Cross victim of Redlands vanishing act

Human Events ^ | 5/3/2004 | DAVID SCHWARTZ

[presidio9]

REDLANDS - The city is putting a figurative fig leaf over a cross on its logo after the ACLU threatened legal action and said the city's 41-year-old sigil advocated Christianity.

All of the Latin crosses that grace the lower right corner of the city's quartered logo will be covered up by April 30 with a blue sticker. Already, city sigils on doors at City Hall have had the cross covered.

"From a personal standpoint, this is sad and disappointing,' said Mayor Susan Peppler. "But from a legal position, the city could never win this battle.'

The change has come about quietly, never going before the City Council in open session. It's a sharp contrast from 1986, when a San Bernardino atheist organization, backed by ACLU attorneys, demanded that the city remove the cross. There was a firestorm of protest, and activists campaigned to "Save our Seal.'

The seal was designed in the 1960s by a police sergeant. It features a building and gear to symbolize commerce; a book and flame for learning along with scales for justice; oranges for the city's citrus heritage; and a floating cross with a steeple.

The church remains uncovered in the lower right hand corner.

The latest challenge came after a March 11 letter from an American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California lawyer that laid out the reasons for changing the city's logo.

"The case law is quite clear that having a cross, a sectarian religious symbol as part of the city seal, constitutes an endorsement of religion,' the lawyer, Ben Wizner, said Friday.

A precedent was set in the late 1990s when a federal court in Ohio ruled the city of Stow had to eliminate a similar cross from its seal because it advocated a religion.

After Redlands City Attorney Dan McHugh and City Manager John Davidson reviewed the ACLU letter, they decided to comply instead of fighting a long, protracted legal battle where the city would be on the hook for the ACLU's attorney fees if it lost the case.

The logos appear throughout the city on the sides of municipal cars, on the windows of City Hall and on most officials' business cards.

After the issue was first raised in 1986, there was a massive campaign to preserve the cross on the city seal. Proponents argued that the cross was historical, that Redlands has always had many churches in its borders, and that cross was not a religious symbol.

Out came bumper stickers and T-shirts proclaiming "Save our Seal.' A committee was formed to look into it. But the committee's recommendation to somehow include seven religious symbols onto the city marker fell by the wayside. The lawsuit threatened by the ACLU never materialized.

In the meantime, the city has been using an alternate (and as-of-yet inoffensive) seal that features oranges and orange leaves.

Wizner said that two city residents who wish to remain anonymous complained separately to the ACLU about the cross.

"The city conducted itself admirably,' Wizner said. "Contrary to our reputation, we did not rush into court. We outlined the case law and made clear, not only would we sue if they didn't replace it, they'd have to pay our legal fees as well.

"We are not anti-religion. We don't want religion in government.'

Not everyone in Redlands, home to roughly 60 churches, is happy with the changes.

"It's really too bad that this was done so quietly,' said Lowell Linden, the senior pastor at First Congregational Church on Olive Street.

"The last time (in 1986) we were able to talk to City Council members about it. It's a shame that we don't seem to have City Council people willing to keep part of that heritage.'

But council members said that it was more a matter of practicality. They didn't want to fight an expensive legal battle that they saw as doomed to fail.

"The logo is not the essence of spiritual values of the community,' said Councilman Jon Harrison. "Maintaining that linkage will not be diminished by a change to the logo. It's unfortunate, but from a practical point of view, it is a reasonable direction to pursue.'

It was not clear what, if any, type of campaign to put the cross back onto the logo will develop.

Former Councilwoman Barbara Wormser saw the initial debate first hand.

"At the time I was on the council, when it came up, churches were an integral part of the city. That was nearly 20 years ago. There may be different feelings now,' she said. "It may not upset too many people to have it off.'

[thoughtomator]

It's only illegal if it's Christianity.

[glock rocks]

[kaktuskid]

What about the "rain cross" symbol use by Riverside? (maybe to native american to attract the ACLU)

[NewRomeTacitus]

That's it. I want every ACLU attorney traipsing through backwoods America to insure that every little wooden mosque has the crescent moon symbol altered or removed.

[presidio9]

Also, we need to get rid of the letter "t"

[kaktuskid]

What about the "rain cross" symbol use by Riverside? (maybe TOO native american to attract the ACLU nuts!)

[kaehurowing]

They also banned use of the City flag because it had the cross.

Question: How many State flags incorporate a cross of one sort or another?

[Sagespeaker]

For most within the city, the argument about the cross on the city Logo (not seal) of Redlands is historical. The founding fathers of this city were religious people; most Christians. Their values and ethics helped form the government and social backbone. Their spirit of charity, with major donations to the library and charities for the less fortunate, is based in Christianity. Should history be rewritten to eliminate that influence? Should we ignore the religious background and motivations of our national founding fathers? The Mayflower Compact, at the heart of the liberties afforded to all people in our country, was written by Christians. If we forget these facts, we rewrite history to please specialty groups.