Friday, May 30, 2003
Chicago Suburb Battles Crime With Clergy
The mayor of this crime-ridden Chicago suburb says the town needs help that conventional forces cannot render. So he has turned to six Christian ministers, one for each ward.
In a move that worries civil libertarians, Mayor Eric Kellogg has appointed the volunteer chaplains to comfort crime victims and promote neighborhood activism in the poverty-stricken town of 30,000.
The American Civil Liberties Union worries that a line has nonetheless been crossed. "When you have a tragedy, there are many people who would turn to their faith. The question is whether government should be sending someone out there to promote their particular faith."
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