A Chilton County, Ala., sheriff will no longer send his constituents an overtly sectarian Christmas card, thanks to the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
FFRF Staff Attorney Stephanie Schmitt first wrote to the sheriff on Jan. 20. Schmitt pointed out that his sectarian card was “grossly inappropriate.” The card, which depicted the sheriff and his family standing in front of a Christmas tree, and was signed by him and his “family.” The card also contained a religious poem that concluded with “The Christmas gift given to us is Jesus Christ’s gift of love.”
“We strongly urge you to consider your status as one of the highest elected officials in Chilton County and the importance of the constitutional principle of separation of church and state before you send out holiday cards promoting your personal religious beliefs and viewpoints,” added Schmitt.
The sheriff spoke with Schmitt on March 19 and assured her that the card will be modified in time for the upcoming holiday season. He had “no intentions of offending anyone.”
