COLUMBUS - Plaques bearing the words, "thou shalt not kill" were introduced during a news conference April 20 at the Statehouse to kick off a statewide campaign to help prevent school violence.
Dave Daubenmire, founder of Ohio-based Pass the Salt Mini-stries, started the Words to Live By Project. "'Thou shalt not kill' is a simple, yet profound reminder to our children that violence is not the answer to problems in relationships with our fellow man," he said. "Although this is indeed one of God's commandments, we would hope that every religion and every American would agree that the shedding of innocent blood is something that must not be tolerated. Christ said, 'The words that I say to you, they are spirit and they are life.' After nearly 40 years of man-conceived programs, the time has come to welcome God's spirit of life back into our schools."
School districts around the central Ohio area will receive plaques in the months ahead. "Our goal is to place a simple, but profound reminder within the halls of our institutions that it is wrong to take another life," said Daubenmire, former football coach and teacher at London High School. Daubenmire teaches in Licking County.
Words to Live By was kicked off during the two-year anniversary of the tragic Columbine High School school shootings at Littleton, Colo. School violence has torn apart many other American communities like Paducah, Ky; Jonesboro, Ark.; Springfield, Ore.; Edinboro, Pa.; and, most recently, San Diego.
Organizations joining Dauben-mire in the effort are the Center for Bioethical Reform, Citizens for Community Values, Mission: America, Christian Coalition of Ohio, Pro-Family Network, WRFD radio, the Ohio affiliate of the American Family Association and Pray Ohio.