Bible Week and Church/State Separation Week are nationally recognized the week of Nov. 23-30.

However, with the advice of East Lansing Mayor Mark Meadows, the city council has decided that Church/State Separation Week will be recognized in East Lansing on Nov. 17-23.

The fact that the council is not honoring both weeks when they are nationally recognized doesn't make sense.

Recognizing these weeks is different than approving one over the other, because no events are scheduled by the city - officials simply are putting their stamp of approval on a piece of paper.

It is not right to separate the two. The events of both weeks do not overlap or interfere with each other, because both represent the many beliefs East Lansing residents hold. The resolution to honor Church/State Separation Week was passed by the East Lansing City Council on Tuesday.

The MSU Freethinker Alliance drafted the resolution for Church/State Separation Week after hearing the news of the approval of Bible Week. It is encouraging to see a student group taking the initiative to bring awareness to this week.

The alliance said it plans to hold a public awareness campaign over Nov. 17-23. The group will organize guest speakers and a debate in the weeks prior to that.

The intent of the resolution was questioned by some council members, but because it is a nationally recognized week.

Alliance member Susan Wise said the group had been talking about Church/State Separation Week since the summer, and asking city council to recognize the event simply was "an extension of a campaign they were going to run anyway."

One of the great things about our country is that there is a huge diversity of beliefs and events to recognize those beliefs.

The council is right to support Church/State Separation Week, but it should not have changed the week of that recognition.