A Fort Worth mother was kicked off a bus this past week for reading the Bible to her children on the way to church. After Christine Lutz was ordered by her bus driver to stop reading the Bible to her children and told this was not the appropriate time or place for that, she disagreed. The bus driver pulled over soon after, and Mrs. Lutz and her children were escorted into a supervisor's van. Free Market's legal division has stepped in to represent Mrs. Lutz in the case. She is demanding an apology letter from the Fort Worth transit system. In addition, Free Market's legal division is seeking clarity from the transit authority in what has become a public debate, demanding that the transit system distribute a letter to all its drivers, informing them that individuals have the freedom to read the Bible while riding public buses.
This shows the anti-christian mindset arising in America today. If this had been a muslim mother reading the Koran, there would have been public outrage. Well, I at least plan to voice my displeasure with the Fort Worth public transportation.
EDIT 1/10/07Here is my response from Fort Worth Public Transportation.
On Saturday, Dec. 29, on Route 6, a T bus operator reported that a womanwas reading in a very loud voice. It is against The T's bus policyfor passengers to be loud or disruptive while riding the bus. Such busrules, as no loud or disruptive behavior, are a common practice withinthe public transportation industry to help ensure a calm and safeatmosphere and respect for all passengers. They are posted clearly atthe front of the bus.
After the passenger declined to lower her voice, the operator calledthe supervisor to assist. The supervisor met the bus and explained tothe passenger that it was the loudness of her reading that was againstthe T's policy. The lady would not lower her very loud voice and so the Supervisor transported her to her destination and allowed her toread as loud as she wished.
It was not what she was reading, it was the very loud and disruptivevolume. She was asked to lower her voice, but refused. Otherpassengers on the bus were looking to the driver for proper enforcementof the rules.
This driver acted in a very courteous and professional manner toproperly deal with the situation. The T, as a public transit authority,has no policy against reading any type of material on the bus. Only when behavior of a passenger reaches an extreme volume, such as in thiscase, is a supervisor called.
Sincerely,
Richard L. Ruddell
President, The T
I then called Free Market. They said that was the T's story, but at the time the driver actually said that it was innappropriate to read the Bible out loud on the bus. They are standing by the mother's version of the events.
