Equal treatment key for Diversity Committee

Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden is not alone in questioning the paid visits of county employees to the Mother Mosque in Cedar Rapids for an 'Intro to Islam.”

Vander Sanden says the 'event can be viewed in a legal sense as government promotion of religion.” I agree.

Linn County Supervisor Ben Rogers asserted Vander Sanden's 'concern was more about optics than anything else.” I know Vander Sanden, he has no visionary issues - real or imagined.

Recent in-service meetings have focused on black history, Hinduism and stereotyping. These are studies that have been available to high school and college students for years. Will future events include a visit to the Temple with words from the rabbi, or a two-hour session of enlightenment on Christian faith? And, there are significant numbers of Latinos, Vietnamese and Middle Easterners who have chosen to make Iowa their home.

I suggest the Linn County supervisors look into the legality of their sponsorship of taxpayer-funded events for county employees. If the goal of the Diversity Committee is to learn about diverse groups without violation of the First Amendment, then equal treatment for all must be paramount.

Dick Trotter

Cedar Rapids