Readers respond

AT ISSUE: Costa Mesa Senior Center published Mabel Knowles’ poems in

its monthly newsletter, the Chronicle, for five years but the new

director now deems them inappropriately religious (“Christian poet

challenges senior center,” Jan. 6).

I strongly agree with Costa Mesa Senior Center director Aviva

Goelman’s policy that religious poetry is not appropriate in the center’s

newsletter, the Chronicle, since the center is partially funded by the

city.

However, her contention that “Hanukkah is a not a religious holiday;

it’s a festivity” to justify the lighting of a menorah in December is

technically correct but de facto wrong.

Because normal activities (work and school) are not curtailed during

the eight days of Hanukkah, it is not a religious holiday like the Jewish

New Year, Day of Atonement or Passover.

However, the festivity is mentioned in the Jewish legal commentary

the Talmud (Tractate Shabbat 21-b) and commemorates the rededication of

the temple in Jerusalem after its desecration by the Syrian Greek ruler

Antiochus IV.

Clearly, it is considered a religious holiday by Jews and non-Jews in

this country, and it should be treated as such when decisions about its

appropriateness in a public facility like the senior center are made.

BENJAMIN J. HUBBARD

Costa Mesa

Chairman, Department of Comparative Religion

Cal State Fullerton

As an American citizen, I am very concerned about Aviva Goelman’s use

of the phrase “separation of church and state” in her explanation of her

actions against Mabel Knowles and her activities in and around the Costa

Mesa Senior Center.

Such a phrase occurs nowhere in the U.S. Constitution nor in any

founding documents of our great nation.

Generally attributed to the 1st Amendment of the Constitution, the

above controversial phrase in actuality bears no resemblance to the real

thing: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of

religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

This forward-thinking statement reflected the founding fathers’

passion for freedom from tyranny in the form of a state-instituted

denomination as then existed in Great Britain.

Also embodied in the statement from the Constitution is the

determination for the federal government to avoid placing barriers upon

its citizens that would disallow them from openly (i.e., in public and

community places) exercising their faith, perhaps in song, writing,

prayer, etc.

My, how the political winds have changed! In 2001, being a Christian

means being targeted by everyone from the media to the local senior

center. Please, everyone, let’s not hide behind the myth of “separation”

when discriminatory actions are taken.

Goelman’s actions against Christianity at the senior center don’t

really seem based on some moral or legal principle but more likely on the

prevailing “we can’t offend” malaise sweeping our land.

But wait ... I believe she has just offended the Jewish members of the

center by downgrading their Hanukkah feast observance to the level of a

“festivity.” She also has offended Christians by demanding that they

cease a talk of a “Jesus” or a “savior” -- never mind that most of the

world religions recognize Jesus in some form or fashion.

My gut feeling, though, is that Goelman isn’t too worried about

offending Christians, only everyone else.

To defend this bias, she would have to debate with none other than

John Adams, perhaps the greatest of all American patriots during the

Revolutionary War, who counters: “The general principles on which the

fathers achieved independence were the general principles of

Christianity.”

It’s time for a history lesson. Religion and the state are indelibly,

wonderfully, woven together ... embrace it.

JEFF R. GEOGHAN

Costa Mesa

I think that at age 87, Mabel Knowles has the right to enjoy her

freedom and creativity in writing her poems. And I think that Aviva

Goelman is certainly limiting Knowles’ creativity.

As a senior, Knowles deserves the right to use her mind and have the

freedom to know that where she’s living there’s an appreciation for her

art work.

In the article, it mentions Goelman permitted Hanukkah festivities as

nondenominational festivities -- they weren’t religious -- and that there

were no Christian programs for Christmas, only nondenominational.

My feeling is I don’t know a person who would go to a Hanukkah program

and think it’s nondenominational. There are many Christians on the other

hand who would go to a Christmas program talking about Santa Claus or a

Christmas tree that would be nondenominational. I have friends who are

Muslims and have Christmas trees with no religious connotation.

So I think Goelman is a little off base. She might be a little too

intense in her new tenure, and I think she should be more universal and a

little more caring of the older people whom she is serving.

ARLEEN McCAFFREY

Newport Beach

This supposed “separation of church and state” by public employees has

gone too far. I am offended by the lack of diversity imposed by Aviva

Goelman on the senior citizens of our community. Who is she to tell

people to keep their faith in a box and not let it out except at church

or synagogue?

Adults are able to appreciate the faith of others, whether they agree

with it or not. Faith adds depth to peoples lives as well as our culture.

The Chronicle is not publishing religious poems; it is publishing

works of creative senior citizens, whose full, rich, long lives include

faith. Those who read them can understand and appreciate this. I sure

wish the senior center and its employees could.

MIKE BARNETT

Costa Mesa

As one who was raised in the Jewish religion -- although I became a

Christian in 1970 -- I’m very saddened that Aviva Goelman is against

Mabel Knowles putting Christian poetry into the senior center’s

newsletter.

I wonder if people know that Costa Mesa Senior Center is home to a

Christian church. No one minds taking money from a Christian church, but

yet this lady’s poems can’t be printed. That sounds like hypocrisy to me.

I’m very saddened; it’s not right. There should be freedom of

expression. This lady should be able to continue having her poems

published.

JUDITH HUNT

Costa Mesa

The greatness and success of this country are due in part to the

respect and enforcement of the law.

Aviva Goelman has done nothing [other] than to enforce the rules and

laws of her organization.

MICHAEL CHEYCK

Irvine