Every year someone has to push the envelope in Leesburg.  Loudoun County has gone back and forth about displays on the courthouse lawn.  Presently, residents can apply to set up a display on the courthouse lawn, in the interest ofthe  first amendment.  This is what you get:

 

I am very much a ‘separation of church and state person,’ and every year someone reaffirms my belief at Leesburg Courthouse.  If people kept their display at their church or on their own lawns, things like this would not happen in the public venue.  I am also a first amendment person. 

I find the crucified Santa to be offensive.  However, that’s what you get when you open up the public square for expressions during this time of year.  Most people stick to tasteful displays.  Then there is always the guy who doesn’t and  who ruins it for everyone.  And that guy has as much right  to his point of view as I do. 

There are plenty of folks who would also have a hissy fit over a winter solstice display or a Chanukah display.  They want to keep it Christian to the exclusion of other faiths who also have religious celebrations this time of year.

I wish Loudoun County would stick to putting up  some municipal  wreaths and red bows  or have a seasonal tree with lights and be done with it.  But I live in Prince William and I doubt if Loudoun really gives a rat’s ass about my opinion.  Sigh. 

 

10 Thoughts to “The Leesburg Courthouse, December 2011–The fight continues”

  1. SlowpokeRodriguez

    A seasonal tree…….I love it. I, on the other hand, worship the God of all Spherical Objects, and demand a large green or blue lawn ball-on-pedestal be displayed prominently at the courthouse…..otherwise, I’ll be offended.

  2. Lafayette

    Every year it’s something with Loudoun. Perhaps, they should just say NO to all displays. What the hell is up with that sack of bones Santa crucified? Those people up in horse country need to get lives.

    1. As tasteless as crucified santa is, whoever vandalized it was wrong.

      I think Loudoun County has shown that perhaps its ready for the first amendment but the people of Loudoun County aren’t. Some of those folks really don’t handle this well and I direct that at both sides of the debate.

      There seems to be a strong desire to insult which is uncalled for and also a strong desire to become offended.

  3. @pokie,

    You sure missed the point here. Perhaps you should go back and google what has happened here the past few years and you would see why I intentionally used the word ‘seasonal,’ to avoid the sideshow of displays representing Christianity, atheists, etc.

    Once Loudoun County allows Christian displays, it has to allow the other organizations’ displays…..and you get crucified Santas, tasteless antheist poems (last year) etc.

  4. Need to Know

    I’m with the people opposing this offensive mockery. Its intent was to inflame and insult people of faith, much as one of the speakers in the video described a cross-burning. Atheists and others certainly have freedom of speech, but that doesn’t mean they have a right to mock and defame others’ faith and traditions.

    I am fine with including a winter solstice, Chanukah or Eids display. This is the season of Chanukah just as it is of Christmas. Jewish and Muslim people wanting to celebrate their holidays just as Christians want to celebrate theirs does not involve anyone mocking or defaming the other. Same goes for winter solstice. Many of our modern holiday traditions can trace some of their roots to pre-Christian Celtic practices. It’s not witchcraft, Satanism, or any other sort of rubbish. If some people want to recognize their centuries-old ethnic heritages they can do so without harming Christians, Muslims, Jews or atheists.

    This skeleton Santa on a cross represents no faith or tradition. It is nothing more than an obscene gesture intended to cause harm to people who celebrate Christmas. The people who erected it are no better than Klansmen who burn crosses on the property of African-Americans. The intent is to mock and deride others.

    Bring on the Crèches, menorahs and other legitimate symbols of celebrations of our faiths and traditions. Let the sleaze that put up things like skeleton Santas on crosses slither back under their rocks.

  5. Censored bybvbl

    More on the reason given for that particular display and the vigilante who took it down.
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/06/crucified-santa-skeleton-_n_1131268.html?ref=dc#s522822

  6. Elena

    My sister insists they have a “hanukkah bush” and not a Christmas tree 😉 !

  7. @Need to Know

    Actually, while we might not like it, they have an absolute right to be offensive. That is the problem. Any time you open up an area to be inclusive, you risk getting crucified Santa.

    Don’t get me wrong, I find it offensive also and wish people didn’t feel the need to continually push the envelope. That’s why I would say no religious symbols at all and go secular with seasonal wreaths and trees, elves etc and leave the religious symbols for the churches and private lawns.

    yes, 1 bad apple can spoil the whole bunch in this case.

  8. Need to Know

    @Moon-howler

    I agree that they have a Constitutional right to be offensive, but they don’t have that right anywhere, anytime. Others have a right to express their views, religion, traditions, etc. without being mocked. Using the same example, the KKK has a right to burn crosses but not anywhere, anytime they choose. They can not do it in such a way as to intimidate or mock others. I doubt very seriously it would be allowed in the vicinity of the new MLK memorial downtown. The KKK would regard such a prohibition as a violation of their rights, but most people would view it as commonsense and allowing others to pay their respects to Dr. King’s memory without fear of intimidation or mockery.

    Same with the people who erected the skeleton Santa on a cross. They have a right to express their views, but what they did in Leesburg falls into the same category as burning a cross on the grounds of the MLK memorial. It’s intent is to intimidate, mock and harass. The Constitution remains on firm ground by prohibiting that kind of hate speech and allowing people of faith, Christians, Jews and Muslims, to express themselves using whatever symbols they choose on public or private property.

  9. Censored bybvbl

    NTK, I’m not so sure that the maker of that display meant to mock the religious aspect of Christmas so much as the commercialization of the holiday.

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