As a Catholic Alum of W&M I would offer my two cents: big deal over nothing. Just another blip in the age old Private vs. Public; Majority vs. Minority; Religion vs. Secular; etc. When considering consider the fact that the Chapel is an actively used public space, part of the centerpiece building on the campus of a thriving public university with a diverse student population, it does not seem so horrible does it? W&M is not a private institution, certainly not a Christian institution, and is funded by public money (that means everyone). So when you take the emotion out of it, there is nothing wrong with taking the Cross out of a public room at a public secular university. If you want Crosses, 10-commandments, Star of Davids, Crescent Moons, Smiling Buddhas, Golden Calves, etc. plenty are available in the multitude of churches surrounding campus in town, at private institutions, in private homes, etc. This is truly one of those undeniable balances that makes the US such a rare place to live. By the way, President Nichols, who has been at W&M for 18 months appears to be doing a great job from what this alum can determine and I don't recall him making a big deal about the removal (the whole ACLU - political career motivated theory presented by some).....didn't the original email poster indicate he "snuck in" and likely did it in such a fashion so as to prevent great upheaval. I have been to weddings, fraternity initiations, etc. at the Chapel and it is space with a rare spiritual ambiance. As a student of History, yes, absolutely, it was a Chapel in the Christian tradition. However, this room and building is not a museum and to be honest I can live with the chapel having a cross or the cross being removed. Is it that difficult to bring the cross in for Christian religious purposes at the Chapel? There is so much more important in the world when compared to a non-issue such as this being elevated to weighty importance. It simply prays upon division and spawns divisiveness. Religion, with its zealots and hard-liners are today, and have been throughout history, the cause of many of the greatest and most incomprehensible human calamities, be it war, oppression, genocide, etc. When it comes down to it, does it really matter? Is your life so dramatically effected by it? Besides, in its simplest form it the whole issue boils down to the simple desire for idol worship, and good Christians know that such practice is frowned upon if we take the Bible at its word....I digress and am actually speaking blasphemously against the use of idolatry and pageantry as a Catholic, forgive me. Tom McMahon Class of 1994 To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html