his "faith-based initiatives," which continue to this day despite their obvious unconstitutionality.
My hope is that Sherman will take this blatant case of politicians pandering to religious interests to the U.S. Supreme Court. Maybe $20,000 doesn't seem like a lot of money, but that's beside the point. I would rather see it go to any public school that could use it for repairs. Schools require real-world money for repairs; a Christian cross on a mountain should not need more than the power of prayer by the faithful.
Thorn Randall
Libertyville
