After a local man drove by a manger with the Baby Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, Joseph and all in front of the City Hall in Whitehall, Ohio — paid for by the government of Whitehall through imposed taxes, he complained that it was a violation of church and state by using government resources and authority to promote a particular religion. The man maintained his anonymity for fear of retaliation by local Christians — and it appears that was a good idea. Since news of his complaint was made public, one resident of Whitehall has written in the newspaper that “if he is offended by our manger, he can do one of two things: Don’t drive down Yearling Road from E. Broad Street to Etna Road from now until January 2. Or better still, go back where you came from until after Christmas.” Yearling Road is, of course, the main stretch in this Columbus suburban community, pretty hard to avoid, even if it were the responsibility of non-Christians to avert their eyes from government-paid pro-Christian religious displays on government property. And isn’t that old “go back where you came from” phrase so lovely? We all love a little McCarthy with our egg nog this time of year. Another Whitehall resident says that he cannot celebrate Christmas properly unless the local government endorses it for him:
So a man drove down Yearling Road and was offended by the display of the Nativity scene in front of Whitehall’s City Hall. I will be greatly offended if I drive down Yearling Road and do not see the display of the Nativity scene. So the question is, “Whom do you want to offend, that one man or me?” … I am greatly offended that some people want to take away my freedom to celebrate the holidays that I want.
Boy, those Christians in Whitehall sure are pushy, aren’t they? They just won’t feel comfortable with their Christianity until they can use government to endorse their religious holiday (and none others, by the way). That’s not only unconstitutional — it’s pretty darned insecure to boot. Why don’t the Christians of Whitehall, Ohio take out their religious insecurities by smashing a tower of Legos or playing some basketball or something? Why do they have to hijack the government to hide their doubts?
Pushy, insecure Whitehall Christians. You know, dears, this will only hurt your property values. Nobody likes to live next to a raving proselytizer.
Update: See pictures I took of the display this afternoon. No menorahs, no Kwanzaa candles. It’s about religion. It’s about Christian religion in particular.
Our city has a small creche on city property, also a menorah with little lights on top–five of the nine lit up the last time I checked. No Islamic moon sculpture yet this year-Ramadan is over already. All of these are placed by private parties. The religious symbols are small and off to the side; the main portion of the city hall plaza is taken up by vendors’ stands, the true meaning of Christmas being commercialism.
Here is a challenge to you, invent a holiday that would give meaning to whatever you believe is important, not just for yourself but for all Americans. How would you celebrate it, how would you make its symbols.
Your city can have this display, according to the Supreme Court, as long as more than one religion’s symbols are also included along with other displays, so that the government is not endorsing a particular religion. Whitehall’s display is exclusive to Christmas and is doggedly, religiously Christian, as these pictures I took earlier today show.
The author of the letter you quote is making a huge mistake:
You don’t have a right not to be “offended.”
You have a right to be free of government-supported promotion of a particular religion.