Old issues do not die...they become Zombies and cry out for "more brains"

More brains...more brains....

Like Zombies shuffling on the cemetary lawn, the 10 Commandments Monument issue in Boise will not die.

"Why? What's the deal? Who are these folks being sued and why didn't they pay? Who really cares?" people seem to say. I can understand their questions.

I'm not sure why Boise's Brandi Swindell and Bryan Fischer didn't pay their fines. That's between them and The Taxman, down at City Hall. I know both people to be honest, upright folks. If they haven't paid, they will.

Regarding the other questions: as a person with a unique eye-witness perspective on this whole 10 Commandments issue, may I present my "That-was-Then Credentials" and then possibly lay out my observations of what's happening now?

That Was Then:

• I organized a park "event" in December 2005 to thank city fathers from 40 years ago for their placing of the little-known Monument in Julia Davis Park. About 500 people showed up, among them were many of the individuals who eventually formed Keep the Commandments Coalition. Most of the folks in attendance didn't even know a Monument was in the Park...funny, huh?
• A weirdo guy from Kansas (Fred Phelps) decided to organize a "picket" of our "thank you" event. It got weird, Phase I.
• Local elected officials decided to remove the Monument. Heated city hall times. Weird, Phase II.
• People protested in vehement tones that the Monument would be removed after self-imposed chains were cut and arrests made. (Very adventureous, though the chains never came to pass - especially for a Monument that few knew was there!)
• It became clear that the folks newly in charge did not wish for me to help them organize....which was greeted ultimately by me with great joy! (I think I was too controversial back then...tee hee. Think about that one for a minute...)
• Later when it was agreed on by all parties to arrest a selected amount of protesters, I was among those selected. (Not sure why I was chosen.) Some leaders declined. Weird, Phase III.
• Police Day. Arrest Day for 12 of us. Removal of Monument Day for the rest.
• Then Court Day (We lost - surprise!). Some appealed - but I did not. Sentencing Day was the same day. I received a number of community hours, which I completed at the VA, helping old soldiers. (That was totally non-weird....I loved it.)
• Court appeals, a Campaign, a Supreme Court decision, an election...and finally a loss....but NO! The issue never died. The shuffling of the mud-splashed boots slid across the lawn....
• Now the fines.....but will it FINALLY be dead once the checks clear at City Hall?

Let's see....

This is Now:

• The issue of the 10 Commandments being moved was, as Pink Floyd says "just another brick in the wall." Both sides seemed to enjoy the conflict, way too much. Even now.
• When I did the initial "thank you" event in 2005, I had NO IDEA that the City Council would match the Kansas guy - weirdness for weirdness.
• When the Leaders of the protest emerged, it just had too showy of a pretense about it. Hard to explain. Just a little "too"...do you know what I mean? The guy from DC who came out all the time seemed to have two mouths and one-half of an ear....whipping up the locals, sort of thing.
• The line was drawn and reputations were destroyed...or at least as much as Zombies on both sides of the issue would care about their reputations, as they slowly mouthed..."More Brains"....
• The City stuck a spade in the cemetery lawn recently to purposely (and very publicly) dig up a few more Zombie parts....about 10,000 of them, I think.
• Fines have been levied and fines will be paid.....

All for what? Publicity? Maybe. A "cause"? Kind of, I suppose. Power? Most definitely. And now these years later? Continued strife is the only fruit that I see. I regret having hosted the first "thank you" event. Though I was arrested as one of the 12, I am glad I did not appeal. Though my conservative credentials are impeccable, I see now that works, void of real faith mean very little.

The recovering drug addicts, against whom the Legislature recently turned, may look like "walking dead Zombies" to motorists as they pass them on the street at 35 mph, but I assure you they are in the process of regaining their "brains" and they are nowhere near any cemetary's newly mowed lawn.

I wish the same could be said for the 10 Commandments Monument issue in Boise.

Den

Comments

[Dennis]

Good comment, fellow arrestee....

You were a blessing to see stand up for what you and I believed in during that time period AND for your willingness to not appeal the conviction, as well.
Den

[Mindi Wilhelm]

I chalk up being arrested and all that followed as a learning experience, for me, and for my kids who watched. It doesn't matter that we lost at absolutely every turn. The next generation saw a group of people who were willing to pay the price for what is important. Faithfulness, not success, is the ultimate goal.