Due to an investigation prompted by an SD CityBeat expose, the County of San Diego has halted payment of a $20,000 grant to a group on grounds it might use the money for religiously-based activity. The money, and previous grants, was recommended by Supervisor Bill Horn.
This is a great coup for CityBeat’s watchdog journalism. While I’ve criticized CityBeat in the past, and will probably do so in the future, I also think it’s only just to give praise where praise is due.
CityBeat published the news Aug. 18, after it published the expose by Dave Maass on July 28. The San Diego Union-Tribune tardily deigned to inform its readers today, Sept. 3. At least the U-T article mentioned CityBeat’s role, although far down.
This is the kind of watchdog story the San Diego Union-Tribune should have done. After all, the U-T has far more staff than SD CityBeat. So my Libertarian cap’s off to CityBeat and Maass. Read his entire story, which builds its case on a just-the-facts approach.
The group in question, Life Perspectives, claims not to be a religious organization. But even a cursory look at its “biblically based” “Whole Life Curriculum” shows the organization’s religious purpose. Nothing at all wrong about that, unless you’re trying to get taxpayer money. It would be just as wrong if an atheist group were to solicit money to advance its agenda.
Who's Praising Whole Life Curriculum? Click to Read.
Here’s the brochure for Whole Life Curriculum, 500K, in PDF.
Life Perspectives should have admitted that it is a religious organization, then shown a plan how it would use the county’s money only for secular purposes. Religious charitable organizations do this all the time. While Father Joe Carroll has an overtly religious mission with his work for the homeless and poor, the care he provides is easily justifiable on secular grounds.
But instead, the group hid its religious basis. That deception alone should disqualify Life Perspectives for funding.
For the Christians who don’t like this message, let me repeat: I think the same standard should apply in case an atheist group sought money for its cause. The government should not be funding programs that proselytize on religious viewpoints, including programs opposing religion.
And if Supervisor Horn is looking for a more worthy recipient of the $20,000, may I suggest Brother Benno’s, North County’s version of Father Joe. I would hope that’s a cause worthy of donations people of all religious persuasions, or none at all. (Whether the Supervisors should be giving out grants at all is another question entirely).
(As with all I write here, this is my opinion, and not necessarily that of my employer, the North County Times.)