By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
Sen. Sam Slom argues withMitchell Kahle of the Hawaii
Citizens for Separation of State and Church yesterday.
Kahle's group contends lawmakers should not be allowed
to post religious materials on their office doors, and group
members posted other signs on the doors yesterday. Slom
and other lawmakers tore down the new signs.
Free speech
issue raises
voices at Capitol
A group tries to put signs
By Mary Adamski
on lawmakers' doors to protest
the displaying of religious symbols
Star-Bulletin
Freedom of speech in its shouted form was demonstrated in a confrontation at the state Capitol as Hawaii Citizens for Separation of State and Church posted its own signs on lawmakers' office doors.
Organization President Mitch Kahle attached "Darwin" emblems and "Keep Church and State Separate" bumper stickers to the doors of state Sens. David Matsuura (D, South Hilo, Puna) and Sam Slom (R, Kalama Valley) yesterday, in his latest move to protest religious symbols the two display on their doors.
Security guards stood back as news cameras attracted a small crowd to the low-key demonstration at which Kahle was flanked by three supporters.
"I declare this a free-speech zone," Kahle said, claiming that since state rules limiting posted signs are not enforced against lawmakers, it is free for all to post whatever they wish.
Slom tore down the additions to his door and began a high-volume argument with Kahle that drew a larger crowd and additional guards.
"What you are doing does not improve our community in any way," Slom said. "I think you are wrong, narrow-minded and out of touch. Most people in this country have an abiding faith in a deity." He accused Kahle of waging his campaign for "self aggrandizement."
Slom also tore down a sheet taped to his door by Carol White of Citizens Against Religious Bigotry, who distributed fliers in Kahle's wake. She said hers is an ad hoc group disturbed that Kahle's group targets only Christianity.
"If it hadn't been for the religious right's foray into politics, no one would be paying attention to Matsuura's fish," said the Rev. Michael Young, pastor of the First Unitarian Church. "Their political agenda is frightening even a lot of religion folks.
"It identifies (Matsuura) with a particular political agenda. With the various roles he plays in the Senate leadership, that's problematic," said Young, an observer to the confrontation who believes "in the radical separation of church and state."
State rules that limit signs in common areas do not apply to legislators' doors, said Sidney Hayakawa, state Department of Public Safety deputy director for law enforcement.
"We got an attorney general's ruling that (the lawmakers' office doors) are more personal than public," he said. "Because of that ruling, we have no authority to enforce any laws."
Hayakawa, who was among the security force on hand yesterday, said there also is an issue of the separation of power between the legislative and executive branches.
The attorney general's opinion was issued in response to Kahle's complaint about Matsuura's display of a Christian fish symbol on his door. It said viewpoints individual lawmakers express on their doors cannot be interpreted as government fostering of a religion.
Slom, who is Jewish, is one of several lawmakers who posted religious images in support of Matsuura. Slom's door carries a string of symbols including a fish, cross, star of David, Islamic crescent and Buddha.
The "Darwin" symbol which Kahle posted, depicting a fish with legs, is used as a statement supporting Charles Darwin's theory of evolution over the creationist belief of fundamental Christians.
Matsuura, who stood quietly aside as Kahle decorated his door, said, "We agree on one thing, you should never use intimidation to take away someone else's free speech. You try to disprove something so hard ... this reaffirms my faith."
After Kahle and observers moved on, Matsuura cleared the outside decorations from his door. "I believe this will be settled in court," Matsuura said. On that, he had Kahle's agreement.
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