AUSTIN, TX (WBAP/KLIF) – The Brewster County Cromissioner’s Court has agreed to remove the Christian cross decals from its police cars and to ban “political, religious, commercial or personal” phrases or signs on county owned property.
The settlement was reached with the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a nationwide group that promotes separation of church and state, after two of its members sued the sparsely populated rural county earlier this year. Their suit claimed the decals amounted to unconstitutional local government promotion of Christianity.
After the suit was filed Brewster County Sheriff Ronny Dodson turned to state officials for support and received it from Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who declared, “In addition to its religious significance, the cross has a long history in America and elsewhere as a symbol of service and sacrifice.” In his opinion, Abbott added, the U.S. Constitution merely prevents the government from the establishment of religion.
Sheriff Dodson said he wanted to keep the crosses for “God’s protection over his deputies”.
FFRF co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor told Reuters in a phone interview, “This was totally avoidable. This was such an egregious and obvious violation.”
