ACLU threatens La. town over festival with Christian participants
http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/news/story.aspx?cid=4744
ALLIANCE DEFENSE FUND NEWS RELEASE
November 7, 2008 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT ADF MEDIA RELATIONS: (480) 444-0020 or www.telladf.org/pressroom
ACLU threatens La. town over festival
with Christian participants
Despite no city funding, ACLU demands end to ‘sponsorship’
of fall festival; ADF sends letter supporting town
THIBODAUX, La. — Alliance Defense Fund attorneys have sent a letter of support to the city of Thibodaux after it was threatened by the American Civil Liberties Union over an annual fall festival held in the city that includes Christian artists and performers.
“Christians should not be discriminated against because of their beliefs. Contrary to the contentions of the ACLU, they have the same rights of access and participation at the festival as anyone else,” said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Mike Johnson. “The event is a family-friendly food and music festival that is privately funded. The city has done nothing other than allow the festival to be held in its streets. The ACLU’s threat is baseless.”
The ACLU sent the letter to the city on behalf of a resident offended by the fact that Christian music groups and performers would be participating in the Thibodeauxville Fall Festival on Saturday, an annual event planned by the local chamber of commerce. The letter wrongly accused the city of financially supporting the event and argued that participation of Christian performers is a violation of the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
“Their music and their messages are fully protected under the Free Speech and Free Exercise clauses of the First Amendment, regardless of whether the ACLU may be offended by them,” Johnson wrote to Mayor Charles Caillouet in the ADF letter. “In this matter, you are on solid legal ground.”
A copy of the ADF letter to Caillouet is available at www.telladf.org/UserDocs/ThibodauxLetter.pdf.
ADF is a legal alliance of Christian attorneys and like-minded organizations defending the right of people to freely live out their faith. Launched in 1994, ADF employs a unique combination of strategy, training, funding, and litigation to protect and preserve religious liberty, the sanctity of life, marriage, and the family. ADF President Alan Sears is co-author with Craig Osten of the book The ACLU vs. America (www.acluvsamerica.com).