[Apologetics] Federal government bans religious references on ornaments for 2009 Capitol Christmas Tree

[Art Kelly]

http://www.adfmedia.org/News/PRDetail/3123#

Federal government bans religious references on ornaments for 2009
Capitol Christmas Tree

ADF attorneys send letter to federal, state officials after Arizona
schoolchildren chosen to decorate D.C. tree, but told to keep religion
out
Tuesday, September 29, 2009


PHOENIX, Ariz. - Alliance Defense Fund attorneys sent a letter
<http://www.telladf.org/UserDocs/DCtreeOrnamentsAZletter.pdf>  to
federal and state officials, including Arizona Governor Janice Brewer
Monday, calling for them to stop enforcing a requirement prohibiting the
state's schoolchildren from expressing religious viewpoints through
Christmas themes while decorating ornaments for the 2009 Capitol
Christmas Tree. Arizona was chosen this year to present 4,000
handcrafted ornaments made by elementary, middle-school, and high-school
students to decorate Washington, D.C.'s annual Christmas tree.

"Banning Christmas from the Capitol Christmas tree is just absurd.
Christian students shouldn't be discriminated against for expressing
their religious beliefs," said ADF Litigation Staff Counsel Jonathan
Scruggs.  "The First Amendment does not allow government officials to
exclude schoolchildren's ornaments for the capitol's Christmas tree
merely because they communicate a religious viewpoint."

On behalf of a mother whose son strongly desires to submit three
ornaments for the tree, ADF attorneys sent a letter to state and federal
officials demanding that they abandon the prohibition of religious
viewpoints so that the child may participate in the unique opportunity.
One of the ornaments will read "Merry Christmas," another will say
"Happy Birthday, Jesus," and the third will portray a manger scene with
the baby Jesus.  Each of these ornaments will also honor Arizona, using
as a theme the state's history, geography, or motto, "Ditat Deus," which
means "God Enriches." ADF attorneys indicate in the letter that they
will take legal action if officials do not comply by October 4, the day
before the deadline to submit ornaments for consideration.

"It is well established that expression of religious beliefs is
protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution," the letter
reads. "Religious expression is speech and is entitled to the same level
of protection as other kinds of speech... Even expression that comes
through symbols, such as ornaments..."

Arizona was given the special privilege this year to provide Washington,
D.C., with the 2009 Capitol Christmas Tree. Students from elementary,
middle, and high schools were given criteria
<http://www.capitolchristmastree2009.org/outdoorornaments.php>  to
construct and decorate 4,000 handcrafted ornaments for the 65-foot tree
as a coordinated effort with the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, the
Apache Natural Resources Conservation District, the Arizona Public
Education Department, students, businesses, and the community. 

Guidelines for the ornaments include specifications for their size,
weight, composition, and the directive that "Ornaments cannot reflect a
religious or political theme... Instead share your interpretation of our
theme 'Arizona's Gift, from the Grand Canyon State.'" It is also stated
that the ornaments "will provide wonderful opportunities for Arizona
school children to demonstrate what Arizona means to them... Whether
they represent our world-renowned landscapes, our diverse cultures, or
other aspects of our state, the ornaments will help convey the
particular beauty that is Arizona." But, if students want to convey that
Arizona has a religious significance to them, they are denied the
opportunity offered to students with non-religious views.

ADF is a legal alliance of Christian attorneys and like-minded
organizations defending the right of people to freely live out their
faith. Launched in 1994, ADF employs a unique combination of strategy,
training, funding, and litigation <http://www.adfmedia.org/home/about>
to protect and preserve religious liberty, the sanctity of life,
marriage, and the family.
 
www.adfmedia.org <http://www.adfmedia.org/> 



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