The Reporter newspaper, Camdenton Missouri

The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.

Published January 16, 2019

Presiding Commissioner statement

CAMDEN COUNTY – County Commissioner Greg Hasty released his opening statement regarding the threat from the Freedom From Religion Foundation. It is available on his Facebook page.

January 8, 2019

Camden County Presiding Commissioner opening statement

We are gathered together today, because of a complaint written to the Camden County Clerk, from the Freedom from Religion Foundation. They are saying that we are endorsing Christianity because our 911 Memorial Painting contains a Latin cross. Our 911 Memorial painting frames the same images that were a part of the events of September 11, 2001, so that is obviously not the case. I have photographs with me today, which show that everything contained in the 911 Memorial Painting is based on actual events, as they happened. The FFRF also wants for employees to hide any scripture references so that the public cannot see them.

The bigger issues that the Freedom from Religion Foundation wants to promote here, are beyond this small Camden County Courthouse. We call on those representative of our Federal Government to act on our behalf.

Our founding fathers, fought and died to birth a nation, based on the principals that we are endowed with certain “inalienable rights” endued from “our Creator”.

The Declaration of Independence is THE document that defines us as a nation. Since it defines us, it is without error. It cannot be changed, or we will be a different nation. The Declaration was adopted by the Second Continental Congress by whom the entire Revolutionary War was conducted.

Thomas Jefferson, stated as follows: “God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the Liberties of a Nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are a gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that his justice cannot sleep forever.”

Our founding fathers held these truths to be “self-evident”.

If we have “evolved” into a Godless nation, then we are the saddest of all nations to ever exist. If that is the case, then every reference to God must be carved from every national monument, building, and document that references God. We must chisel off Jefferson’s words from his Memorial. We must chisel the scripture from Lincoln’s memorial. Indeed, we must remove the Declaration of Independence from our sacred documents.

Shall we erase these men from memory? Is this the future of our nation? Shall we continue as a nation, Godless? If we are to continue as the nation our forefathers founded, our Federal Government must act. If not, it seems “We the People” must intervene in this matter. “Choose this day, whom you will serve.”

Greg Hasty
Camden County Presiding Commissioner