Patti Arrison
Weathersfield, Vt.
To the editor,
I have been following with interest — and more than a little consternation — the debate about the religious display in Claremont’s Broad Street Park. As other writers have noted on this page, Mr. Killay is perfectly correct when he states that a municipality should not appear to endorse a particular religion — or even two — but he lost some of my sympathy, as well as the point he is trying to make, when he suggested adding satanic symbols to the display. Increasing the number of symbols, whether they belong to a recognized religion or not, would only serve to exacerbate the original fault.
I certainly have no sympathy for Mr. [Jonathan] Stone’s point of view — or that of the woman who, as reported in the Dec. 21, 2018 issue of the Valley News, shouted at Mr. Killay from her car. Those who have threatened Mr. Killay and his family are not acting in accordance with Christian or Jewish principles — the principles of the very religions they claim to defend. Their shameful actions cannot be defended.
I would like to suggest a third point of view. Nowadays we are more apt to think of diversity in terms of skin color than in terms of religious background. But if we look at Claremont’s demographics, we learn that the city is home not only to New Hampshire’s first Catholic church and one of its earliest surviving Episcopal churches but also a Russian Orthodox church and Jewish synagogue. These places of worship served early inhabitants and the generations of immigrants who worked in Claremont’s mills. Perhaps Mr. Killay would feel better if he could view the Nativity and the menorah not as religious symbols but as representations of Claremont’s history.
I see that the city councilors have placed this issue on the agenda for their next meeting. I hope that officials and citizens will honor Claremont’s heritage of accommodation by approaching the issue with civil tongues and open minds.
Patti Arrison
Weathersfield, Vt.
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