One man’s religion is another man’s pasta

Regarding the Bryan Killian interview: Bravo! [“A Pirate’s Life for He: Suspended ‘Pastafarian’ Speaks Out,” April 4] These days, we Americans seem to view separation of church and state as a thing to be despised. It warms my heart to know that rebellion against authority (read lunacy, in this instance) is alive and well in Western North Carolina.

While I’m neither a fan of the theories of Intelligent Design (a fancy way of saying “We don’t know how, but God did it!”), nor do I feel that the theory of evolution holds every answer, I do find it amusing that the religious right have sought to find a back door into the educational system with these fanciful musings.

I wouldn’t doubt that the only reason young Mr. Killian was treated in such a manner is because he offended one or more of his educators by openly questioning [their] religious beliefs. My question: What would these same officials do if confronted with a dyed-in-the-wool worshipper of Satan, or a member of some other minority group? Would they force a practicing Muslim to reveal her face or accept out-of-school suspension?

The fact that Bryan is stating a belief in a farcical religion should have no weight in the decision as to whether he is or is not disciplined. After all, Scientology isn’t even a century old, and look at some of the ideas held as sacred by the Hubbardites. Do I think they make sense? No. Do I have the right to persecute them for their beliefs and question their sincerity? No. I have the right to leave them alone, to disagree and to criticize them for their idiocy, but I have no right to infringe upon their ability to worship in whatever manner they choose. The very idea that an official at a county school could feel justified in making the decision regarding a religion’s legitimacy should actually worry folks significantly, in my opinion.

As an aside, it’s this kind of narrow-minded, backward thinking that has led to the kind of problems we as Americans face around the world. Our outright refusal to see the validity of other viewpoints has led to our decimating entire sectors of the globe, and yet we spend our days discussing whether someone has the right to wear an eye patch without a medical necessity.

Here’s a little advice for all educators in North Carolina: Stick to teaching. Just FYI, there’s a couple of kids getting left behind.

When Bryan (or another student like him) comes into class in a full-bodied rubber-chicken outfit with anarchy symbols painted all over the skin, then suspend him for disrupting the educational atmosphere. Better yet, be proactive. Suspend every student that has an annoying ring tone on his/her cell phone, like the midi-version of Hinder’s “Lips of an Angel.” That would be justified, and I (for one) certainly consider it disruptive.

— Benny Clayborne
Woodfin