Headstones and hypocrisy.

As I was reading the July/August issue of Church & State, I was struck by the irony represented by two pieces.

The first item (AU Bulletin, "Veterans Department Must Respect Diversity, Says AU") relates that Americans United is considering suing the Department of Veterans Affairs to "allow a Wiccan symbol on a memorial marker for a soldier who died in Afghanistan."

The "Victory In Iowa" article contains a statement by Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) that "advocates of separation of church and state will not rest until they remove religious symbols from the headstones at Arlington Cemetery."

The religious symbol on a headstone is a sign of respect for the deceased and the religion that he or she professed. It does not imply a government endorsement. In fact, the presence of a variety of religious symbols in a military cemetery is proof that people of all religions, and some of no religion, support this free country as evidenced by their heroic service.

Since Rep. Franks believes religious symbols should continue to be on headstones, perhaps Americans United could get him to file an amicus brief on its behalf in the Wiccan controversy. Fat chance that he would!

--Louis Shor

Mt. Laurel, N.J.