An ongoing issue in the U.S. has been controversy over the traditional Christmas time display of crèches on public property, (a crèche is a representation of the birth of Jesus often using statues of Jesus, Mary and Joseph). Some find this objectionable and sue or pass laws to stop it. Others feel like these legal measures represent the thin end of a wedge to drive Christianity out of public life altogether.
Reading the newspapers you might never guess the real situation. A drive around a typical American neighborhood reveals that on their private property many people, without any controversy at all, display crèches. Those property owners that find crèches objectionable, or just don’t care one way or the other, simply do not display them on their property… also without comment. This peaceful resolution of differences goes on each Christmas season without note in the newspapers or lawsuits in the courts. Two lessons are suggested by this. The expansion of public property generates bitter contention. The expansion of private property, on the other hand, brings peace where there was discord.
{ 7 comments }
Not only that, but public property is breeding grounds for crime, bad behavior and danger.
unless they burn a cross, among other things.
Cross-burning is usually done on someone else’s property, which is clearly a violation of the property owner’s rights. It would be interesting to see what would happen if a white supremacist simply burned a cross in their own yard. Who would they be threatening with such an action?
most likely any black person in the neighborhood, to which it would be clearly visible. add in some racial slurs for optimal effect.
Someone writing down racial slurs on their own property is hardly a threat to others. Even the most obnoxious citizens can peacefully ignore each other if private property is respected.
i didn’t say writing down. more like yelling.
Personally I find crèches rather disgusting (even though I am a Christian believer)! One man’s treasure is another man’s trash – so let’s keep our treasure/trash on our own property and sell the parks!
Comments on this entry are closed.