October 29, 2009

Lawsuit on Nativity Scene in Warren, MI

From:  <jmsatawa@
Date: Thursday, October 29, 2009
Subject: Law suit on Nativity Scene

Thought I would send this on to close friends and relatives to keep you informed as to what we are doing.  The lawsuit was filed a week ago and after this notice appeared on foxnews.com today, we have received support from people from Texas, Colorado and Louisiana.  Please pray we win for our cause.

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FOXNews.com

Michigan Man Sues for Right to Put Back Family's Nativity Scene on Public Median

Thursday , October 29, 2009

By Joshua Rhett Miller

FC1

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A Michigan man has filed a federal lawsuit claiming his constitutional rights were violated when he was ordered to remove a Nativity scene from the median of a public road — a creche that his family has displayed at the location for 63 years.


John Satawa, of Warren, Mich., filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court on Friday in an attempt to be allowed to put back the 8- by 8-foot Nativity scene his late father built in 1945.


After receiving a complaint by the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation last December, the Road Commission of Macomb County told Satawa to remove the holiday display, citing incomplete permits. Satawa's permit application was later denied because it "clearly displays a religious message" and violated "separation of church and state," Macomb County Highway Engineer Robert Hoepfner wrote.


Satawa says he simply wants to restore the "tradition" on the median between Mound and Chicago Roads outside of St. Anne's Parish Church.


"The Nativity display has been a tradition not just for my family, but for the whole community for 63 years," Satawa told Foxnews.com in a statement. "I am disappointed the Road Commission would not stand up for our community and our Constitution and that is why I was compelled to file this lawsuit."


According to Satawa's lawsuit, St. Anne's Parish received a donation of Christmas statues in March 1945 that were too large to house inside the church — so they were moved to the public median outside. Jack Eckstein, president of the village of Warren at the time, granted permission for the move.


"As a result, a Christmas tradition was born," the lawsuit reads.


The Nativity display has been there every Christmas season since, except for one — 1996 — when there was road construction. The creche returned the following year, according to the lawsuit.


But last year, just 14 days before Christmas, Satawa received a letter from the Macomb County Road Commission instructing him to "immediately remove" the Nativity scene within 30 days. Satawa removed the structure and was denied a permit when he reapplied in January. In March, he received a formal denial of his petition to erect the nativity scene because, according to county officials, it would be a violation of the First Amendment, which prohibits government from making laws "respecting an establishment of religion."


"It boils down to maintaining a tradition that's been going on for six decades and one letter received from an out-of-state radical organization," attorney Brian Rooney of the Thomas More Law Center told Foxnews.com. "We believe this shows hostility towards Christianity."


The Thomas More Law Center filed the lawsuit on Satawa's behalf, alleging the Road Commission's restriction violates his First Amendment rights and equal protection guarantee under the Fourteenth Amendment.


"We're very confident," Rooney said. "We believe the law of the Constitution is on our side."


But Ben Aloia, an attorney representing the Macomb County Road Commission, disagreed, citing Allegheny v. ACLU of Pittsburgh, in which the Supreme Court held in 1989 that a county government's Nativity scene displayed at a courthouse was an unconstitutional endorsement of religion.


"We believe that our decision is in line with that rule of law," Aloia said. "The fact is, he's never acquired a formal permit to install this Nativity scene."


Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation, said the creche is also a traffic hazard.

"You can't see around it," she told Foxnews.com. "We are a nation of rules and laws, and that law even applies to St. Anne's Parish. I can't understand why they can't put the scene on their church grounds. They're trying to take over public property for their religious purposes, and that's not allowed."


Rooney said an emergency injunction will be filed within the next two weeks in an attempt to make sure the Nativity scene returns in time for the upcoming holiday season.


Satawa, meanwhile, says he has received support from hundreds of neighbors.


"This response is the USA I like," he said, "people that are not afraid to stand up for what is right."



--
Avery C. Fisher
Direct: +1 801.542.9000
Fax:    +1 801.795.9200



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Oct. 29: Cap-and-Trade Bill Would Harm Families

 
 
Sent: Thursday, October 29, 2009 5:55 PM
Subject: Oct. 29: Cap-and-Trade Bill Would Harm Families

Focus on the Family Action's CitizenLink.com
Visit the Action Center Sign a Petition

TOP STORY

Oct. 29, 2009  


Cap-and-Trade Bill Would Harm Families
by Kim Trobee, editor

Testimonies on cap and trade legislation describe the consequences of environmental taxes on families.

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is considering a cap and trade bill that purportedly takes aim at global warming.

Under a cap-and-trade scheme, the government would set a limit or "cap" on emissions of carbon dioxide. If, for example, a company goes over the limit, the government would force it to buy "credits" from other companies deemed by government to be producing less carbon dioxide than the cap allows. In countries where it has been tried, fraud has been rampant.

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., chairs the committee and is co-author of the bill. She claims the legislation would create jobs, but that contradicts a statement made to Congress earlier this month by the director of the Congressional Budget Office that said cap and trade would cause "significant" job losses.

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NPR Survey on White House vs. Fox News

 
 
Sent: Thursday, October 29, 2009 8:28 PM
Subject: [mikehuckabee-7] NPR Survey on White House vs. Fox News

Please go and vote in this survey...and pass the word!
 
Pamm Garber
Indiana
God bless yo
u!

"Stand Firm, Stand Strong, and Be Heard!" ~ inspired by Mike Huckabee ~

"
Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and the only thing that's wrong is to get caught." ~ J C Watts ~

"Marriage between a man and a woman is the most enduring human institution.  Marriage was ordained by God, confirmed by law, and is the glue of the American family."  -- Congressman Mike Pence ~

NPR is conducting a survey on what you think of the White House's assertion that Fox News Network does not do real news.

Please consider casting your vote - and then sending this e-mail to everyone!

If you haven't heard this, the White House is accusing Fox News of not being a legitimate source of news, calling them biased, etc. They have tried to block Fox reporters from news conferences, etc.

NPR has put a survey online for us to voice our opinion. If you want to vote in this survey, go to the link below and cast your vote. Currently it is 50% in favor of the White House, but there are not that many votes.

Let's show them how we feel about Fox's news reporting.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2009/10/in_white_house_vs_fox_news_war.html







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