Question for the litigators amongst the INGO crowd, and those that profess to be IANAL but ….
My background;
I am a live and let live kind of person. I am almost old (the new 50’s), was raised in a Christian faith. I salute the flag (Stars and Stripes), and honor our military heroes. You do what you wanna do as long as it doesn’t violate my space, give me the same consideration and we can be bud’s for life.
I live in southeastern Indiana, small town along the river, as my avatar might suggest. And I work for a gentleman in Soutrhwestern Ohio, who has a seasonal attraction business, along with several other properties and interest. ‘Am salaried and work five to six days a week, sometimes seven days a week in the summer, non specific hours. I have owned my own business in the past, and will again in the future. And I shoot, I have for 50 years, ….. guns … and pool, sometimes well, sometimes not.
My general daily routine;
I generally leave home in the 8:30 to 9ish area and part of my travel has me going east on U.S highway 50. Some days we “work” at a property in Indiana, some days we are at the facility in Ohio. FWIW; we generally call it a day around 4 to 5 in the afternoon, depending on the project and it’s importance.
The situation;
This past Tuesday morning, February 7[SUP]th[/SUP], as I am weaving in and out of traffic, eastbound on the above mentioned route of travel, with cinnamon roll in hand and a hot medium black coffee in the cup holder. Oh, don’t forget to stop and see Donna and the girls for fresh pastries and hot coffee. Anywho…. as I am motivating eastbound, I come up upon a van. Not just your ordinary soccer mommy van, it was a soccer mommy van on steroids, maybe a cargo van in design, but this one is being used for jobsite service work. You know, an inspector, a spotter, a locator, that kind of educated truck load of high tech equipment type van. Maybe Freightliner Sprinters were the first of the kind, to give you a mental picture, but as I looked around the last few days I notice that most of the major brands have that type of soccer mommy on steroid type of vehicle on the road now. Anyway, as I dodge to the right lane to pass, and as I gain position on this object vehicle, what to my surprise … it has an INDOT decal on the right door. Kewl, INDOT has some new equipment, freshly washed, fairly new and lookin’ good. Now about this time as I am passing subject vehicle on the right, I notice he has those little locating flags, red flags on wire stems, in one of the tool cage bins in the back, visible as you approach from the rear through the rear door glass window. Hanging on the front bumper are the prerequisite red cones for directing traffic around your work area when working in a public thorofare, and other equipment of the trade. So far, so good. BUT here is were it get’s interesting. Doesn’t matter, but I would presume that this vehicle is dedicated to the “technician” that is driving due to the above mentioned special equipment that is noticeable through the portals of the vehicle. Soooo…… it’s about this time that I notice, that hanging from the windshield center, maybe it was hanging from a rear view mirror not sure, but in that general location, is a religious specific symbol, Christian in nature. This wasn’t a small symbol, like gold on a chain, this was somewhat large (IMO) to be hanging from windshield center. It was wooden, polished and shiny, about six inches in length, very conspicuous. About half the size of one of those kits some people have at home for use during a clergy visitation, or maybe last rights. Those that have been indoctrinated since childhood will know what I speak of. Anyway it was large, and very visible.
And now ……… The Question;
Does this display of a religious symbol, due to it’s mounted or dangling position which is clearly visible to the general traveling public (me), violate separation of church and state due to this being a state owned vehicle, not to mention that the operator is on the clock, being paid by the state? And that it was technically attached to said state property, the van windshield.
Now once again I am a live and let live type of person. I don’t care if this “technician” wears whatever on his person as a sign of his diety admiration. OR if you want to display a recreation of a birthing event that may have happened during the winter solstice season some 2000 years ago on your local courthouse lawn, I DON’T CARE.
BUT…. This religious symbol which is being displayed on, and attached to state property, and visible to the common passerby is what raised my query.
FWIW; I find this less “offensive” than any other possible religious or political display that may be out there. (Star of David, Crescent Moon, ISIL, swastika, rainbow flags, rainbow colored unicorns, or whatever else)
Litigators what are your opinions? IANAL but…. opinions welcome as well.
