Jesus Sign at Fire Station Becomes Hot Topic
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Hemera/Thinkstock(UTICA, N.Y.) — The chief of a Utica, New York, fire station says its holiday sign reading “Happy Birthday Jesus We Love You” is staying put.
Freedom From Religion Foundation based in Madison, Wisconsin, contends the sign outside Fire Station 4 is unconstitutional because it suggests the city prefers “religion over nonreligion,” according to Syracuse.com.
Rebecca Markert, an attorney for the group, argues that it also excludes Jews, Muslims, Native Americans and nonreligious people.
This isn’t the first time a controversy over the sign has erupted. Fire Chief Russell Brooks says that as far back as 2007, the American Civil Liberties Union made a similar complaint.
In fact, the Freedom From Religion Foundation also raised objections last year about the fire station’s expression of its love for Jesus.
However, Brooks said that he received assurances from the Thomas More Law Center, a Christian, nonprofit law firm, that the sign is perfectly legal.
Despite the FFRF’s latest protest, Brooks told a local TV station Tuesday the sign isn’t going anywhere.
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