Nativity Case a Political 'Hot Potato' for Palm Beach
by Allie Martin
January 15, 2004
(AgapePress) - The chief counsel with the Thomas More Law Center says a federal lawsuit against a Florida city over its refusal to allow a Nativity scene to be displayed alongside a Jewish menorah is having political ramifications.Late last year, the Thomas More Law Center sued the Town of Palm Beach on behalf of two residents, Maureen Donnell and Fern Denarvaez. The pair wanted to display the Nativity alongside menorahs that were erected on city property during the Christmas holidays.
The lawsuit claims the town's use of public funds to store, maintain, and light the menorahs -- and its refusal to allow the Christian Nativity display -- amounts to an unconstitutional endorsement of religion. The suit also points out that local officials did not use a disclaimer sign on the menorahs, yet required such a disclaimer for a Nativity display. (See Earlier Story)
Richard Thompson, president of the Thomas More Law Center, says the issue has become a volatile political topic.
"Three incumbent town council members have now all gotten challenges ... because of the town's reaction and handling of the requests for the Nativity scene," the attorney explains. Such challenges, he says, are "unheard of" in the community.
But town officials, who Thompson says are "acting like predictable politicians" in that they are "scurrying for answers" and blaming court decisions for their own actions, may be close to revamping their policy regulating the display of Christian symbols on city-owned property.
"The federal lawsuit is still going on, but because of the anger many Christians have felt towards the town because of this overt discrimination against Christian religious symbols, it's become a hot political issue," he says.
"I think at this point the town council is seriously considering the requests our clients made several months ago to have Nativity scene display in a similar location, equivalent to how they are displaying the Jewish menorah."
The amended complaint also alleges that the town's policy and procedures for reviewing citizens' requests are without standards. A status conference for the case is scheduled for January 27.
