The Borough of Ellwood City will likely have a number of protestors outside of the Municipal Building by week’s end in response to the setting up of a Nativity display on the building’s front lawn.
On Friday, the borough plans to erect a Nativity scene for the holiday season, regardless of an accusation that the borough is violating the establishment clause of the Constitution’s First Amendment.
Nativity scene as erected outside the borough Municipal Building
The Freedom From Religion Foundation out of Madison, Wisc. sent a letter to borough officials in 2010 saying that the 50-plus year tradition in Ellwood City violates the First Amendment clause of the “separation of church and state.”
Yet, borough officials plan to continue the tradition this holiday season.
Many believe protesters are just speculation, but others, including the Police Chief, think there will be a presence.
Ellwood City Police Chief Mark Romutis said he doesn’t anticipate the protestors to be aggressive or violent, and that their main goal is probably to just be present and show support.
One of the important factors allegedly in this matter is whether or not the borough also places secular items along with the religious Nativity scene. Currently, the holiday display at the borough building has Christmas trees and a sign reading “Happy Holidays.” They will also have a Santa Claus and other items.
The Mayor of Ellwood City, Anthony Court, has already announced publically several times that he is in favor of the Nativity scene outside of the Municipal Building and is excited to see it go up yet another year.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, according to their website, “works to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism, and to promote the constitutional principle of separation between church and state. The Foundation is the nation’s largest association of freethinkers (atheists, agnostics and skeptics) with over 17,000 members.”
I grew up in this town as well as others he said when that the nativity scene was set up joy and excitement went threw his body. He knew that santa was on the way. Now that he is older obviously he understands the true meaning of that nativity scene and honors and respects it. Point being what is wrong with letting our children enjoy that same excitement and anticipation. Over 5 Decades that has been done and gave other children that same feeling. Let our children use their imaginations and learn why we celebrate Christmas, Quanza, Chanukah and other holidays. I apologize for my spelling if I misspelled anything. The point is we support our mayor and the borough decision to continue our towns decision. People like this you know the ones that are starving for attention have already ruined our school system when will it ever end?
This is OUR town – so how about YOU MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS and stay in Wisc. Ellwood will keep Christ in Christmas
I think everyone who opposes the protesters should place a religous item like a cross or anything that represents jesus outside there lawn. We can show the protesters that freedom of religon is also are right and we will do what we please in are town. I would also like to call on people to be at the protest too to support are city with signs that read “Jesus saves” and “Jesus loves you” as well. Together we can drown out these unwanted protesters that assume they can tell us what to do in are own town. I will do EVERYTHING in my power non violently to see to it that they do not ruin christmas for Ellwood City this year!
I agree with the above post written by Justin Yerace. That is a good way to protest aginst the protesters! Lets give them a nice warm Ellwood City welcome and make MORE NOISE and have MORE SHOWS OF X-MAS RELIGION (the people in ellwood that choose to anyway..) and show these people that we will celebrate any way we well please! They can’t very well protest at every single persons house with a cross or somthing in there yard.. and if they are there to protest then I too will be right there yelling at them about how jesus died for are sins and I will read versus of the bible to them!!! PROTEST AGAINST THE PROTESTERS!!!!! I agree this all should be non vilolent as we are doing this for god and Jesus here.. Jesus saved us by dieing on the cross. I figure maybe we can save him for a change…
Very well put! I heard on the news that bike clubs will rev up there engines to drowned out the protesters. The more people that are there to support are city, the better! This will be a way to get the city’s people together for x-mas anyway! In a way, this will be very nice! We can outnumber them and maybe make a little christmas party out of it! We can all support the nativity scene that has been a tradition in this town for years together!
I completely agree with everyone what right does someone have to say how a town decorates if you dont live in Ellwood then you dont have to look at it which means you dont have a say so. People need to go to Wisc. to protest them.
Christmas was at one time a pagan holiday stolen by the Christians.So townspeople of Ellwood have yourselves a Merry Merry Mythmas because in reality that’s what Christmas is,a Myth.
If any of those dopes took a second to research, they’d find out that THERE IS NO MENTION OF THE SEPERATION OF CHURCH AND STATE IN THE ENTIRE CONSTITUTION. –The whole idea comes from a letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote at some point.
Agreed, there is no mention in the constitution, so there is no foundation for their assertion to protest. I grew up in Ellwood and this is the one thing that I enjoyed seeing and supporting over the years. Give them some hot cider a hug and send them home!
Mike,
Have you read the constitution?
