The taxpayers of Chester, PA will likely pay a heavy price for their religious bigotry.
Chester County Pennsylvania commissioners rejected arguments this morning (Nov. 29) to rescind Resolution 58-10, which was enacted to exclude non-Judeo-Christian winter displays from the county courthouse lawn during the winter season. The resolution was originally intended to kick out the Freethought Society’s Tree of Knowledge from sharing equal space with the Jesus crèche and a Hanukkah menorah. This year, the Evangelical Pastafarian Church also requested a space on the courthouse lawn.
What puts the county in a more hazardous legal position, IMHO, is that the resolution only allows holiday displays owned by the county to be displayed, and the county only purchased decorations that are Judeo-Christian themed. A county is, of course, a governmental agency, making their decision one that endorses a certain religious viewpoint. They'd been on firmer, but still shaky ground if they allowed outside groups to put up displays (of course, that was the antebellum norm, which the resolution seeks to subvert), but again, if they did that, they'd have to open the grounds to anyone who wants to put up a display, and Resolution 58-10 appears worded specifically to exclude displays that do not conform to the Judeo-Christian norm.
If a lawsuit is filed, I do not see how any sane or sober judge could wind up ruling for the county.