Subject: Nice Mole, Lady

WASHINGTON - Karl and Rita Girshman showered, then stretched 
naked on their bed at Big Bend National Park in Texas. They had 
spent the day March 4, 1992, hiking and were resting before 
dinner.

The couple were surprised by a man who walked into their room 
at Chisos Mountain Lodge without permission. He invited them to 
worship Jesus Christ during services at two park amphitheaters. 
The man was an employee of National Park Concessionaires, the 
company under government contract to run the lodge. He carried 
leaflets bearing an arrowhead logo similar to the National Park 
Service's logo. The leaflets encouraged them "To Join in 
Worshipping Our Lord and Savior".

National Park Concessionaires eventually paid the couple an 
undisclosed sum of money as part of an agreement to resolve 
their complaints out of court.

The Girshmans, a retired Jewish couple, filed suit Thursday in 
U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia. They accused 
the park service of violating the First Amendment by 
maintaining a too close relationship with Christian Ministry, 
the religious group that has held services in dozens of 
national parks for over 40 years. Named as defendants were 
Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt and Park Service Director 
Roger Kennedy.

They allege that park officials endorse and support the 
ministry, permitting the group to advertise and conduct 
religious services without permits, providing rent-free or 
subsidized housing to the group's staff, and reserving park 
service jobs for the group's ministers.