Putting U.S. historical documents, 10 Commandments in public Mat-Su Borough buildings set for vote

PALMER, Alaska (KTUU) - The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly is set to take up a move that would require the display of certain U.S. historical documents — as well as the Ten Commandments — in several borough public facilities.

Sponsored by Assembly member Ron Bernier, RS 24-105 would direct the borough manager to display the U.S. Constitution, Alaska Constitution, the Mayflower Compact, the Magna Carta, and the Ten Commandments at the Dorotha Swanda Jones building in Downtown Palmer.

While the Magna Carta is a document derived from the UK Parliament, the document influenced the United States Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights.

The Ten Commandments are Christian-based ideologies found in the Old Testament of the Bible.

When asked about the separation of church and state, Bernier said his intention is solely to educate the public.

“We have freedom of religion, not freedom from religion,” Bernier said.

Bernier said he got the idea for the resolution through homeschooling his own nine children.

“We were taught stuff like that in school when I was a kid, but to most people, it’s just a sun-faded document,” Bernier said. “And a lot of people don’t even pay attention to it.”

Bernier said he believes today’s youth are not taught history the way they should be.

He said that documents would be displayed in chronological order inside the lobby of the borough building and that he intends to make an amendment at Tuesday’s regular Assembly meeting to include the borough public libraries displaying the documents.

According to a memo, the cost of the initiative has yet to be determined. Bernier said he doesn’t anticipate the project to be a big expense to the borough.