By Neil H. Simon
Media General News Service
Media General News Service
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WASHINGTON—Scott Teague has been walking a while – 440 miles, to be exact.
The Mountain City, Tenn., funeral director and former Marine finished a 16-day religious journey Monday that took him from eastern Tennessee to the nation’s capital – by foot – to support the public display of the Ten Commandments.
“I’m not a Jesus freak or a fanatic,” Teague said, standing in the shadow of the Washington Monument Thursday. He added, “but I guess I’m a fanatic.”
Inspired to do more to protect the religious display in schools and public places, Teague said the idea of an awareness march to Washington came to him as a call from God after a recent Supreme Court case.
In a case stemming from a public park in Utah, the court ruled last month that public parks can display a monument featuring the Ten Commandments without having to allow private groups to put up monuments of their own.
Wearing a gray track suit and Nike running shoes, Teague laughed that he usually prays offering to do things for God with a list of exceptions.
“I took the time to listen to God this time, and what God said was, ‘Do the walk -- do an awareness walk.’”
So he did, walking north through Roanoke, east to Richmond and north through Mount Vernon to the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Monday. Averaging 27.5 miles a day, often walking 4 miles per hour, Teague, 51, had a follower drive behind him most days. His wife arranged through phone calls and e-mails for him to stay overnight in the homes of supporters along the way.
“I was like, ‘Lord, I know you’re in this and if you’re in this, you’ll help me find a place,’ and it all just kind of came together,” said Beverly Teague.
Beverly Teague said she worried about her husband only when a snow storm started to roll toward Washington over the weekend.
“I’d say, `Lord, please let it be above freezing,’” she said. He walked in snow, ice and temperatures as low as 17 degrees. But aside from a few days of soreness upon starting out, Scott Teague had no trouble.
“After day four there was no pain,” he said.
On Day 16, he arrived on the steps of the Capitol at 2:28 p.m. – 32 minutes ahead of schedule. He met Tuesday with Tennessee Republican Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker and Rep. Phil Roe. But, he said the long walk and one day lobbying effort is just the beginning of his campaign to rally people to pressure elected officials to allow public displays of the Ten Commandments.
“We’re not asking it be mandatory to be put in the schools or mandatory to be put in the courthouses -- just to say it’s OK,” he said.
Contact Neil H. Simon at nsimon@mediageneral.com
The Mountain City, Tenn., funeral director and former Marine finished a 16-day religious journey Monday that took him from eastern Tennessee to the nation’s capital – by foot – to support the public display of the Ten Commandments.
“I’m not a Jesus freak or a fanatic,” Teague said, standing in the shadow of the Washington Monument Thursday. He added, “but I guess I’m a fanatic.”
Inspired to do more to protect the religious display in schools and public places, Teague said the idea of an awareness march to Washington came to him as a call from God after a recent Supreme Court case.
In a case stemming from a public park in Utah, the court ruled last month that public parks can display a monument featuring the Ten Commandments without having to allow private groups to put up monuments of their own.
Wearing a gray track suit and Nike running shoes, Teague laughed that he usually prays offering to do things for God with a list of exceptions.
“I took the time to listen to God this time, and what God said was, ‘Do the walk -- do an awareness walk.’”
So he did, walking north through Roanoke, east to Richmond and north through Mount Vernon to the steps of the U.S. Capitol on Monday. Averaging 27.5 miles a day, often walking 4 miles per hour, Teague, 51, had a follower drive behind him most days. His wife arranged through phone calls and e-mails for him to stay overnight in the homes of supporters along the way.
“I was like, ‘Lord, I know you’re in this and if you’re in this, you’ll help me find a place,’ and it all just kind of came together,” said Beverly Teague.
Beverly Teague said she worried about her husband only when a snow storm started to roll toward Washington over the weekend.
“I’d say, `Lord, please let it be above freezing,’” she said. He walked in snow, ice and temperatures as low as 17 degrees. But aside from a few days of soreness upon starting out, Scott Teague had no trouble.
“After day four there was no pain,” he said.
On Day 16, he arrived on the steps of the Capitol at 2:28 p.m. – 32 minutes ahead of schedule. He met Tuesday with Tennessee Republican Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker and Rep. Phil Roe. But, he said the long walk and one day lobbying effort is just the beginning of his campaign to rally people to pressure elected officials to allow public displays of the Ten Commandments.
“We’re not asking it be mandatory to be put in the schools or mandatory to be put in the courthouses -- just to say it’s OK,” he said.
Contact Neil H. Simon at nsimon@mediageneral.com