When football players from Arkansas State University decided to wear crosses on their helmets in honour of two of their teammates who lost their lives recently, a firestorm of complaints and opposition arose from those who advocate the separation of church and state. After receiving complaints, the university initially ordered the decals be removed or modified but last week, the university authorities overturned their previous decision, saying the crosses could stay.
Since 2013’s football season, ASU Red Wolves have lost two of their footballers. The team’s equipment manager Barry Weyer lost his life in a car crash in June and defensive lineman Markel Owens was killed during a home invasion in January. According to media reports, the team’s members and coaches unanimously decided to memorialize Meyer and Owens before going in for the 2014 football season. Hence, they printed decals with a cross alongside the teammates’ initials, so they could wear the stickers on their helmets.
Raziel Velgis, one of team members, said the decals were a way of honouring his friends, as each of the players in the team agreed that that was the best way to always keep Meyer and Owens with them.
Weyer’s mother spoke to the media about how she felt when she saw her son’s teammates honouring him and Markel at the Montana state game.
“I felt as if [Barry and Markel] were on the field with those players, and we were very touched and honored that they respected our children enough to have that [cross decal] placed there,” said Mechelle.
ASU Red Wolves wore the decals without any contention for two games. However, while friends and family appreciated their gesture, secular group Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) thought the crosses on the helmets were offensive to non-believers. They instantly wrote a letter to the university, demanding the stickers be removed from the team’s helmets. FFRF also proposed other ways in which the death of Meyer and Owens could be mourned by fellow teammates. They suggested the team members use more secular means to honour them – either by wearing the players’ jersey numbers on their helmets or tying a black armband over their sleeves.
Fearing a lawsuit, the university ordered the contentious decals be removed from the players’ helmets but after Liberty Institute stepped in to file a lawsuit on behalf of ASU Red Wolves, saying the team members’ right to free speech was being infringed upon by the university’s decision to get rid of the crosses, Arkansas State University immediately overturned its judgment. The university then went on to negotiate with Liberty Institute, to conclude that the Red Wolves can bear the crosses if they wish to do so, as long as it is not imposed on anyone who wishes otherwise.
“The display of these stickers will be totally voluntary and completely independent of university involvement. The university will not procure the stickers, purchase them, or affix them to the helmets,” said a letter from ASU President Charles Welsh.
Photo Credit: The Inquisitr
