Georgetown covered religious symbols for Obama's speech

April 17, 10:06 PMAtheism ExaminerTrina Hoaks

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President Obama recently spoke at Georgetown University. In preparation for the event, Georgetown officials covered all religious symbols in the area where the president would be (at least in filming view), at the request of the White House.

Religious people are up in arms over the matter saying that it was disrespectful to Christians to cover the initials IHS, which are said to represent the name of Jesus. They took it as a slap in the face.

Ah, there they go again with their knee-jerk, whoa is me, I'm being persecuted, emotionally charged reactions to the extent that some religious "leaders" are calling for apologies. Come on, kids, it wasn't personal... not every thing is about you no matter how much you'd like to think it is.

President Obama has a Constitutional responsibility to not show favoritism to any religion. That is the first thing. The second thing is, as reported by Fox News, "'Decisions made about the backdrop for the speech were made to have a consistent background of American flags, which is standard for many presidential events,' said White House spokesman Shin Inouye in a statement released Thursday."

Although the auditorium where President Obama spoke was full of religious symbols, only "those likely to be picked up by a television camera" were hidden from sight, as well they should have been.

But is seems that people like Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, aren't happy with Georgetown's compliance to White House wishes. According to the report, he said it was "cowardice" and that "'[n]o bishop who might speak at the White House would ever request that a crucifix be displayed behind him.'" Well, I should hope not, Bill. That would be wholly inappropriate. Take a moment to read the US Constitution if you don't get it. And if you still don't get it after reading the Constitution (don't forget the Amendments) then it is because you don't want to and there is no hope for you. We call that "willful ignorance."

Barack Obama is the President of the United States of America. When he was sworn in, he promised to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." And by asking that religious symbols be covered while he is delivering a publicized speech in the capacity of the President of the United States, he is doing his job as it should be done, according to the governing document of this land.

He doesn't owe anyone an apology for doing his job the way it should be done and if any of you religious people think he does, not only are you sorely mistaken but you truly need to get over yourselves. The world doesn't revolve around you any more than the sun (or the universe) revolves around the earth.

The White House maintains that the only reason this was done was "to provide a proper setting for the speech."  (Get that? A "proper" setting.) Further, they said that "'any suggestions to the contrary are simply false.'"