The town of Jay, Florida recently had to make a decision; display a nativity scene on the grounds of city hall and partake in an expensive legal battle they would likely lose, or allow a private organization to move the nativity to private property.
In a letter to Jay Mayor Kurvin Qualls, Andrew Seidel, staff attorney for the Freedom From Religion Foundation, who received a complaint from a Jay resident about the nativity, wrote:
?It is our understanding that the town of Jay owns and erects a nativity in front of Jay City Hall. We understand that the nativity is the lone holiday display. It is unlawful for the town to maintain, erect, or host a holiday display that consists solely of a nativity scene, thus singling out, showing preference for, and endorsing one religion. The Supreme Court has ruled it is impermissible to place a nativity scene as the sole focus of a display on government property.?
As a result, the perfect solution was found. The nativity was declared surplus property by the city and Santa Rosa County Ministerial Association took ownership. The nativity is now displayed at the corner of the main stoplight in town, on private property. This seems like a win-win for all involved. However, it seems this solution is not sitting well with some residents.
WEAR ABC 3, which covers local news for Northwest Florida and South Alabama, shared the story on their Facebook page asking if the city made the right decision. The responses have been somewhat predictable. The butt-hurt is strong with this one.
Because nothing says persecution like when a town moves a nativity from?public property to a more prominent private property location . . .
Let us know your thoughts at the?Liberal America?Facebook page. Sign up for our?free daily newsletter?to receive more great stories like this one.
Elizabeth Preston is a thirty-something wife and mother of three living in Florida. She is a fierce liberal with a passion?for equality and justice. She is a skeptic by nature and often the Facebook friend that rains on the urban legend parade with fact checking. Give her?Facebook page?a?like, follow her on?Twitter?and check out her personal blog,?My Four Ha? Pennies.
