The Shrine does not pay sales tax, visitors to the Shrine pay sales tax for the trinkets in the gift shop. The visitors are not tax exempt. The Shrine acts only as intermediary, passing the sales on to the taxing authority.

The Shrine did the right thing, can' t say the same for the stubborn Montgomery County Board of Superviors. Now THEY can go fly a kite!

Gerald J. Skrocki, local taxpayer and complaintent

There is no use of the money by the Shrine that would be Constitutional since the purpose of the celebration is to promote a catholic ritual. This was outlined in the letter presented to them from Americans for Separation of Church and State, an organization in existance since 1947 for the sole purpose of fighting this issue.

County Attorney Doug Landon, who admitted to not considering the Constitutionality of the grant, now professes to know more than AU's professional legal team.

The only appropriate action is to rescind the grant.

Gerald J Skrocki, complaintent

Council 82 does not represent NYS Correction Officers, it represents NYS Correction Lieutenants. NYSCOPBA represents NYS Correction Officers.

Gerald J Skrocki - Retired NYS Correction Lieutenant

The Marriage Equality Act passed in New York last year has nothing to do with churches or religious rites. It has everything to do with civil and human rights.

Throughout history, religious groups have played on individual fears, inventing stories involving reward and punishment in order to control groups of people or to push an agenda that excluded other groups of people. They did this for personal gain, creating prejudice, wars and insurrection in the process.

Why should the gay community look to religious organizations to participate in their marriage ceremonies after being condemned and ostracized by the very same?

There is something inherently wrong when a tax exempt "church" lobbies the government to push their biased agenda on all Americans or when a political party uses religion to further a cause or a political candidate. The last time I looked, the establishment clause of the 1st Amendment is still in effect.

Gerald J Skrocki

Here is the original letter: http://gskrocki.files.wordpress.com/2012...

Gerald J Skrocki

Strock's writing truthfully describes what he sees. It points out the absurdity of people's actions when blindly following what they feel will please the humans in charge of a particular religion. These actions more often than not, create discourse with other religions or groups of people.

What we need in this world is faith and respect in each other regardless of religious belief or lack thereof. It is the life force or "spirit" in each and everyone of us that must be nurtured and we can only accomplish this with mutual respect, opening our minds and communicating with one another without condemnation.

Gerald J Skrocki

Great article! Love the fact that you are vacationing in Jerusalem.

Confiscating personal property and purusing one's intellectual property without a warrant is illegal! By doing so you commit an offense greater than the alleged purpetrator. The only right you may have is to ask the offending person to leave your establishment and notify law enforcement if you feel a law has been broken.

Gerald J Skrocki

allbright1, maybe religious organizations should start paying their fair share of taxes before demanding representation.

...Yes, religions should not be giving money to lobbying groups to support political candidates or trying to influence government policy.