UPDATE: Indiana Town Takes Down Christmas Tree Cross in Lieu of Lawsuit

Monica Sanchez | December 12, 2016
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UPDATE: Knightstown has officially taken down the cross from its Christmas tree downtown, reports Fox News.

Faced with a lawsuit filed by the ACLU that alleges the display violates residents' First Amendment rights, town officials decided to remove the cross on Monday. 

The town council reportedly did not think they could afford a legal battle. 

 

 

Residents are outraged. 

In response to the cross removal, locals are passing out crosses and displaying them around town. 

 

ORIGINAL STORY: The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has set its sights on a small town in Indiana for (heaven forbid) displaying a cross atop a Christmas tree during Christmastime.

The ACLU of Indiana recently filed a federal lawsuit against Knightstown on behalf of resident Joseph Tompkins, who claims the very sight has caused him “irreparable harm,” reports Fox 59.

The lawsuit alleges that the cross atop the Christmas tree downtown violates his First Amendment rights.

"The cross is the best known symbol of Christianity and Knightstown's prominent display of this symbol represents an establishment of religion in violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution," the lawsuit states.

As a religious display, the cross has no business on private property, the ACLU argues. 

Joseph's fellow residents were shocked that one of their neighbors, in a town of 2,000, would go so far as to file a lawsuit over a Christmas display that’s lit up the downtown area for decades.

“You gotta sit down and talk about it before you file the lawsuits,” said Knightstown resident Kevin Richey.

“I think it’s a bit of a disgrace on our town,” said local Lau Ghioc. 

“A couple weeks ago they had a crowd here,” said one of Joseph’s relatives, Mark Tompkins. “Everybody was here. They lit the tree. Everybody was fine with it. But now you’ve got one person, you know, out of everybody.”

“There’s a church on every corner here,” he said. “There’s a church on every corner. Is he offended by all the crosses?”

Mark added that, if it comes down to it, he would personally park his car downtown with three crosses on it until Christmas Day.

Other residents handed out crosses over the weekend by the tree in protest of Joseph's legal action.

“[Joseph Tompkins] maintains that being offended is not the issue, the First Amendment is,” reports Fox 59. “Joe says that amendment specifically prohibits the establishment of religion and Knightstown’s government display does just that.

“The lawsuit also specifies that Joe doesn’t want his taxes helping light and maintain a religious display on town property.”

Do you believe having a cross display on public property is a violation of the First Amendment? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!

For more, check out the Fox 59 report here:  

H/T Fox News

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