Published On: Wed, Dec 7th, 2016

Boca Raton Interfaith Clergy Association to Put Up Banner to Counter Pentagram at Sanborn Park

For years, a menorah, a life-sized nativity scene, and a Christmas tree stood in Boca Raton’s Sanborn Park without any opposition.

img_2066This year a local school teacher, Preston Smith is challenging the status-quo.

On Tuesday afternoon, Smith put up a 300-pound, 20-foot pentagram between the nativity scene and Christmas tree.

Overnight the pentagram was vandalized after residents became outraged with the display.

Earlier on Wednesday morning, the Boca Raton Interfaith Clergy Association, alongside Mayor Susan Haynie were at Sanborn Park to reveal a banner that will be put up before the planned Christmas Parade this evening.

“The City of Boca Raton for years has provided this free speech area in Sanborn Square as a way for our community to express their religious beliefs during the season,” said Mayor Haynie. “This is the first time we’ve had the issue of someone wanting to put an offensive symbol but, the same constitutional rights that protect our freedom of speech and our freedom of religion also protect this symbol.”

The symbol was provided by the Freedom from Religion Foundation, a 40-year-old organization based in Wisconsin.

Overnight the pentagram was vandalized after residents became outraged with the display

Overnight the pentagram was vandalized after residents became outraged with the display

“I find [the symbol] offensive and the city stand with the faith as they will put up a banner adjacent to it that will counter the negativity of the satanic symbol,” said Mayor Haynie. “Mr. Smith has been an activist against religion in South Florida.”

Smith is no stranger to pushing the envelope when it comes to “freedom of religion”, as the school teacher caused outrage last year when he led the invocation in a Lake Worth city council meeting.

The banner that the Boca Raton Interfaith Clergy Association will place adjacent to the symbol will read: “The Interfaith religious community honors our constitutional rights of freedom of speech and worship. We are blessed to live in a country that cherishes and protects these rights. The use of satanic symbols is offensive, and harmful to our community’s well-being. We find it a shameful and hypocritical way to advocate for freedom from religion. We stand united for the life-giving values of justice, mercy and peace at the heart of our religious traditions. We invite you to explore these values at our house of worship.”

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