NEW ORLEANS — One of the Louisiana House authors of the bill that became law requiring the Ten Commandments be displayed in each public classroom has some simple advice for people of other religions and beliefs who may not want to be exposed to the displays.
“Don’t look at it.”
Representative Lauren Ventrella of Greenwell Springs, recently debated with CNN anchor Boris Sanchez, over the new law signed by Governor Jeff Landry.
The law will require every public classroom from kindergarten through college to have a poster-sized display of the Ten Commandments. It’s a move that is already being challenged by the ACLU.
Ventrella sparred with Sanchez, saying that the displays are historical documents that aren’t forcing anyone to believe one viewpoint.
“It’s merely posting a historical reference on the wall for students to read and interpret if they choose.”
The new law has made national headlines and if it survives legal challenges, is sure to be replicated by other conservative states.
State Attorney General Liz Murrill said she is looking forward to defending legal challenges and she emphasized the moral teachings of the Commandments.
“The 10 Commandments are pretty simple (don’t kill, steal, cheat on your wife), but they also are important to our country’s foundations,” she said on social media.
Ventrella echoed those sentiments saying that the nation has been going in a bad direction.
"This nation has gotten out of hand with crime, with the bad, negative things that are going on. Why is it so preposterous that we would want our students to have the option to have some good principles instilled in them?"
Most of those comments have emphasized the moral components of the Commandments and not discussed that the first four commandments specifically state that God is Lord, not to take his name in vain and to keep Sunday holy.
Those are likely the primary concerns of civil liberty organizations.
When asked directly by Sanchez about what she would say to parents, students or teachers who don’t share her religious views and don’t want to be exposed to the message, her reply was “don’t look at it.”