THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, December 31, 1994 TAG: 9412300002
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 31 lines
Regarding ``A gratuitous sour note'' (editorial, Dec. 16): The silliness you deplore is what protects many from harassment and disrespect.
Obviously, your editorialist has not been forced to sit in the corner of a second-grade classroom because of refusing to sing ``Silent Night.''
Obviously, he or she has not been exposed to children calling other children ``devil worshiper'' and ``dirty animal'' because some chose, peacefully, not to observe the infamous moment of silence with prayer.
And obviously the writer has not opened up to the possibility that singing a number of traditional holiday songs, even if they are Christian, sends the message to the ``number of believers in any number of creeds'' that the religion of tolerance and importance in America is Christian.
As for your complaint about Suffolk school choruses no longer performing in churches at Christmastime, I say hats off to the integrity and bravery of Suffolk's School Board Association for protecting the rights of children who love to sing and wish to learn - but not in churches.
The children who wish to sing in church may - by attending church.
C. B. StANTON
Norfolk, Dec. 24, 1994 by CNB