Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
The Green Bay Press-Gazette reports that some idiot destroyed the Wiccan wreath on display with a nativity scene, prompting the equally vacuous mayor to declare a moratorium on new symbols being added to the display. For some strange reason, the mayor seems to think this has something to do with needing guidelines about what can be displayed:
Schmitt said he and City Attorney Allison Swanson developed proposed guidelines governing the size and style of future religious displays. His list limits such displays to December and attempts to limit such displays to legitimate religious symbolism.
But this has nothing to do with the vandalism that took place. What they should have done is put out an immediate statement that no such vandalism will be tolerated and offering a reward for the person who did it. Make an example out of them if they catch that person. By now deciding that only the Nativity scene can be there, they have granted the heckler's veto to some thug who took the law into his own hands. Nice work!
What I find amusing about all this is how much trouble Green Bay is finding itself in because the city council rushed to make this grand symbolic gesture because one councilman got a burr up his ass about those evil "secularists." They didn't stop to think through the issue and put in place a workable system that would govern what can be placed there and by whom and now they're scrambling to make up for that lack of planning.
All because they just had to strike a blow for Gawd against that gosh darn ACLU. This is what happens when you act on emotion rather than logic. And now the mayor has done the one thing that will land them in clear legal trouble, left the Christian nativity scene as the only display allowed.
Comments
I hope this distracts the Packers so much they lose the next 2 games and their out of the playoffs after 1 game.
ps: Green and yellow is the ugliest color combination anywhere.
Ha Ha Ha!
Posted by: J-Dog | December 19, 2007 9:47 AM
Ed wrote:
Well, that plus this little gem:
On a related note, I understand these guidelines are called Guidelines for Making Sure the City is Sued Successfully. Brilliant.
Posted by: Dan | December 19, 2007 9:48 AM
From todays Green Bay Post Gazette:
The nativity display stays, and it stands alone.
The City Council voted Tuesday night to leave it in place until Dec. 26, and to impose a moratorium on any other religious display until the City Council and Schmitt could develop a set of guidelines.
How soon until he is harassed and threatened for being an atheist?
I would hope the lawsuit is filed today.
I also loved some of the arguments in favor of keeping it:
"This is crazy," said Tim Entringer of Green Bay. "It's Christmas. I'm sad in my heart. There is only one God, and you've got to keep him up. The only way to get to God is through Jesus. It's the true religion. You have to do it."
So, Tim, not so much in favor of that pesky 1st amendment.
At least there was one person who seamed reasonble
Sean Ryan, the man who had asked last weekend to display a Festivus pole, patterned after an episode of the TV show "Seinfeld," told the council he did it as a joke, meant to point out that religious displays don't belong at City Hall.
Ryan took exception to statements made by others saying the nativity scene was historical, not merely religious.
"I'm a Christian -- don't tell me it's not my religion," Ryan said. "Saying it is not is to question (Jesus's) very greatness ... But keep the nativity scene in is place -- in churches, in our hearts and our homes."
Posted by: mess | December 19, 2007 10:34 AM
Must remember to preview before posting.
The "How soon until he is harassed and threatened for being an atheist?" should be at the end of the post.
Posted by: mess | December 19, 2007 10:36 AM
Of course, the 'christian' city council members pushing the nativity display have also spent the last year harassing immigrants and trying to shut down a homeless shelter run by the Catholic Church.
Posted by: Winnebago | December 19, 2007 10:53 AM
J-Dog, the Packers colors are green and gold. And that kind of trash talk in Green Bay would leave you looking like the Wiccan display. Hahaha.
Look, it should hardly come as a surprise that Christians are bigots. I just wish they Mayor of GB would have the balls to post a cop at the site of ALL the displays to remind people that not only is "Free Speech" free, it is PROTECTED speech.
Posted by: Scott R | December 19, 2007 11:36 AM
How long do you think it will be until somebody replaces the baby Jesus with a plate of spaghetti and meatballs during the night?
Posted by: llDayo | December 19, 2007 12:00 PM
Why does my skin crawl when the subject is government, and the words "legitimate" and "religious" come up?
Posted by: Gretchen | December 19, 2007 12:01 PM
What's really disturbing is how the memebers of the religious right view similar such events.
With pretty much unrestrained glee. Kind of scary, really. Just imagine this kind of people in power.
Posted by: Reynold | December 19, 2007 12:04 PM
Must be religious in nature? Do they see the Freedom From Religion Foundation in Madison of their dear state coming? (They should; they'll probably join ACLU and AU in the law suit.) Every year, they counter the nonsense in the Capital Rotunda with a sign proclaiming there are no gods, devils, or angels, only the natural world. It's usually stolen. I assume by good non-sinning Christians.
Posted by: Donna | December 19, 2007 12:55 PM
They're arguing that the Nativity Scene is historical? Like from 1950s historical or real historical, 'cause there weren't no nativity scene in any history books I've done read.
Posted by: Jonathan | December 19, 2007 4:58 PM
How convenient that the nativity scene was erected before the moratorium. You'd almost think that a christian destroyed the Wiccan display, but then no christian would ever do something that bigoted, intolerant and mean-spirited.
Posted by: Ex-drone | December 19, 2007 7:05 PM
Shades of the Taliban destroying Buddhist statues in Afganistan. I sense a common motive.
Posted by: James Taylor | December 19, 2007 8:59 PM
"attempts to limit such displays to legitimate religious symbolism"
Now you've got the apparatus of government involved in deciding what is "legitimate religious symbolism". Not good.
Posted by: PhysioProf | December 19, 2007 9:06 PM
J-Dog wrote:
Agreed. Gold or yellow, it is just fugly. Probably because they picked that awful pine tree green. Green is a very versatile color. They have no excuses!
And this is from someone who grew up not more than 50 miles away from that crappy dump. All that means is that I've learned to despise that particular team and that particular color scheme all the more!
(But I don't care if they win or lose. I just think that color combo is totally putrid.)
Oh and the nativity scene thing... If that had happened here in Madison I'd have been more surprised, but Green Bay? Man. I'd expect it to be ugly there. They probably lit it on fire and then pissed on it to put it out.
Posted by: Leni | December 19, 2007 10:30 PM
As an update, the FFRF has announced plans to sue. They hope to file by Monday. Based upon the news article, my best guess is that they are going to approach it as a limited public forum, free speech issue.
Lawsuit pending over Green Bay nativity scene
Posted by: W. Kevin Vicklund | December 20, 2007 2:21 PM