Knightstown, Indiana is a bucolic little village of just
over 2,100 folks, proudly situated in Middle America. It is where the iconic
movie “Hoosiers” was made, the movie itself chronicling the remarkable story of
the Milan Indians, another small Indiana town’s basketball team that somehow
overcame all odds to win the state’s high school basketball championship in
1954.
At
first glance, Knightstown would seem an unlikely place to be the victim of an
American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit, but that is precisely the case. The
ACLU filed a suit demanding that the town remove a lighted cross from atop its
annual Christmas tree. The suit was filed on behalf of Knightstown resident
Joseph Tompkins, who was appalled at being “forced to come into unwelcome
contact” with the display, which, he said, caused him “irreparable harm.”
Tompkins also stated in the suit that he didn’t want his tax dollars used to
light and maintain the cross. (I’m guessing he’s good with his tax dollars
going to Planned Parenthood. And, when one considers the number of tax payers
in town- or the county, etc.- against the cost of lighting one small cross for
a few weeks, he’s actually saying he doesn’t want his tax cent(s) used in that
manner. But, it’s the principle of the thing, I know).
The town
council issued the following statement: “It is with regret and sadness that the
Knightstown Town Council has had the cross removed from the Christmas tree on
the town square and is expected to approve a resolution at the next council
meeting stating they will not return the cross to the tree.” The council’s
decision was based on advice from its legal counsel and the concern over
finances should it lose in court, according to a local Fox television station.
After all, tiny Knightstown certainly would be no match for the ACLU of
Indiana.
But
then, dozens of townsfolk gathered at the display to pray. Residents started
putting up crosses all around the town. The council voted to table the
resolution. It hopes to negotiate with the ACLU to come to another decision.
There
is a tough road ahead for little Knightstown. The fight against the ACLU will
be a difficult one. Let’s hope they channel the will and pluck of the ’54 Milan
Indians, and emerge victorious as champions of sanity and light.
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P.S.- I
wrote the above piece a week ago and hadn’t published it yet. It is a fitting
story to post on Christmas Day, especially now that the cross is back on the
Knightstown tree! After lengthy negotiations with the ACLU, the town
was, at least temporarily, “allowed” to return the cross to the tree, if it wasn’t placed at the top and
would not be its most prominent feature. However, Ken Falk, legal director of
the ACLU of Indiana, noted that the display will be re-evaluated and further
legal action will be taken if it is deemed unconstitutional. On this Christmas
morning we’ll take this small victory as a ray of hope, though the struggle for
Christians will be a long and arduous one.
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