RAINBOW CITY, Ala. — A Wisconsin atheists group has done more to strengthen the bonds of faith in one Alabama community than perhaps anything else ever could.
Last year, the Freedom From Religion Foundation demanded Butler’s hometown take down a Nativity scene at its City Hall. Butler, along with a group of religious leaders, pulled the community together for a “Rally at the Manger” that was attended by hundreds of local residents in spite of the frigid weather.
“The Freedom From Religion Group from Wisconsin has strengthened the faith of our community,” Rep. Mack Butler (R-Rainbow City) said at the time.
This year, local residents of Rainbow City have been planning to continue the city’s tradition.
Rep. Butler recently announced plans to host a “Night at the Nativity” two days before Christmas.
“Wednesday, December 23rd at 6 p.m., we will have a live nativity scene and worship at Rainbow City Hall,” he explained. “This is not sponsored by our local government as they cannot endorse religion. However ‘We the People’ can. I have met in person and by phone with several local pastors who are helping with this event. Many of the local churches are moving their service to city hall this night. We will sing Christmas carols and have cookies and hot chocolate as we celebrate as a community the best gift of all, Jesus Christ.”
Yellowhammer predicted at the time, “It is probably only a matter of time before an FFRF attorney fires off a threat letter to the folks in Rainbow city, especially considering its long history of going after other Alabama towns and institutions,” and on Monday, it appears we were proven correct.
In spite of Rep. Butler repeatedly saying the event is not government-sponsored or being organized in his official capacity, the FFRF sent a letter to him making an “open records request” on behalf of “a concerned local resident.”
“A local news article reporting (sic) you promoting a ‘Night at the Nativity’ event in Rainbow City later this month,” FFRF Staff Attorney Andrew L. Seidel wrote. “You were reported to have said the event would… include a live nativity and roship (sic) at Rainbow City Hall… I request all records relating to the event, including, but not limited to: 1) Emails and other communications; 2) Contracts; 3) Financial records, including any records of payments made to rent government property.”
Butler responded with a Facebook post laughing off the error-filled letter from the litigious group.
“Hard to believe that word of a community gathering is getting all the way to Wisconsin but as you can see it is,” he said. “Besides their misspelling the word worship, they don’t seem to understand that I’m also a private citizen who just happens to be a state rep, and that along with others I am organizing a community event. The city, county, and state are NOT involved in anyway with ‘Night at The Nativity.’”
Butler also had a personal response to Mr. Seidel, the attorney who penned the letter.
“Merry Christmas, Andrew, from private citizen Mack!”
RELATED: Here’s a rundown of all the recent times in which the FFRF came after Alabama:
Bumper stickers on Houston County Sheriffs Department vehicles
Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza recently placed small decals on the back of every patrol car in his fleet with an excerpt from Matthew 5:9, stating “Blessed are the peacemakers.”
“I’ve always had religious belief, and I feel like that’s kept me alive,” Valenza said. “We’ve used that (quote) with (the special response team) for 15 years. It symbolizes the Houston County Sheriff’s Office.”
The decals, which Valenza said cost about $1.60 each, received mostly positive feedback from Alabamians and Houston County residents, but they weren’t acceptable to the FFRF.
“Placing decals that literally quote chapter and verse on Houston County property is a clear endorsement of Christianity, especially when the quote is viewed in its full context,” wrote FFRF Staff Attorney Sam Grover to Sheriff Valenza.
Auburn University’s football team chaplain
The Auburn football team chaplain is not an employee of the University, and is not not being paid by public funds, but the FFRF insisted he is being given “special privileges and unrestricted access because he is a Christian clergyman.”
The Auburn University administration responded to the letter with a short statement.
“Chaplains are common in many public institutions, including the US Congress. The football team chaplain isn’t an Auburn employee, and participation in activities he leads are voluntary.”
The FFRF reportedly sent similar letters to several other SEC schools, including Georgia, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, and South Carolina, as well as ACC school Clemson. The group has requested documents from the University of Alabama to investigate its chaplain, as well.
Christian flag in Glencoe
FFRF sent a letter of complaint to Glencoe city hall back in March, but the flag, which flew in front of City Hall, was not removed until late June when the mayor received a second letter threatening legal action.
In an interview with Fox 6 News, Mayor Charles Gilchrist said the city attorney warned about another town that was sued over a similar matter. That town had to pay $500,000 in damages plus $50,000 in legal fees.
“That would just about ruin us,” said Gilchrist. “That’s what they do, they pick on these smaller towns that can’t defend ourselves.”
Piedmont’s Christmas parade
FFRF threatened Piedmont, Ala., with a lawsuit if it didn’t change the theme of its Christmas parade from “Keeping Christ in Christmas.”
The theme “alienates non-Christians and others in Piedmont who do not in fact have a ‘strong belief in prayers’ by turning them into political outsiders in their own community,” according to FFRF attorney Andrew Seidel. “The sentiment of ‘Keeping Christ in Christmas’ does not qualify as a secular celebration.”
The attorney’s letter told the mayor to find a “more appropriate, more inclusive, and constitutional theme” for the parade.
“It was a great theme,” mayor Bill Baker told Fox News in response. “I was totally shocked when I received the letter. It’s a small town. It’s a small Christmas parade. We didn’t think there would be any problems at all.”
The town did not back down.
The parade ended up being the largest in Piedmont history, with countless floats prominently featuring signs proclaiming the true “Reason for the Season.”
“If all the good Christian people would stick together and lift up the name of Jesus Christ and not let these atheists and non-believers scare us like they do,” one of the local parade organizers told ABC 33/40, “it would be a better world.”
Prayer before football games
FFRF also threatened Piedmont with a lawsuit if the high school football team did not stop praying before its games.
It backfired.
Rather than it being “officially” led, everyone now just comes to gather on the field before games, “and as citizens, we recited the Lord’s Prayer – out loud,” Mayor Baker said. “One week we had the entire football field encircled by people. It was really wonderful and very moving to me to see people come together and praise God and speak His name out loud.”
