12/21/11: Texas Town Thumbs Nose at WI Atheist Group

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The phrase “Don’t Mess with Texas” took on fresh significance over the weekend as thousands rallied in a small Texas town to defend the community’s nativity display. Over 5000 residents gathered in Athens,
Texas on Saturday to show their support for the display, which is erected each year on the county courthouse lawn by a nonprofit group called Keep Athens Beautiful.

Officials of Henderson County, located southeast of Dallas, received a letter from the Freedom from Religion Foundation threatening to sue them if they did not take down the nativity scene. The atheist group, headquartered in Wisconsin, had argued that the display of the birth of Jesus Christ is an unconstitutional government establishment of religion.

County Judge Richard Sanders said the display isn’t going anywhere.