After 'God Bless America' banner banished, thousands more printed
An atheist organization banished a 'God Bless America' banner in a Pittsburg Post Office in Wisconsin, only to see 1,500 more spread across the town.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) forced the local post office to take down the banner on behalf of an undisclosed Pittsburg resident by legal means, with claims that it violates the separation of the church and state.
According to the Christian Post, the large banner had been installed in The Pittsburg Post Office by employees since the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001.
The Morning Sun reported Jake's Fireworks, a local retail store located in the area, printed 1,200 signs and 300 banners with the same message. Residents picked up all 1,500 signs within 45 minutes.
The retail sales director of Jake's Fireworks, Jason Marietta said they were among the majority that did not agree in removing the sign. After seeing a Facebook post shared over 1,500 times, Marietta knew the demand would be high, but did not expect the reaction he had seen.
He had his crew print the signs overnight. After the signs were cleared out in roughly 45 minutes, his employees continued printing and took notes of contact information to distribute additional signs and banners.
In a report by Fox News, a letter written by Bert Patrick to The Morning Star stated the sign was taken down because its message violated the constitution's First Amendment, prohibiting the government from supporting any religion.
However, Senator Jerry Moran from Kansas cleared that "freedom of religion, not freedom from religion" is guaranteed in the constitution. The senator on Facebook commended the Pittsburg community for standing up for the decision saying it is outrageous that some people would intend to divide a community over a banner that has been proudly displayed for 15 years. One poster from Jake's Fireworks hangs in his office in Kansas.
