Christian activists show their love by covering Chicago atheist display and berating onlookers

[Playinghardball]

A Christian activist group placed a banner over an atheist display at Chicago’s Daley Plaza proclaiming that “A is for Angels.”

The banner covers a sign set up earlier this month by the Freedom From Religion Foundation that explained that an 8.5-foot lighted “A” stood for “atheists” as part of a protest of Christmas-themed items on the public square.

The activists clashed Thursday with atheists at Daley Plaza over the banner, saying that objections to the counter-protest were inhibiting their constitutional rights.

“You shouldn’t be protesting the ‘A.’ Protesting the ‘A’ means you are surrendering our freedom of speech,” said a woman who described herself as a Christian activist. “Everybody should have their opportunity to speak here.”

She suggested that anyone who disagreed with her to “go back and read the Constitution.”
The atheist display celebrates the “season of the Winter Solstice,” and shows constitutional framers Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, as well as the Statue of Liberty, standing or kneeling in adoration of the founding document, which was adopted Dec. 15, 1791, lying in a manger.

“We celebrate the birth of the Unconquered Sun – the TRUE reason for the season,” the banner reads. “As Americans, let us also honor the birth of our Bill of Rights, which reminds us there can be no freedom OF religion, without having freedom FROM religion in government.”

William Kelly, chairman of the Remember America Foundation, said that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel should never have granted the atheist group permission to set up their display.

“I think if you actually read the text of the atheist display it’s actually more hate speech,” Kelly said. “It’s really not adding anything to the Christmas spirit, it’s really not even telling anybody who they really are or what they believe or what they want for society. They’re just saying they don’t like Christianity.”

More and see the video at: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/12/24/christian-activists-show-their-love-by-covering-chicago-atheist-display-and-berating-onlookers/

[LisaLynne]

1. That is very telling, isn't it?

They do feel attacked when others are given the same rights they are. They do really feel that they should be awarded special privileges and those same things be denied to others. Of course, they don't see it as "privilege"; they see it as just the way things should be because they are right.

[Wait Wut]

2. The quote from Ms. Kelly at the end...

...made me genuinely LOL. She's just not getting it, is she? "It's really not adding anything to the Christmas spirit..."

[Turbineguy]

3. It's OK. It's Christmas. Jesus was a baby still

and didn't talk yet. "What Would Jesus Do?" becomes irrelevant

[Scuba]

4. So suggesting that I don't want your religious dogma forced on me is "hate speech"? WTF?

[Journeyman]

5. How sad, they have so little faith in their religion they must berate others for their beliefs. . .

[Vincardog]

6. Everyone has the right to free speech, now STFU. The stupid is strong in this one nt

[Initech]

7. Only straight white Christian fundamentalists have free speech rights!

It's in the constitution!

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

8. Hmmm

Doesn't this go back to the saying, "The right to swing your fist ends where my nose begins"?

Silly Christians, the right to censor other peoples speech in not in the Constitution.

[sakabatou]

9. Hate speech? Seriously?