Skating is for Kids
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Skate Rink Warned Against Hosting 'Christian' Skate

Updated June 22, 2006

According to an article published in today's Traditional Values Coalition newsletter, the owners of Skate Time 209 in Accord, New York have been warned by the State of New York's Division of Human Rights against having a Christian skate time on Sunday afternoons.

In a letter addressed to Len and Terry Bernardo, the owners of Skate Time 209, was a stern warning from the human rights office alerting them that hosting a "Christian" skate time violates Human Rights Code 296.2. The law states that no business shall discriminate against a person because of race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, etc.

For more details and breaking news please visit the Traditional Values Coalition website.

New York Investigates Skating Rink for Playing Christian Music

Traditional Values Coalition Asks Pataki to Stop Harassment

Posted June 21, 2006

Washington, DC - The Traditional Values Coalition asked New York Governor George Pataki to rein in a state agency which is threatening legal action against an Accord, New York skating rink because it plays Christian music during a "Christian Music Skate" party.

The New York Division of Human Rights threatened Len and Terry Bernardo, owners of the Skate Time 209 rink in Accord, with an investigation because the rink plays Christian music during certain hours. The agency also threatened to charge a local newspaper which advertised the event for "aiding and abetting" unlawful discrimination.

"This is crazy," said TVC Chairman Rev. Louis P. Sheldon. "These people are exercising basic Constitutional rights on private property to the exclusion of no one and the state government is treating them like dangerous criminals.

"Aiding and abetting? It is the responsibility of every citizen to aid and abet the free exercise of religion, free speech, the right to assemble and private property rights.

"New Yorkers have never been intimidated by international thugs and terrorists and they should not tolerate this bureaucratic attempt to violate their most basic civil rights.

"I have asked Governor Pataki to take authority over this illegal attempt to manipulate the law to accomplish a violation of basic civil rights. I will be watching closely to see that the Bernardos' rights are protected."

To read the letter Rev. Louis Sheldon sent to New York Governor George Pataki and for updates on this story, please visit the Traditional Values Coalition website.

About the Traditional Values Coalition

Traditional Values Coalition is an inter-denominational public policy organization speaking on behalf of over 43,000 churches. For more information or to arrange an interview, call (202) 547-8570.