PROVO -- Stephen Clark has thrown down the gauntlet -- a year in advance.
Clark, legal director for Utah's chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said Wednesday that government decrees embracing Bible Week might have slipped by this year but will not go uncontested next year by the civil-rights watchdog group.In a letter to Gov. Mike Leavitt and four mayors who signed such declarations last month, Clark reminded them of a decision by a federal district court judge to issue a temporary restraining order against Arizona's endorsement of a similar proclamation.
U.S. District Judge Roslyn O. Silver last week agreed with the Arizona ACLU that Bible Week violates constitutional provisions by promoting religion over non-religion and affiliates the government with the Bible, a book considered sacred by most Judeo-Christians.
Clark asked officials to "take note of the Arizona's court action" and refrain from approving declarations in support of national Bible Week in November 1999.
"Otherwise, the ACLU will be forced to ask the court here to declare the proclamation uncon- stitutional and grant other appropriate relief," Clark said.
ACLU officials petitioned Leavitt and officials in Provo, Springville, North Salt Lake and Bountiful to rescind decrees promoting the Bible as a "source of moral and spiritual guidance" after the orders were issued to Arizona Gov. Jane Hull and a mayor of a Phoenix suburb.
"The reason religion flourishes in this country is it is neither mandated nor endorsed by the government but remains a private, deeply personal matter of conscience," Clark said.
"One danger of declaring Bible Week is that, in an attempt to avoid breaching the wall between church and state, government dilutes the preeminence of the Bible as the word of God for many believers."
The Laymen's National Bible Association, an educational nonprofit organization, sponsors the 57-year-old annual event, traditionally held from Sunday to Sunday the week of Thanksgiving.
Under Leavitt's pen, Utah established Nov. 22-29 for the scripture-reading campaign.
Leavitt has steadfastly defended his decision to endorse Bible Week -- and responded quickly to questions on the subject during a recent monthly, televised press conference.
"You'd think the ACLU would have something better to do than fight over something like this," he said. Leavitt said he signs dozens of declarations each year.
And, he said, most people agree the Bible teaches moral virtues that form a successful society. "But I am not mandating people worship from the Bible."
Bible study is one place people can find "a way to do something good," he said. "We have Dairy Princess Week, and we recognize days for arthritis (and other diseases). This is a chance for me to use the bully-pulpit to point out things that might be helpful. It's a means of drawing attention using the office of the governor."
Springville Mayor Harold "Hal" Wing sees nothing wrong with his declaration. He used no city funds and considers an event that pays homage to the Bible's influence over the country's art, literature and music to be worthwhile.
"What level-minded, clear-thinking individual would not argue that we, as a society, should not kill and lie and should be chaste, honor (our) parents, love one another?" he said. "If these are bad ideals for a society, any society, to adhere to and teach our children, then I, for one, will not feel very secure."
University of Utah constitutional law professor Michael McConnell frowns on the ACLU's stance regarding the non-denominational week. Such resolutions are non-binding and are often issued by political figures as tokens of good will, he said.
"It's a cheap and easy form of a political favor," McConnell said. "The problem with the ACLU's theory is that they are treating it as it is the only resolution."
Considering declarations are issued frequently for religious groups, he said, opponents to Bible Week would find it difficult to prove the state has endorsed a sole, particular belief.
In addition, ACLU attorneys wouldn't likely be able to show that harm was caused by the declarations.
"You can't just go (and sue) because you don't like it or are offended by it," he said.