Delaware Town Bans Dangerous Nativity Scenes In Case “The Wind Kicks Up”

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Dec 6, 2019

As the war on Christmas rages on, the objections to various holiday traditions are becoming outright loony.

This latest incident combines two of my least favorite things: bumbling, overreaching government, and general disrespect for the best holiday ever.

According to Faithwire, local government officials in Georgetown, Delaware officially banned unattended public displays, including nativity scenes, citing safety concerns. Safety concerns. Seriously.

Citing a report from WBOC-TV, Faithwire’s Tré Goins-Phillips writes that the small town’s decision came after its annual review of codes and policies.

The traditional nativity scene is typically erected in the town circle and is usually sponsored by the Georgetown Wesleyan Church and other local organizations.

Town manager Gene Dvornick claimed that the nativity scene, as well as other displays, could be hazardous “if the wind kicks up and there’s not anyone there and stuff blows out to the traffic lane.”

Unsurprisingly, the decision isn’t very popular.

“We have a beautifully decorated Christmas tree in the center and our light poles all speak of the Christmas season and I think the Nativity scene falls within that,” Charlie Koskey, a Georgetown business owner, told WBOC-TV. “I think it’s important that these symbols represent the faiths of everyone that’s gonna be celebrating this time of year.”

Dvornick assured a local news outlet that the new rule does not “just apply to religious displays.”

“There have been instances where unattended displays have been placed on The Circle and became safety issues,” he said. “The town’s policy on unattended displays does not just apply to religious displays; it applies to any and all unattended displays.”

Whether or not this qualifies as another attack in the war on Christmas is debatable.

What is clear, however, is that this is an asinine rule. Do we really need such care and protection from the government that we can’t handle the baby Jesus catching some air and blowing into traffic?

This isn’t erring on the side of caution. This is just plain stupid.