Nativity Allowed at Charleston Firehouse

CHARLESTON, S.C. - A South Carolina fire station that removed a nativity display following a complaint has put it back up after adding other holiday decorations.

The Charleston Fire Department announced Tuesday that one of its stations has modified its holiday display to comply with U.S. Supreme Court rulings. It has added a menorah, Kwanzaa Kinara, Santa Claus, elves and reindeer.

Chief Thomas Carr Jr. says the nativity scene is one part of celebrating the holiday season.

The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter dated Dec. 17 asking city officials to remove the display because it promoted one religion over another. It was taken down in response.

Foundation co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor says the change is a sham but appears to fall in the law.

Related
Charleston Firehouse Ordered to Remove Nativity Scene

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Permalink Reply by Conrad M on December 28, 2009 at 10:48pm

I fully understand and appreciate neutral ground for the people.
My view on this issue specifically is that this is being labeled as religious freedoms but is in fact religious oppression. We're not vying for air time for a prime time television spot, nor is it propaganda, there is no ulterior motive for global domination. Every time the law is factored into a human relations issue, you've taken away the ability for people to negotiate. The fact that we can banter back and forth on this forum is a small concession, provided no one suppresses this 'freedom', and this may happen soon enough. I shouldn't have to fear that what I think or say will be met with further oppression or suppression, isn't that in the Constitution?

I personally don't care whether the nativity scene or a naked cherub goes up on this corner or that corner, we're bombarded with media and signs all over the place, providing as stated before that it does not alter or infer inferiority over another, or as one philosopher said, 'I may not agree with what you say, but I'll defend you to the death your right to say it... '

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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on December 28, 2009 at 11:20pm

The courts, simply put, have made activist decisions that are outside the scope of the Constitution.

The "...entire goal is to be equally unfair to everyone" is probably accurate, but that's not what the Constitution states. It specifies that Congress cannot make a law regarding the "establishment of religion". That statement was intended to prevent the national government from establishing a state religion, such as the Roman Catholic church establishment in Spain or the Church of England in Great Britain at the time the Constitution was written.

Nowere does it say that you cannot display a religious symbol in a public place.

Freedom from religion is not Freedom of religion. Freedom from religion is what the people who protested the Charleston Sta. 12 display want.
Freedom from religion is not Constitutionally protected, and it certainly does not cut both ways.