ACLU of Louisiana Sends Open Letter Regarding Religious Display at Grant Parish Courthouse

NEW ORLEANS – The ACLU of Louisiana sent a letter to the Grant Parish Police Jury today, after receiving a complaint about a Christmas Nativity scene set up near the entrance of the courthouse in Colfax, La. The letter requests that the display be modified to bring it into compliance with the law.

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that nativity scenes on public property such as courthouse grounds violate the freedom of religion if they are not accompanied by secular symbols such as reindeer, Santa, menorahs, or similar reminders of the season.

“Because of the ACLU’s dedication to equality for all, we defend religious rights of people of many faiths,” writes Executive Director Marjorie R. Esman. “We know that the rights of Christians, like those of other religious people, can be easily trampled. If the government can endorse one religion, it can endorse any – and can suppress the freedoms that we all cherish. That is why the government should not support or lend endorsement to the expression of a particular religion, including installing a nativity scene on public land.”

The letter in its entirety may be found at: https://www.laaclu.org/resources/2016/2016_Grant_Parish_Nativity_Letter.pdf