Mum's the Word

Yes, mum appears to be the word for getting onself in dutch with Sunny's stormy view from the pier...Two weeks running I managed to make an appearance in her column for wehat I didn't say. First, was the non-Walker statement. And last week upon my return from the Great Northwest, I found her commenting upon my refusal to say the words 'so help me God' as part of my oath of office.

The former I regard as humorous in my intent and bemused in my reaction to the response in some quarters. The latter is more serious. In my opinion, the words 'so help me God' have no place in an oath of office for an elected official. One might refuse to say that phrase based on a belief in separation of church and state or a non-belief in a god. In my case, both are true.

I've never really made any bones about my nonbelief nor have I made a big issue of it. I don't care much for proselytizing on matters of personal conscience. So, now the issue was sort of forced into the public eye. I could have repeated the phrase and avoided any controversy, but of course, in my case that would have been a false oath. I really had no hesitation in declining to say the phrase.

More than enough said.

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And I have no bone to pick with Sunny for reporting my omission of the God pharse in her column (she was sitting in the front row). I read something recently about the relationship between reporters and sources  about the great radical journalist Izzy Stone. Sources provide information; you can be friendly but not exactly friends. OK, before anyone keels over, I'm not comparing Sunny to Izzy Stone, but she does have the same independent streak.