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Brian Peffly

Brian Peffly

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The ACLU knows a few things about true religious freedom. We’ve been fighting for it since our founding in 1920.

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For more information, read "Civil Liberties and the Holidays."

The First Amendment also provides a second aspect of religious liberty: that the government may not establish a religion. Courts have come to accept that this means that officials cannot favor one religion over another or favor the right to worship over the right not to worship. What this means in the context of holiday displays is that government officials may not use taxpayer dollars or public land to erect a display that favors a single religion.

This is the part where those pundits start to fume, claiming that nativity scenes, crosses, and other religious displays have been a community tradition for years and that to forbid such a display is a violation of religious liberty.

However, as we are all allowed to post whatever religious symbols we would like on our own private property, how exactly are our religious rights being violated?

One only has to take a short walk through downtown areas in Northeast Ohio and all over the state to see that cities are decorated for the season. Most towns have displays that feature all sorts of holiday characters like Santa Claus an

Belle Likover and Susan Galloway

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