Sometimes things begin to border on the ridiculous, and you have to laugh in spite of it all. Our county has been the center of the “manger scene on government property” battle.
Last year a Southern Baptist church snuck onto the grounds of the county courthouse in the middle of the night. They put up a manger scene on government property. A few days later there appeared a Festivus sign.
This year the ACLU managed to get permission to put up a Statue of Liberty copy on the courthouse grounds.
This year the same church got their manger scene up in addition, and instead of the Festivus sign there was a Festivus pole. But the pole was stolen, and a sign was defaced.
A little tongue in cheek from a local paper today about this issue.
Free Speech Zone Site of `Holy War’
BARTOW — The manger scene is still intact. But the Festivus pole is missing and someone tried to make sure that Jesus is coming.
Polk County’s free speech zone has become the OK Corral for Christmas-only vigilantism.
Thursday, a “Jesus isn’t coming” sign was erected along with a pole celebrating the make-believe holiday Festivus of “Seinfeld” fame at the county’s new area dedicated to public comment. Both were put up after following the appropriate procedures set up by the county.
But almost as soon as it went up, the Festivus pole disappeared.
And the Jesus sign was changed with beige paint to say “Jesus is coming.”
“So we have a holy war,” said County Attorney Joe Jarret, who noticed that the pole had vanished and the sign was augmented.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a big Festivus to the rest of us who are not quite sure about it all.
