Pocono News Section

ACLU Axes Nativity & Menorah

ACLU Axes Nativity & Menorah - Thursday, December 17, 2009 at 1:42PM EST

Thursday, Dec 17, 2009 @ 01:42pm EST
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY - The grounds of the Luzerne County Courthouse are no longer home to a nativity scene or menorah.
The county decided to remove the displays under the threat of legal action.
A manger sat bare Thursday morning outside the Luzerne County Courthouse within an hour or two of a building and grounds crew removing it.
Also gone, a menorah that once stood nearby.
Workers began hastily taking down the religious displays Wednesday night under legal pressure. It all comes down to the constitution and separation of church and state.

"What's the big story now... why?," said Ken Holley of Courthouse Security who was handling crossing guard detail.
He's worked at the courthouse the past 14-years.
Seeing the holiday displays gone troubles him.
"That's part of Christmas. I don't know why, I don't know why they're making a big stink about it," said Holley.

"They" are the ACLU and the Wilkes-Barre based Northeastern Pennsylvania Free Thought Society who threatened a court injunction.
Luzerne County commissioners realized the days of the manger, menorah settings may be numbered when they were first contacted by the ACLU a couple of weeks ago. They didn't respond then, but when they heard from the ACLU again on Wednesday, they feared they better take action."

"The taxpayers are upset. I have received some phone calls," said Petrilla who believes the county just couldn't afford a legal fight.
"In the best interest of the taxpayers, I don't think it was prudent for us to spend money on fighting such an issue right now."

The decision to remove the manger and menorah is causing mixed reaction.
"I'm appalled by what's going on," said Jim Schappert of Pittston who works in the County's Recorder of Deeds office. "I just don't understand this time of year for the ACLU to come in and do something like that."
However, Joe Kraus of Kingston supports the decision and is surprised something wasn't done sooner.
"Certainly in other places I've lived, it would never have been tolerated. And around here I think it's part of our local culture that we've been doing it for a while, but I've had some discomfort at times with it," said Kraus

And now like it or not, this courthouse tradition is a thing of holiday seasons past.
Commissioner Petrilla says the county will look into what can be done to put all symbols of the holiday season on courthouse grounds next year.