Ozark to remove Christian cross from holiday display after complaint
(AP) UPDATE: The southwest Missouri city of Ozark that had said it was removing a Christian cross from its holiday display is reconsidering.
Ozark officials originally said Tuesday that the cross would come down after the city received a complaint from the Freedom From Religion Foundation, which said the display violates the principle of separation of church and state.
Later in the day, Ozark officials announced they were reconsidering after comments from citizens caused them to believe it would be in the best interest of all parties to reconsider. For now, the cross in Finley River Park will stay while officials work through the “legalities of the situation.”
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, which is based in Madison, Wisconsin, said it filed the complaint after being contacted by an Ozark citizen.
(AP) The city of Ozark is taking down a Christian cross that is part of its holiday display after a national advocacy group complained about it.
Ozark officials said in a news release Tuesday that the Freedom From Religion Foundation said the cross in the Finley River Park holiday display violates the principle of separation of church and state.
In a news release Tuesday, Ozark officials said leaving a religious symbol on public property will result in a lawsuit that the city couldn’t win. The city cited cases around the U.S. where public entities have lost similar cases.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation, which is based in Madison, Wisconsin, said it filed the complaint after being contacted by an Ozark citizen.
Read the full statement from Ozark City Officials below:
“The City of Ozark recently received a letter requesting the removal of the cross from the Finley River Park. The complaint did not come to the City from an individual, but rather was a complaint from the legal department of the national organization (FFRF) the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
While we respect the interests of those who have long enjoyed the holiday display in Finley River Park, we must acknowledge the Federal Constitution and its interpretation by the U.S. Supreme Court. This letter has brought a concern to our attention and we cannot ignore the First Amendment which protects freedom of speech, protects freedom of the press, protects the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and prohibits the government from making laws or taking actions that may promote or prohibit one religion over another.
The First Amendment of the United States Constitution prohibits the government from making any law respecting establishment of religion. The United States Supreme Court has interpreted this clause, generally known as the Establishment Clause, to prohibit items such as the cross from being displayed by the government on government property.
It is the position of the City of Ozark that leaving a religious symbol on public property, in this case a cross, will result in a law suit that we will not win as the other communities throughout the U.S. and our own region have tried this and lost.”