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
You have every right to place a nativity scene on your property. The problem here is tax payer money and public land being used to erect a religious symbol of a particular faith over others. I don’t understand why believers don’t want to preserve the separation of church and state. It protects you the most, judging from the historical atrocities that people of God inflict on believers of different faiths.
Funny of the ignorance of religious bigots. Clearly you have not read the Bill of Rights Matt and Richard, as Jessica so kindly pointed out it is a direct quote prohibiting the combination of church and state. Maybe you should do your research next time before making a fool of yourself. (Hint: look it up, its the first one….)
It is vexing to see so many comments posted in opposition to FFRF’s efforts, while proposing the same solution FFRF has repeatedly suggested… placing religious displays in the front yards of every Christian household in Ellwood City! That effort would get 100% support from FFRF, because that’s where religion belongs… in the hands of private individuals.
The ONLY objection FFRF has to religious displays is when they’re placed on PUBLIC property. I’m seriously considering the possibility that Christians are being willfully dense on this issue. EVERYBODY (Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, atheists, etc.) pays taxes to support our government, yet Christians think they are special and only they should get to display their religions icons on public, i.e. government, property during the holiday season.
If you are going to allow one religion to set up a display, you have to allow them all (you learned this in kindergarten!). Better yet, don’t allow any of them to use public property; they can all mount displays on their own property. The only conclusion one can come to when seeing a nativity scene on government property is that that government supports Christianity, but no other religion. Supporters of government sponsored Christian displays don’t have an ounce of empathy in their bodies, and have likely never been the member of a minority or felt like an unwelcomed outsider. Put the shoe on the other foot just once and imagine a minaret at the four corners of your courthouse lawn. Then tell me with a straight face that you wouldn’t feel at all uncomfortable going into that courthouse which had an obvious bias in support of Islam.
Well, I live in Chippewa and if those people from Wisconson or where ever they are from decide to come protest, I’ll be there Protesting the Protesters. Keep your tradition and Pride Ellwood.
Here’s the bright side:
Those guys that are protesting have to eat and sleep at some point… so early Merry CHRISTmas to you small business owners out there in Ellwood City. Might as well take advantage of their ignorance.
I am an Ellwood City resident, Christian, supporter of the nativity scene, and will be protesting the protestors tomorrow along with the other supporters. My only comment is to the Ellwood Citians who are coming out to protest the protestors tomorrow… Remember while you’re there that although the FFRF is coming to shove their beliefs down our throats, doesn’t mean we should be doing the same to them. Which means reading bible verses to them and all that is not necessarily the best way to handle it in my eyes. As much as I believe these people need to be saved by the Lord, we’d only be stooping to their level by doing the same thing to them that they’re doing to us. Just a friendly reminder that we should be respectful. Merry Christmas, and God bless!
The protest has been called off. All FFRF wanted was a more inclusive display; more than a nativity. The mayor has agreed to modify it this year. Both sides won, despite the tone of the article above. Happy Solstice to All!
Yes, Sarah V; we non-Christians just want to be included. Isn’t that what your Jesus would have wanted? Why not add ALL the many religious symbols to keep your nativity scene company? Oh, right — the lawn isn’t big enough. Just like some Christian hearts.
Jesus Is the reason for the season, I love to see the Nativity Scene on the Lawn. I think we all should do a Living nativity Scene on the lawn , I am Proud of being A Christian, and am never going to Deny my Jesus. But again I would love to be a part of a Living nativity to show the people, Ellwood City is a Christian Town…. God Bless Ellwood City.
There is no need for the newspaper to place the words, “separation of church and state,” in quotation marks. The First Amendment does actually contain the Establishment Clause which provides us Americans the basic right that there will be separation of church and state. See how it is done? The newspaper implies with the quotation marks that the concept of the separation of state and church is a so-called “right.” No, newspaper editors, there is an actual separation of church and state embodied in the words, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”
Ellwood City, read the law books and judicial precedents. You will so lose a law suit and waste your money in court if you continue your unconstitutional ways. It may be your city, but it is a part of my country with my bill of rights. No one in the U.S. is above the Constitution and the Bill of Rights/Establishment Clause.
Don’t supporters of displays like this know that the Bill of Rights or any other part of our Constitution can’t be overturned by a local majority. Only by amending the Constitution itself can these rights be changed.
You people really need somthing better to do with yourselves.. I mean.. come on.. If you do not like the display, do not come to are city. Simple as that! Find somthing better to do with your lives like go to church and actually save yourselves!!!