Santa Monica, California has been the subject of controversy over what types of displays can be erected on public property, and the matter has been taken to court for a judge to decide whether Nativity scenes are appropriate or not. Last year, the city received more requests for displays than it had spaces to allot. To settle the issue of which groups should be allowed to put up displays in the park, the city held a lottery.
Most of the spaces available last year went to atheists, who put up signage indicating that Christianity is a myth. The traditional Nativity scene which usually decorated the park and is large enough to take up several display areas, was limited to only two spaces. The rules were changed to ban all private displays from the public park.
Hunter James, a Christian activist, said, “It was very difficult to find a spot after the City Council ejected us from the park earlier this year.” A group petitioned the court to reopen spaces in Palisades Park for private displays.
“The judge ruled against them, effectively denying private groups from being able to erect Christmas Nativity scenes and other displays in public places.
“Lawyers acting for the Santa Monica Nativity Scenes Committee stated that the decision to ban all displays in the park was “an erosion of First Amendment liberty for religious speech.”
All is not lost for groups who wish to erect Nativity scenes and other Holiday displays in Santa Monica, though. A business has stepped forward to donate its commercial property for this purpose. Watt Companies is allowing more than a dozen Nativity scenes to be erected on its property, located near 28th Street and Ocean Park. The Nativity scenes will be on display until January 5, 2013.
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