Posted on 12/17/2004 4:31:34 AM PST by SLB
NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. - Pasco County officials have banned Christmas trees from public buildings in a move that one constitutional law group said Thursday was "the most extreme example of censorship imaginable."
The last of the Christmas trees were removed Wednesday after the county attorney said they were religious symbols, said Dan Johnson, assistant county administrator for Public Services.
The county either had to allow all religious symbols or none, he said.
"What you allow for one you must provide for all," Johnson said.
Pasco County, with nearly 400,000 residents, is a fast-growing area that has a mix of rural and urban areas and whose population has grown due to the urban sprawl that has crawled north from Tampa.
The American Center for Law & Justice said the decision was based on a flawed understanding of the law. Senior counsel Francis Manion said Christmas trees are legally considered a secular symbol for the observance of a national holiday: Christmas.
"They don't seem to understand the law, quite frankly, especially in concern with Christmas trees," Manion said.
The center's chief counsel, Jay Sekulow, said in a press release that "this is the most extreme example of censorship imaginable."
The center asked the county Tuesday to reverse the decision.
Johnson said the decision would stand through the holidays, but it would be reviewed next year and he welcomed advice.
"If they have something, I wouldn't mind getting it," Johnson said, explaining that he would pass any information along to the county attorney.
Johnson said he heard from dozens of people who were unhappy with the decision.
"Christmas is a federal holiday, Christmas is a widespread tradition and I think the attempt to remove any decorations that refer to Christmas or the nativity are simply ridiculous," said Gary Hatrick, 47, associate editor at the Zephyrhills News in Pasco County.
Previously, the county allowed the display of Christmas trees, but not religious symbols, Johnson said. Recently, a man wanted to display a menorah at a public building. He said that when the county attorney investigated whether the menorah could be displayed, the attorney decided that Christmas trees were also religious symbols.
Pasco County is just north of the Tampa area on Florida's gulf coast.
Email Addys at http://www.pascocountyfl.net/index.htm
My email comment to those fine public officials and workers in Pasco County Florida was as follows:
I assume ALL Pasco County employees will be required to work on religious holidays keeping with the "separation of church and state."
http://www.pascocountyfl.net/index.htm
Then click on Contact Us/Directions
The click on Email Us
Good idea.
My God is nature and my bible the golded rule so I am not one to normally defend Chritianity.......Nontheless, this kind of thing is simply disgusting and I abhor people who make these kinds of totally unnecesary, inflamatory, most certainly divisive, and I am sure hurtful decisions.
I have relatives who live over there..I am in the central part of the state...I will forward this to them.
If the populace stands for it, then they share the blame. Vote the clowns out, recall them, do whatever's necessary! A little civil disobedience is certainly not out of the question. I'd like to see these Nazis trying to arrest hundreds for placing a Christmas tree on public property. I thought Pasco County was red. Now it appears to be pink.
Yes, we agree in general but I don't believe the average American citizen is either "watching" the ACLU or has the vaguest notion of how this group has been working to destroy traditional America as I felt you inferred.
In any case: Have a great day.
Leni...I lived in Naples/Marco Island for 3 yrs and even I couldn't have said it better!
My mistake, to be politically correct I should have said in my emails,
,,,,ALL Pasco County employees and officials will be required to work on ALL religious holidays.
Sooner or later I will get it right.
Your right, alot of Americans still aren't aware that the aclu has an (anti-American) agenda. But i believe that is changing. The anti-xmas issues are getting nat'l coverage. The Judge Moore /10 commandments controversy got me interested in the aclu. I think it's just a matter of time before Americans become fed up enough to insist on changes.
Um, Piers... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1303751/posts
This is not just a US problem - it's happening all over.
"Not wanting to be the grinches who stole the Christmas spirit, Pasco County officials bowed to intense public pressure Friday by ending a brief ban on Christmas tree displays in libraries and other public places.
"Hundreds of phone calls were logged at county switchboards and national news media pounced on the story.
"Pasco officials continue to ban displays of religious symbols in county buildings."
Well, freepers, after agonizing research, soul-searching and expenditure of tax dollars, the Pasco County Attorney's office came up with the fact that Christmas trees, ornaments, Santa figurines, candy canes, etc. are regarded as secular, not religious, symbols....per United State Supreme Court decisions.
Chalk up another one for the emailers and phoner-inners. I live in this county and did my small bit. You never know when your one lone email or telephone call will help turn a tide.
Leni
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