Sugarcreek Twp. teen gets "God" back on certificates

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Sugarcreek Twp. teen gets ''God'' back on certificates

 

http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/10/16/ddn101707flagohio.html

http://tinyurl.com/2522oe

 

By Whitney Boyd

Contributing Writer

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

 

WASHINGTON While many Carroll High School students hustled to classes Tuesday, 17-year-old Andrew Larochelle was in Washington, D.C., celebrating a victory in his battle against government censorship.

 

The controversy started last month when Larochelle requested an inscription on the certificate accompanying a flag he had asked to have flown over the U.S. Capitol with a personal message to his grandfather, an Army veteran and devout Catholic.

 

The high school junior requested that the certificate say, "This flag was flown in honor of Marcel Larochelle, my grandfather, for his dedication and love of God, Country and family."

 

But the acting architect of the Capitol censored "God" from the request, leaving Larochelle and his family confused.

 

"I couldn''t believe that the government would place a ban on religious reference when our nation was founded on Christian values," he said. "It just didn''t make sense."

 

Larochelle of Sugarcreek Twp. and his father contacted U.S. Rep. Mike Turner''s office, pleading for an immediate change to the policy that censored "God" from any certificate request.

 

Turner, R-Centerville, responded to the Larochelles by condemning the Capitol staff for its refusal to print Christian references.

 

"Our nation''s capitol contains many religious references including ''In God We Trust'' inscribed in both the House and State chambers," Turner wrote in a letter of complaint to President Bush.

 

A week later, Turner introduced the "Andrew Larochelle God, family and Country Act of 2007."

 

In response, last Thursday, the acting architect''s office announced it was dropping the policy that prohibited "God" from being inscribed on certificates, leaving the final decision to individual lawmakers.

 

On Tuesday, the Larochelle family traveled to Washington so Turner could present them with the corrected flag certificate.

 

"I''m no one special, I''m just another 17-year-old that saw something that wasn''t right," Larochelle said "This is a big victory for all of us."

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