It may seem like the ACLU have backed off a bit on attacking Christmas. Perhaps this is because of so many great organizations like the Alliance Defense Fund defending it and challenging them. Perhaps they have felt the backlash from the public. Regardless, their attacks in the past have set a precedent that still affects us today.
Mr. Sutley, an atheist, said he then went to the office of the county Board of Supervisors. “And there was a star,” he said.
Technically, neither stars nor angels belong to any particular religion. But to the mind of Mr. Sutley, 65, a veteran who has fought to keep religion out of public meetings and buildings, the symbolism was clear.
“For most people, a star atop a tree at this time of season represents the star of Bethlehem, which is a cult symbol, the cult being Christianity,” he said, adding that the government should be neutral on religion.
Sonoma County officials conferred with their lawyers, and on Monday the acting county administrator, Chris Thomas, asked county departments to remove stars, angels or any other religious symbols “so that we can celebrate the season yet not appear to endorse Christian or other religious doctrines.”
Mr. Thomas cited a 1989 Supreme Court decision, Allegheny v. A.C.L.U., which stated that while Christmas trees could be seen as secular, they could also be seen as religious if decorated with religious symbols.
All of which pleased Mr. Sutley, who said he had found about a half-dozen stars on other trees around the building in Santa Rosa. He said he found none in the social services department, in which he found a religious placard during the holidays last year. (It, too, was removed.)
Ridiculous!
Clarkesville Strikes A Deal With The ACLU Over Public Nativity Scene
The city of Clarkesville Tennessee has struck a deal with the A-C-L-U over a Nativity scene.
It was part of the city’s annual Christmas on the Cumberland celebration.
A local church puts on the display.. But the city paid expenses and promoted as part of the celebration.
Under the deal.. The Nativity will continue.
But the city will not pay for it and they will offer other religious groups opportunities to take part in the event.
Chattanooga had similar concerns over church-run nativity scene at the Grande Illumination.
County display must be inclusive
Clearly, Luzerne County erred by making the focus of its holiday d?cor a manger scene, prominently positioned outside its central government building, where it was safeguarded and lit by night, for all to see as they entered the building or even drove past. Certain government officials defended this type of display, serving to heighten the perception that local power brokers hold a special esteem for Christianity.
If so, what message does that send to Americans here who practice Islam? Buddhism? Taoism? What about atheists?
People of all spiritual and non-spiritual persuasions should enter the courthouse knowing that the government represents them, and they, regardless of their views on Jesus, can expect a fair trial, impartial services and an equal say. To certain people, a manger scene propped between them and the government’s doorstep could represent the visual equivalent of cigar-chomping, backwoods sheriff saying, “We don’t need none of your kind around here.”
Fortunately, in this nation where the majority rules, there are protections and guarantees for the minority voice. The ACLU works to uphold those protections, which means that it often comes to the defense of ideas that might strike many people as wrong, even reprehensible.
Yet its efforts are aimed at supporting the principles upon which this country was founded, that make it unique among nations and that have been exercised so robustly in the Wyoming Valley in recent days.
What a load of crap! Merry Christmas!
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