Pennsylvania County Agrees To Remove Religious Symbols From Courthouse Lawn

[Adsos Letter]

Source: Americans United for Separation of Church and State

Wilkes-Barre, Pa. – The Luzerne County Commissioners have agreed to remove two separate religious displays – a crèche and a menorah – from the lawn of the Luzerne County Courthouse after receiving a letter from Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania.

In the Dec. 11 letter, the two civil liberties groups informed the county that the displays are an unconstitutional government endorsement of religion.

“The reason the law forbids government endorsement of religion is because, in the words of Justice O'Connor, ‘endorsement sends a message to nonadherents that they are outsiders, not full members of the political community, and an accompanying message to adherent that they are insiders, favored members of the political community,’” said Mary Catherine Roper, staff attorney for the ACLU of Pennsylvania. “The courthouse – the symbol of the law in Luzerne County – is an especially important place to respect the diversity of beliefs in our community.”

Added the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, “I expect to see religious symbols at houses of worship, not government buildings that serve Americans of all faiths and none. I am pleased that the Luzerne County Commissioners realized that these displays violated the Constitution and took action to remove them.”


Read more: http://www.au.org/media/press-releases/archives/2009/12/pennsylvania-county-agrees-to.html

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More information about the issue, including photos and a copy of the December 11 letter, is available at: http://www.aclupa.org/legal/legaldocket/northeastpennsylvaniafreet.htm

Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.

[No Elephants]

1. All the courthouse had to do was add a tree and/or santa.

http://law.jrank.org/pages/12593/County-Allegheny-v-ACLU.html


I don't like it, but that is the law, per the SCOTUS. ]

Meanwhile, in February, Obama established a White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. That troubles me more than a creche cum
Focus. Priorities.

[hayu_lol]

2. Obviously there are a lot of tents...

the christian camel's nose must be prevented from entering any of them.

Obama's efforts with faith-based is a serious mistake. Apparently he is not much of a Constitutional scholar after all.

[Adsos Letter]

5. "Obama's efforts with faith-based is a serious mistake."

I heartily agree with this. :thumbsup:

[fascisthunter]

3. I have a lot of respect for this action

it's a principled stand that should be held by all religious people who reside in the US. Never ever use government, or publicly funded land to express religious beliefs... it's simple and it secures the church from government interference.

[penndragon69]

4. We've had the ban for 10 years.

In my town, it's been 10 years since the ban went into effect and every year the
fundies start bitching and screaming about it again.

What more do they want, they already have their fangs in the rest of my life,
stay out of the PUBLIC square. What do they think all those church lawns and christian homes
are for anyway? Keep the crap in your own yards!

[PADEMJES12]

6. Glad it wasnt my county....

Not a big fan of the ACLU, they should have thrown a santa claus in there and told them to get lost. I imagine next the ACLU will be trying to throw the Easter Bunny out of the Luzerne mall.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/purcell/s_557505.html

If they pick on the Easter bunny he should egg them, i know id love to personally.

[PADEMJES12]

7. Looks like the display is back!

http://www.timesleader.com/news/Holiday_scene_gets_a_reprieve_12-19-2009.html