After approval was granted for a nativity scene to be set up in the Florida capitol by the Florida Prayer Network, an atheist in South Florida fought back in the name of the separation of church and state by applying for space to set up a Festivus pole next to it in the first-floor rotunda. And to give it a little extra dose of ridiculousness, this Festivus pole will be decorated with Pabst Blue Ribbon cans, because it’s Florida and nothing ever has to make sense in the state that I call home.
“I still chuckle, I literally can’t believe there will be a pile of Pabst Blue Ribbon cans in the state rotunda,” said Chaz Stevens, a Deerfield Beach resident who applied to the state Department of Management Services to put the Festivus pole on display.
Stevens, who operates a blog that focuses on South Florida politics, said the intent of the Festivus pole is to make a political statement on the need for the separation of church and state.
He compared the Festivus pole with the nativity scene as “my ridiculous statement versus what I consider, as an atheist, as their ridiculous statement.” (Via the Orlando Sentinel)
It would be great if instead of people fighting over religion and the true meaning of the holidays, we could all just enjoy the actual holiday spirit and the message of being kind to each other for a few days out of the year, before we eventually go back to fighting about everything else under the sun. But for some people the fight for the right to be pissed off about everything doesn’t rest, and if someone’s out there honoring Jesus, then you better bet that someone else won’t be far behind with an aluminum pole, ready to air some grievances.
(Original banner via Shutterstock)
