Juvenile Justice Bill

I am truly concerned about Thursday’s House vote [to permit the 10 Commandments to be posted in schools]. I was raised as a Christian and went to a private Lutheran grade school. We had the 10 Commandments posted, as well as many other religious teachings and symbols. I do not have a problem posting these things in private schools. But to single out one particular set of one religion’s beliefs as OK to post in all public schools, as well as any other government buildings that a state may designate, is an attack on our Constitution’s specific limits on the government’s power to establish or promote a religion.

The 10 Commandments’ proper place is in religious institutions, where each parent can make a conscious decision to instill their particular spiritual beliefs in their children. Posting the 10 Command- ments in schools is not necessarily always wrong. If it is displayed as part of a project or educational exhibit, then it certainly should be allowed.

But perhaps the worst thing I have heard was from Rep. Bob Barr (R-Ga.). He said that if the 10 Commandments had been posted at Columbine High School, the April 20 massacre would never have happened. Such a ludicrous statement truly insults the lives of those who died and the loved ones they leave behind.

DERIC CAMARIGG

West Hollywood

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Barr claims the posting of the 10 Commandments would have stopped the shootout at Columbine. Strange, since he is such a good believer in the 10 Commandments, as is Rep. Henry Hyde, and yet they committed adultery.

JACK SEIDMAN

Long Beach

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I’ve been a left-wing Democrat all my adult life, but this time I agree 100% with Republican Rep. Hyde’s reaction to the defeat of his amendment to the juvenile justice bill that would have banned the sale of violent media materials to minors (June 17): “But there is so much more to these kids’ empty spirits. A couple more gun laws are not going to get it.” Neither will outlawing violent movies, TV and published materials for minors.

What will do it is making the Children’s and Youths’ Bill of Rights for Equal Opportunity the law. It has been endorsed by religious leaders and progressives throughout the country. Every child has a right to protection from poverty, to adequate health care, reliable child care, appropriate education and help in making the transition from school to a suitable job.

TED NAGY

Granada Hills

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The leaders of this country have sent a message to America that violence is OK. The fact that materials showing murder, maiming, torture, etc. are readily accessible to children while materials showing nudity are not baffles me. The message sent by this disparity is that violence is OK while sex and the naked human body are wrong.

Both types of materials should be regulated, giving the ultimate decision of what a child views to parents. A child viewing a nude body or even consensual sex between adults seems far less psychologically harmful than a child viewing humans annihilating each another. The only way to end this country’s obsession with violence is to teach children that violence is not a solution to life’s problems.

ROBERT SOMERS

Newport Beach