TOLEDO, Iowa — Last week the City of Toledo got a letter from the Freedom from Religion Foundation requesting a nativity scene at the city fire station be moved from the property, saying, because of the First Amendment, government should not favor one religion.
The wooden display was relocated to private ground a block south of the fire station.
“The First Amendment’s Establishment Clause prohibits the government from showing favoritism towards religion,” wrote Samantha Lawrence for the Freedom from Religion Foundation. “Nativity scenes on public property are unnecessary, inappropriate, and divisive. It is irrefutable that the nativity is a religious Christian symbol.”
The letter asked for a response from the City of Toledo in writing, so they could inform the person who filed the complaint.
The move of the nativity did get the attention of Becky Faircloth who has lived in the area her whole life. Her father made the display from wood, some 30 years ago. It was on private land for a long time before it moved to the Toldeo Fire Station about 20 years ago.
“Friday morning I went to the City Hall to see who had asked for that to be taken down, and I was given the letter and the name of the person,” said Faircloth. “It was found out that this person doesn’t even live in our community. This person is from another community not even connected to our county.”
Monday night a large crowd came to the City Council meeting to voice frustration with the forced move of the nativity scene. The City Council will be meeting with their attorneys to see if there is a legal way to make the display acceptable at the fire station.
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The wooden display was relocated to private ground a block south of the fire station.
“The First Amendment’s Establishment Clause prohibits the government from showing favoritism towards religion,” wrote Samantha Lawrence for the Freedom from Religion Foundation. “Nativity scenes on public property are unnecessary, inappropriate, and divisive. It is irrefutable that the nativity is a religious Christian symbol.”
The letter asked for a response from the City of Toledo in writing, so they could inform the person who filed the complaint.
The move of the nativity did get the attention of Becky Faircloth who has lived in the area her whole life. Her father made the display from wood, some 30 years ago. It was on private land for a long time before it moved to the Toldeo Fire Station about 20 years ago.
“Friday morning I went to the City Hall to see who had asked for that to be taken down, and I was given the letter and the name of the person,” said Faircloth. “It was found out that this person doesn’t even live in our community. This person is from another community not even connected to our county.”
Monday night a large crowd came to the City Council meeting to voice frustration with the forced move of the nativity scene. The City Council will be meeting with their attorneys to see if there is a legal way to make the display acceptable at the fire station.
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