The N&R editorializes on the M. Reza Salami controversy:
Few in this county, whose residents are overwhelmingly Christian, seem to support Salami. Belief in the deputy’s message has made many unable to see why an on-duty officer shouldn’t act as religious messenger.
Also, Salami has not made himself easy to defend. He was ticketed for driving with an open container of alcohol, and as some of his critics have noted, that act trumps displaying a Jesus sign in offensiveness.
Since the incident, Guilford Sheriff BJ Barnes, who first suggested that people offended by religious signs in patrol cars should ignore them, has required officers to limit religious material to the cars’ front seats.
A better idea would be to ban religious signs, symbols and books throughout patrol cars, though not from an officer’s person. A hidden St. Christopher’s medal harms no one. But a “Jesus is your savior” sign in a patrol car can be intimidating to non-Christians and appears to violate the First Amendment.
I’m also moving the update to the top of the page. Fair enough, the details of Salami’s offense are lacking. That was mysterious to me, because how did Salami get charged with an open container, yet not with DWI. I thought the driver was allowed no alcohol in his blood if caught with an open container. Is that wrong?
