'Church Day' gets ACLU protestBowden's worship event voluntary, Clemson lawyer says By Larry Williams (Contact)
The Post and Courier
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Bowden's worship event voluntary, Clemson lawyer says 
Tommy Bowden CLEMSON — Tommy Bowden has drawn the ire of the American Civil Liberties Union for conducting an annual "Church Day" for his football players. In correspondence obtained Wednesday by The Post and Courier, the ACLU alleged Bowden "has abused his authority as Clemson University's head football coach by imposing his strong personal religious beliefs upon student-athletes under his charge." Neil Caesar, vice president of the ACLU's South Carolina chapter, voiced those objections in a letter dated Aug. 31 to Clemson President James Barker, saying the state-run school is violating the constitutional principle of separation of church and state. University counsel Clayton Steadman responded in a Sept. 21 letter, saying an investigation by the university found the ACLU's allegations unfounded because attendance at the church services is voluntary. He wrote that Clemson has no plans to discontinue the function, which has taken place for most of Bowden's nine-year tenure. Reached Wednesday, Caesar said the ACLU had wished to keep the matter private, but it became a topic of discussion on an Upstate radio station earlier in the day. He said he anticipates further dialogue between Clemson and the ACLU to resolve "nuances" over Bowden's involvement in his team's religious activities. Caesar said the ACLU's objections were spurred by a May 23 article in The Greenville News that said "everyone on the roster" attends a church of Bowden's choosing each year. He said Bowden, a devout Baptist, is taking "unfair and unlawful advantage of his position to promote his personal religious beliefs." He said Bowden has been "unfair and unlawful" by imposing a Protestant religious view, as opposed to a cross-section that includes "a Roman Catholic church, a Unitarian-Universalist fellowship, a synagogue, a temple or a mosque. "If he were Coach Cohen expressing his strong Jewish beliefs and conducting Synagogue Day, or Coach Abdullah conducting Mosque Day, the public wouldn't be so sanguine about this," Caesar said Wednesday. "When he's wearing his coach's hat at a public university, he has a certain obligation under the law. He can't pressure the students, and he should leave Clemson out of it." According to Steadman's letter, Clemson discovered that a university bus was used to escort the football players to a church service in August. He wrote that athletes who participate in the future will use their own transportation. In addition, Clemson said it will begin soliciting feedback on this issue during the exit-interview process for athletes who have exhausted their eligibility. Steadman said Bowden merely "encourages" all members of his team to attend a local church as a group. He said no player has ever been punished for not attending. "The specific church has varied over the years with the only constraint being a congregation with a facility large enough to accommodate the approximately 150 team members who typically attend," the letter said. Clemson also provided a copy of a July 10 letter to players' parents from Bowden, who said he "strongly" recommends his players attend one church service per year as a team. He asked parents with concerns about Church Day to contact him. Reach Larry Williams at lwilliams@postandcourier.com. |
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Comments
This article has 7 comment(s)
Posted by afternoondelight on November 29, 2007 at 9:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Screw the ACLU!!
Posted by TBC123 on November 29, 2007 at 10:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Neil Caesar is a lawyer in Greenville, a health lawyer at that and obviously going to church is bad for your health. He's basically looking for something to complain about. This also makes me realize how sick I am of "politically correct" not being correct at all. It seems everything I grew up on is not right anymore...I grew up going to church, saying GOD in school, and being spanked. Which, you know, if you want something to complain about, go join the OUTLAW SPANKING campaign CAESAR. Since you like debating on ridiculous issues, join it...it's more ridiculous than this. Or since you're a health lawyer, go join a tobacco fight or something. BETTER yet, go back to Philly where you came from and quit being a dicktator CAESAR. (and no thats not mispelled)
What Bowden is doing is giving the kids a foundation to fall back on. He's helping them build character and letting them have some "home life" away from home. Most of these kids come from christian families. When high school players are recruited for any university/college, one of the main things coaches bring up is religion/family values.
This "Church Day" is a voluntary option. Yes, he does encourage it, and yes players end up coming (For the record, I personally know). If a player is uncomfortable, because of their religious views, then they may not come to a designated church, and thats accepted. You have catholics, mormons, and other beliefs. They attend their place of worship. No religious views are forced upon anyone. It's a great day for all the guys to get together and share their values and express troubles they are facing and for some it shines a new light. Especially the ones who weren't use to going to church. THere is no punishment for those who do not attend. Also, after every game, a group of players...or should I say a lot of players gather on the field (from both teams) and pray. This is an option, that players started...not coaches.
Every year when Clemson plays Florida State, there is an FCA breakfast...thats Fellowship of Christian Athletes...CAESAR. This event features Coach Tommy Bowden and Coach Bobby Bowden as guest speakers while the rest of the room is filled with young men and women sharing conversation and fellowship. If there was a problem with Tommy Bowden's actions, something would have been said by now by a player, or parents of the athlete.
These young men are exactly what they are...young men who can fend for themselves and if there was an issue, they would have spoke up. I've heard no negativity from it. Caesar...you're fighting/arguing something you WON'T win. And something you SHOULD NOT win.
Posted by Brant on November 29, 2007 at 10:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This just proves how powerful the Established State Religion is. Nobody, be they an alleged President of the US, a Football coach or whoever, has the right to force their religion on anyone else. And I've noticed that it's these Jesusians, as I call them, who are the only ones who openly flaunt their religious beliefs with t-shirts, bumper stickers and the like. If Muslims or Jews did that, can you imagine the uproar? Why does this coach believe that his players have to attend this function? How does this apply to their performance on the field, court or wherever? In my mind, it doesn't, but can you imagine the whispers around campus if it got out that so-and-so didn't go to Coach's little religious affair? "Ain't he a Jesusian? Don't he believe in Gawd?" would be the cries. It's sickening to me to read that a coach does this.
Posted by astrofan on November 29, 2007 at 10:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The "strongly recommends" part is what concerns me. It gives the impression that there will be repercussions if you don't go. It should be strictly optional.No one should feel uncomfortable if they choose not to go to church.
Posted by theronce on November 29, 2007 at 11:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The players are not little bitty children. They are adult young men. If they cannot say no to something as little as this if they do not believe in it, then certainly they may have a hard time when they do get out into the world. Do you really think that they do not know right from wrong and have no self will to refuse this if it is not right for them? "Strongly recommend(s)" is not "must". Do you think that they are so stupid as to not know the difference? I get so sick of this racism and new politically correct paternaliam. They can handle it; leave them alone.
Posted by charleston_grown on November 29, 2007 at 7:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
if attendance is voluntary there should be no isssue. who really cares, i have never heard a player complain about it.
Posted by mppowell on November 30, 2007 at 11:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
some of you seem to be missing the point.First of all,if you've ever played sports then you understand the influence a coach has on his team as well as the pressure to not tow the line.After all,there's no "I" in team.So with phrases like "strongly recommend" there's an unspoken implication.Every major religion has core values that are very similar and you don't need to impose your specific religious views in order to get those values across.Also,charleston_grown,I know 2 team players who DID complain and they were treated like outsiders.Once again,when you are in a team environment,there is intense pressure to go with the team.And we all know that if this coach were muslim or Pagan or something like that and he were doing this and sending letters out,this would be a much differant discussion.Welcome to the South....and if you dawn't like it you cane git ouuuutttt..so sad