Grandma's House

You gotta admire the spunk of the congregation of the Bartow First Baptist Church in Polk County, Florida. After a prayer meeting, several of the parishioners snuck onto the County Administration building and erected a nativity scene.

The "vigilante" action occurred following the recent midweek prayer meeting at the Bartow First Baptist Church. Morning saw a nativity scene, a snowman and a disclaimer notice saying the county commissioners who had voted against the display were not responsible for its sudden appearance. According to Barbara Pittman, a Sunday School director at the church, the display is a "gift to Polk County."

Needless to say, some people disagree with the "gift" being out in public where anybody and their kids can see it. (I swear sometimes people act like Jesus is radioactive material.)

According to County Attorney Joe Jarret, who sympathizes with the church members, the nativity scene isn't unconstitutional but their actions constituted a trespass on public property. The county has to regulate displays on public property, he told Polk County's News Chief, otherwise they "would soon turn into forums for various groups, many of whom [possess] agendas contrary to prevailing community mores, morals and attitudes."

Now the county officials are facing a dilemma; they may not be able to dismantle the scene.

"It's an unresolved issue at this point," Jarret says. "The Supreme Court has essentially said that once it becomes a public forum, it's a public forum. So it could prove to be difficult to restrain or otherwise regulate content."

In short, Jarret is unsure the county can take the display down without violating the constitutional rights of the church members who placed it there. And with no further commission business scheduled for the remainder of the year, any action would require a special board meeting.

Sweeet!