Warren Mayor Jim Fouts’ exclusionary approval of a prayer station in
city hall, a decision that cost Warren taxpayers $100,000, was shot down by a
federal judge because of Fouts’ refusal to also allow a “reason station” proposed by a local
atheist.
But now we are learning that Fouts did give consideration
to another group seeking a city hall station – the United Church of Bacon.
McInerney-Slater, a former Fouts aide, the city received and actually considered
a prayer station request from the Church of Bacon, which is a spoof created by
magicians/comedians Penn and Teller.
Under questioning from attorneys handling the case,
McInerney-Slater said that the Church of Bacon request came in a 2014 phone
call to her staff and she returned the call, leaving a voice message seeking
more information.
that they were being punked by the entertainment duo. In fact, they
contemplated allowing a Church of Bacon station alongside the prayer station in
the city hall atrium.
McInerney-Slater, who now serves as the New Baltimore
city administrator, said this in her
testimony:“I don’t know that we ever made a final decision … I guess all I would say is that it’s not
something in our discussion that the mayor wanted in the atrium, but I don’t —
I can’t say that — I don’t recollect whether he ever said, no, we’re not going
to have one or, yes, we are going to have one.”
request — as one attorney participating in the deposition suggested — may have
come from someone “taking a jab at the city.” But McInerney-Slater added that
she did a quick check and found that there was an actual Church of Bacon
created in Las Vegas.
Vegas, of course, is where Penn and Teller perform and if
McInerney-Slater had even glanced at the website of this “church,” she would
have quickly realized that the magicians had established the site to ridicule
religion.
The Church of Bacon’s motto is prominently displayed: “May
the Bacon be with You always. Praise Bacon!”
Several podcast shows are promoted, including one called,
“The Ardent Atheist.”
Here’s the duo’s motivation for creating the church: “Goals of Baconism: The United Church of Bacon founders
have set forth a general mission.
First and foremost, Praise Bacon! (Even if you don’t like
bacon – gasp – all you have to do is enjoy the scent.) Second, openly fight religion
discrimination against minorities and demand equal rights for everyone…”
there’s no word yet on whether the United Church of Bacon plans to pursue its
request for a station. But if their little kiosk features sizzling bacon on the
griddle, it may become the most popular spot in city hall.
$100,000 WASTED IN WARREN
Government waste of taxpayer dollars hit a new low today in Warren.
At a time when dollars are few, and precious, it's disturbing that Warren Mayor Jim Fouts has cost taxpayers like me and you $100,000 because he wanted to censor a crackpot atheist from setting up a table and chair so he could talk to passersby at city hall — something the applicant, Douglass Marshall, could have done for free anyway in the name of First Amendment free speech.
The ACLU Fund of Michigan gets $100,000 from Warren taxpayers, federal Magistrate Judge Michael L. Hluchaniuk said in a ruling today, because Mayor Fouts refused to let Mr. Marshall have a permit to set up an area to visit with people about atheism in the city hall atrium.
According to a Feb. 26 report by Norb Franz in the Macomb Daily, Mayor Fouts thought letting the atheist talk to residents from his table and chair would disturb Warren residents. So Mayor Fouts censored Mr. Marshall.
The problem is, the same atheist from the Freedom From Religion Foundation can talk freely to anyone. Before today's ruling, Mr. Marshall just couldn't sit down to do it. Now he can. And Warren is $100,000 poorer for it. Those are an expensive table and chairs.
Mayor Fouts's zeal to illegally silence Mr. Marshall is censorship that has squandered Warren taxpayers's money. The lost lawsuit demanded by Mayor Fouts is an example of an out-of-touch career politician in office for 35 years whose bloated sense of self-importance has hurt everyday people in their wallets.
Mr. Fouts was a fine councilman. But as mayor, he costs us money.
The madness must stop, Mr. Mayor. The city of Warren is not your personal toy.
HAWKE FRACASSA
Candidate for mayor
Warren
hawkefacassa@aol.com
Hey Fracassa! You forgot the $75,000 the city spent on lawyers for Fouts.
Chewing Bazooka bubble gum while simultaneously nibbling on Oreo's are not the political talents The City of Warren needs right now.
Mr Marshall cost the tax payers 100,000, not the Mayor! most thinking people know that atheists, so called, are really angry at God because they do not want to be accountable for their bad behavior. However no amount of unbelief or opposition will rid creation of its creator.. wake up!
So True Hawke. Mayor Fouts needs to go.
Forget about this mayor's race. Perennial candidate Hawke Fracassa is going to cement his crackpot status in Detroit by renting a pad in Sterling Heights and running for the Michigan 10th congressional district seat being vacated by Rep. Candice Miller. Watch for it! Certain to lose his sixth campaign for public office in the last decade – whether it's for Mayor of Warren or Congress – Fracassa, the self-described "attention whore," is certain to go after the greater level of publicity and run for Congress. What better way to top his unforgettable (unforgivable?) 2014 "long distance candidate" political prank? Watch as this laugher of a campaign develops later this spring.