A Festivus for the rest of us!

[sereneorange]

'Festivus'
Shares Space With Fla. Nativity

BARTOW, Fla. - When
a church group put a nativity scene on public property, officials warned
it might open the door to other religious — and not-so-religious —
displays. They were right.

Related Links • Festivus (Y! Directory)

Since the nativity was erected in Polk County,
displays have gone up honoring Zoroastrianism and the fake holiday
Festivus, featured on the TV show "Seinfeld."

The
Polk County Commission voted 4-1 Wednesday to permit the nativity scene to
remain across the street from the courthouse, as well as to make that area
a "public forum" open to any type of display.

But
the commission insisted that unless someone claims a particular display
and submits a written request asking it remain, it would be removed. By
Wednesday evening, no one had claimed the Festivus display, and the
commission said it would come down; a woman claimed the Zoroastrianism
display, which was to stay.

The debate began Dec. 15 when a
handmade creche with the figures of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus was
erected by a Bible study group from the First Baptist Church of Bartow.

"The real spirit of Christmas is the birth of
Christ," said Marvin Pittman, a retired law enforcement officer and
parishioner. "We felt it needs to be in the public eye, so we did
it."

Other displays are fine, too, he said, adding,
"If somebody wants to do that, it's their right."

And true to form, the site almost immediately sprouted alternative
displays, including a simple sign that reads: "Festivus for the Rest
of Us — Donated to Polk County by the Seinfeld Fan Club."

The display, a reference to the fake holiday featured on an episode
of the television sitcom, did not include the totem of Festivus — a bare
aluminum pole instead of a tree. Key rituals of Festivus include accusing
others of being a disappointment and wrestling.

Another
display celebrating Zoroastrianism was erected by Stella Darby, who wanted
to encourage people to research the ancient Persian religion.

Richard Blank, a member of the American Civil Liberties Union (news
- web
sites), objected to the nativity scene's presence on public property,
arguing it violates the constitutional separation of church and state.

"The nativity scene is totally celebratory of the birth
of Christ," he said. "Not everyone subscribes to that, and those
who do should put it on their own property."

But a board
member who voted to allow the creche as part of the "public
forum" disagreed with Blank. "A group had asked to display a
scene important to their beliefs; I felt we shouldn't suppress their right
to do so," said Commissioner Samuel K. Johnson

Comments

[derektion.livejournal.com]

Damn! You beat me to it! I was gonna post that. :-p Excellent story.

[serene-orange.livejournal.com]

too slow! ha!