One last comment... I do live in this community and hope that christian55 is someone who lives a LONG way from here. I would hate to think that he/she was someone who might have direct contact with either of my children who attend school in Catoosa County. If so, thank God that this issue has come about because I would be interested to see what the reaction would be if the banners quoted some of his/her beliefs!! Maybe christian55 should make his own banners and post them outside of his own house? T-shirts anybody?

Thank you somethingorother for addressing some of the most ridiculous posts seen here. I agree wholdheartedly with you and just wanted to state that I cannot remember when I have heard more disturbing garbage than the reaction coming from some of these so called "christians". Murder non-virgins? Are you kidding me? What about divorcees? Jews? Where does the list end? And who should the executer be?
I will restate that I do not hold the cheerleaders responsible for this controversy, but the school administrators. They offer government and history classes at LFO, maybe the Principal and athletic staff should enroll in one of these classes and learn a little bit about why these measures were put into place. As I remember, many of the colonists decided to flee their home countries to escape religious intolerence.

MrLonandB Did not capitalize your user name correctly and I wanted to make sure you saw my respomse. I also suspect that you either skimmed my comment or misread my meaning in some other way. It is unfair of you to accuse me of referring to the cheerleaders' message as in any way negative. I realize, as I imagine that most of the readers do as well, that it was intended as positive support to the football team. I agree with the sentiment and the motivation, just not the venue. I hope that you can find a chill pill somewhere and take it!

MrlonandB, Was not referring to the message of the cheerleaders when I remarked on bigotry, venom and hatred. I would have thought that apparent but just to clear things up, I was responding to some of the comments listed in this discussion. I happen to agree with the sentiment that the cheerleaders wanted to express, just think that it is not the appropriate place to do so. I was shocked by the response that SOME, not all, of the supporters expressed. I read several very negative references to Jewish people, Muslims and (the worst of all) Liberals. I am always surprised and sometimes disgusted by the attitudes that people have toward others that are opposed to their viewpoint. We are all entitled to our own view of the world and should try to respect the fact that your own beliefs are just that, your own to be shared at the appropriate time and without stepping on my toes to do it.

Do they teach government at LFO? Or history? I do not blame the cheerleaders for wanting to express support of their football team but I do blame the staff for not providing the knowledge and guidance that would have made it apparant that these signs were inappropriate for a school event. The Principal is now encouraging spectators to bring signs to the games and display them in the stands. The whole point of providing ALL students a chance to attend school functions, including but not limited to football games, without undue influence from any religious group has apparently been lost on him. His job is to lead the students and faculty and to enforce rules and laws in order to ensure that EVERY student is made to feel safe and that they have a place within their own school grounds.
I genuinely hope that this does not make the national news, I would be embaressed to admit that this issue is generating this much controversy when the law is clear. There are so many other larger issues facing the people in this community that would benefit from the passion and energy being spent "making signs" and holding rallies! Being a Christian does not mean that you must blindly follow the ideas of the "majority" or to step on the rights of anyone else in your pursuit of happiness! Try putting yourself in the place of the person who does not share your beliefs and imagine that everywhere you turn, you are faced with the view that your beliefs are wrong or invalid because they don't conform to your own ideas of God. As to the idea that those who don't like it should move, that is ridiculous!! How about those of you who were opposed to allowing your children to listen to Obama's address to our school children move to another country? Ridiculous as well! The flip side of Freedom of Religion is freedom from other's religious views being forced on another.

Do we want a religious war right here in Catoosa County? Christians in this area feel like their rights are being violated? Call the dogs off and let the kids get back to receiving their publicly funded education!

I cannot express how disappointed I am in hearing my neighbors and fellow parents suggesting that anyone who does not believe as they do should "leave the area" or choose somewhere else to attend school. If this is how the majority of students and parents in the Catoosa County schools feel, then the problem runs much deeper than whether some cheerleaders may have used poor judgement in displaying religious text on their signs at a school function. After reading as many comments as I could stomach I am worried about the children that are being raised in this area when and if they get out into the world outside of this little community. It is wrong to hate others because they hold different religious or political beliefs from those that you have been raised with. Some of these comments made are nothing but hateful, bigoted nonsense. For adults to encourage further provocation by painting their cars, wearing t-shirts and calling those whose opinions differ "cowards" is irresposible at best.
The venom spewing from the mouths about Jewish PEOPLE, Muslim PEOPLE, and your President(elected by the majority of this country) is SCARY and repulsive!