An atheist group is demanding an Illinois city remove a well-known cross from a mural, saying it is “inappropriate” and “unconstitutional” for such a symbol to be on government land.
The mural in Effingham, Ill., was painted on an overpass near Effingham High School and shows a United States flag alongside a white cross – an obvious reference to the Cross at the Crossroads, a 198-foot white cross that rests on private land in Effingham and is one of the city’s top tourist attractions. It even has a visitor center. The tall cross was completed in 2001 and dedicated on Sept. 16 that year, five days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Although the cross itself resides on private land, the mural is on government property. The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) sent a letter to Effingham’s mayor in December demanding its removal. FFRF calls itself an organization of “atheists, agnostics and skeptics of any pedigree” that promotes the complete separation of church and state.
“It is inappropriate and unconstitutional for a government-owned mural to prominently feature a religious display, such as a Latin cross,” the letter says. “It is especially inappropriate where the display is placed in a location where it will predominantly be viewed by public school children and staff moving from one part of their campus to another.”
Effingham City Administrator…
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