Leftists Turn on 40-Year Tradition, Demand 3 Wise Men Be Removed from Town's Christmas Display
The three wise men and a star might be taken off a town’s Christmas display, all thanks to a group that claims the decorations violate the separation of church and state.
According to WZZM-TV, the Newaygo Public School District in Newaygo County, Michigan, is facing a lawsuit if it doesn’t accede to the demands of the Michigan Association of Civil Rights Activists regarding its display.
“It clearly conveys the message of the Christian Nativity,” Mitch Kahle, a co-founder of the group told the station.
“We were approached by a complainant from the area,” Kahle said.
Newaygo Public Schools asked to remove wise men and star https://t.co/L9hswDKgTr pic.twitter.com/nyDgK6a0bg
— 13 On Your Side (@wzzm13) December 1, 2018
The group, according to WZZM, involves itself in church-and-state issues involving local residents no matter how justified they may or may not be. The methods are similar to those employed by the better known Freedom From Religion Foundation.
It also doesn’t really matter just how popular the position may be. And in Newaygo, the wise men and star display seems seem to be very popular.
“Here it’s a tradition,” resident Stacie Johnson told WZZM.
“You can see it coming from (neighboring town) White Cloud.”
Johnson has helped organize an online petition that aims to “(s)how the group who are asking for the wisemen to be taken down that our community wants them there!”
In less than a week, it got over the 3,000 signatures that was originally its goal — impressive, given that the population of Newaygo County is roughly 48,000 people and Newaygo itself only has a little over 2,000 residents.
Now, granted, popularity doesn’t exactly confer constitutionality. And even then, popularity may not be enough; Kahle says that “(t)he school district’s attorney is working with school leaders to formulate an appropriate response,” according to WZZM.
“And they have promised to get back to us by December 7th,” Kahle said.
“You have a public school that’s promoting the story of the Christian Nativity and that’s not permitted under the Constitution.”
Whether or not that part could be considered part of the history of the holiday or something more problematic wasn’t necessarily explored, but whatever the case may be, the three wise men display will likely still continue.
“If the display does come down, supporters are working to secure permission to place it on a tall hill on the north end of Newaygo,” WZZM reports. “They selected a site that’s private property and would likely withstand any legal challenges.”
The 40-year-old tradition, it seems, will continue — just perhaps not at the school where it’s been located since four decades ago.
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