A federal appeals court panel has ruled that a Michigan county
improperly censored a Nativity scene because of the religious content of
the Christmas display.
The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a lower court to resolve the dispute in accordance with its ruling.
“Although the lawsuit is not yet over, we are tremendously pleased
with the unanimous decision of the 6th Circuit Court panel,” said
Richard Thompson, president of the Thomas More Law Center.
The dispute centers on a display that has been on public property in
Macomb County, Mich., for decades. In 2008, the county ordered the
holiday displayed removed, and the Thomas More Law Center sued on behalf
of Warren city resident John Satawa, whose family has maintained the
display since 1945.
“This is a great victory for private religious speech in a
traditional public forum,” said Robert Muise, who was with the Thomas
More Law Center when the case began, but now works with the American Freedom Law Center.
“As the 6th Circuit confirmed today, Mr. Satawa’s private religious
speech is as fully protected under the Free Speech Clause as secular
private expression,” Muise said. “We are pleased that the 6th Circuit
not only restored Mr. Satawa’s cherished holiday tradition, but upheld
the protections afforded to all private citizens by our Constitution.”
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