My background;
I am a live and let live kind of person. I am almost old (the new 50’s), was raised in a Christian faith. I salute the flag (Stars and Stripes), and honor our military heroes. You do what you wanna do as long as it doesn’t violate my space, give me the same consideration and we can be bud’s for life.
I live in southeastern Indiana, small town along the river, as my avatar might suggest. And I work for a gentleman in Soutrhwestern Ohio, who has a seasonal attraction business, along with several other properties and interest. ‘Am salaried and work five to six days a week, sometimes seven days a week in the summer, non specific hours. I have owned my own business in the past, and will again in the future. And I shoot, I have for 50 years, ….. guns … and pool, sometimes well, sometimes not.
My general daily routine;
I generally leave home in the 8:30 to 9ish area and part of my travel has me going east on U.S highway 50. Some days we “work” at a property in Indiana, some days we are at the facility in Ohio. FWIW; we generally call it a day around 4 to 5 in the afternoon, depending on the project and it’s importance.
The situation;
This past Tuesday morning, February 7[SUP]th[/SUP], as I am weaving in and out of traffic, eastbound on the above mentioned route of travel, with cinnamon roll in hand and a hot medium black coffee in the cup holder. Oh, don’t forget to stop and see Donna and the girls for fresh pastries and hot coffee. Anywho…. as I am motivating eastbound, I come up upon a van. Not just your ordinary soccer mommy van, it was a soccer mommy van on steroids, maybe a cargo van in design, but this one is being used for jobsite service work. You know, an inspector, a spotter, a locator, that kind of educated truck load of high tech equipment type van. Maybe Freightliner Sprinters were the first of the kind, to give you a mental picture, but as I looked around the last few days I notice that most of the major brands have that type of soccer mommy on steroid type of vehicle on the road now. Anyway, as I dodge to the right lane to pass, and as I gain position on this object vehicle, what to my surprise … it has an INDOT decal on the right door. Kewl, INDOT has some new equipment, freshly washed, fairly new and lookin’ good. Now about this time as I am passing subject vehicle on the right, I notice he has those little locating flags, red flags on wire stems, in one of the tool cage bins in the back, visible as you approach from the rear through the rear door glass window. Hanging on the front bumper are the prerequisite red cones for directing traffic around your work area when working in a public thorofare, and other equipment of the trade. So far, so good. BUT here is were it get’s interesting. Doesn’t matter, but I would presume that this vehicle is dedicated to the “technician” that is driving due to the above mentioned special equipment that is noticeable through the portals of the vehicle. Soooo…… it’s about this time that I notice, that hanging from the windshield center, maybe it was hanging from a rear view mirror not sure, but in that general location, is a religious specific symbol, Christian in nature. This wasn’t a small symbol, like gold on a chain, this was somewhat large (IMO) to be hanging from windshield center. It was wooden, polished and shiny, about six inches in length, very conspicuous. About half the size of one of those kits some people have at home for use during a clergy visitation, or maybe last rights. Those that have been indoctrinated since childhood will know what I speak of. Anyway it was large, and very visible.
And now ……… The Question;
Does this display of a religious symbol, due to it’s mounted or dangling position which is clearly visible to the general traveling public (me), violate separation of church and state due to this being a state owned vehicle, not to mention that the operator is on the clock, being paid by the state? And that it was technically attached to said state property, the van windshield.
Now once again I am a live and let live type of person. I don’t care if this “technician” wears whatever on his person as a sign of his diety admiration. OR if you want to display a recreation of a birthing event that may have happened during the winter solstice season some 2000 years ago on your local courthouse lawn, I DON’T CARE.
BUT…. This religious symbol which is being displayed on, and attached to state property, and visible to the common passerby is what raised my query.
FWIW; I find this less “offensive” than any other possible religious or political display that may be out there. (Star of David, Crescent Moon, ISIL, swastika, rainbow flags, rainbow colored unicorns, or whatever else)
Litigators what are your opinions? IANAL but…. opinions welcome as well.
