We also have a list of religious tolerance news for this month. 
Sad to say, these are usually much shorter lists.

2003-OCT: TX: Nazi flag paraded: Charles Grissom, band director for Paris High School apologized for a half-time display that included the anthem "Deutchsland Uber Alles" -- music closely associated with Adolf Hitler. While the music was playing, a student ran across the football field carrying a Nazi flag. Anthems and flags from the other countries involved in World War II were also featured.

2003-OCT-3: NC, DC: Congressman complains about Muslims: Congressman Cass Ballenger (R-NC) is reported as complaining about the presence of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). Their head office is across the street from his home in Washington, DC. He allegedly reported CAIR to the FBI and CIA as a "fund-raising arm" for terrorist groups. He is reported as saying that their home's close proximity to the CAIR office after 9-11 "bugged the hell out of his wife....Diagonally across from my house, up goes a sign -- CAIR...the fund-raising arm for Hezbollah." he said that his wife became anxious when she saw people unloading boxes, and women "wearing hoods" going in and out of the office. (Many observant Muslim women wear hijabs -- a scarf -- over their hair). He is reported as saying that the CAIR office is: "...2½ blocks from the capitol and they could blow it up." In reality, CAIR, monitors attacks on Muslims' civil rights and sponsors interfaith gatherings. Ibrahim Hooper, a CAIR spokesperson is reported as saying "This is out-and-out bigotry...It's unworthy of an elected official at the national level....You wonder what he's been doing in Congress if this is the kind of analysis he does: 'You're a Muslim, so you're guilty'." ₁₂

2003-OCT-7: WI: Pastor's harassment conviction upheld: A Fundamentalist Christian group regularly frequents the parking lot of the state-run Mazomanie nude beach. Pastor Ralph Ovadal preached to nudist Nancy J Erikson and to Department of Natural Resources wardens who insisted that he not use the word "whore" in his preaching." Ovadal was later charged with criminal disorderly conduct. In 2002-JUN, he was convicted and fined $1,000 plus court costs. The state appeals court upheld Ovadal's conviction in 2003-OCT. He had acknowledged that his street preaching and sidewalk evangelizing was loud and boisterous. But he claimed that it was protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The appeals court decided that resorting to "epithets or personal abuse" is not protected speech. It ruled that: "Ovadal's statements had nothing to do with an exposition of ideas. Instead, they were abusive fighting words and are not protected by the First Amendment." ₁₃

2003-OCT-8 (approx): USA: Pat Robinson allegedly promotes terrorism: While interviewing syndicated columnist Joel Mowbray about the U.S. State Department on his 700 Club program, Pat Robertson allegedly remarked: "I read your book.  When you get through, you (a reader) say, 'If I
could just get a nuclear device inside Foggy Bottom, I think that's
the answer.'  I mean, you get through this, and you say, 'We've got to
blow that thing up."  I mean, is it as bad as you say?" "Foggy Bottom" is a Washington DC neighborhood where the U.S. State Department is located.

	A spokesperson for the State Department said that the agency considered the remarks "despicable."
	Richard Boucher, the agency's media director told reporters: "I lack sufficient capabilities to express my distain."
	An identified department official quoted by Agence Frances Presse said that a protest had been made "at the highest level," and that Robertson had been made aware that Secretary of State Colin Powell was "outraged" at the tone and content of the interview. The official said: "That's not the way one expresses an opinion in Washington." He described Robertson's on-air behavior as "outrageous."

Robertson allegedly made a similar suggestion in June. He is quoted as saying, also in an interview with Mowbray: ""Well, it looks like Congress had
better do something, and maybe we need a very small nuke thrown off on
Foggy Bottom to shake things up." ₁₄

Although the federal government, plaintiff Michael Newdow, and his daughter's school all asked the Supreme Court to rule on the case, the court agreed only to hear the appeal from the school district. The court also said it will evaluate whether Newdow had the proper legal footing to bring the case. Dr. Newdow plans to argue his case in person before the Supreme Court. More details. ₁₅