Attorney General Says Religious Holiday Displays Ok

Responding to Del. Robert G. Marshall's, (R-Prince William) request for clarification, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said religious displays on county property are ok as long as the county or state does not favor one religion over another.

"...The county is free to communicate its own recognition of the holidays, including Christmas, as long as overtly Christian symbols are balanced with other religious and secular ones in a way that communicates to reasonable, informed observers that the county is not making a religious statement.

"Because secular symbols can insulate innately religious symbols from constitutional attack, decoration of public buildings with such secular items such as lights, candy canes, poinsettias, fir trees, snowflakes, and red and green ribbons should raise no serious constitutional objection."