By Rob Moritz
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Legislative Council voted Friday to officially object to a federal judge’s ruling that allowed for “winter solstice” display at the state Capitol.
The vote by the group of lawmakers that oversees state government between legislative sessions came just days after U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright ruled that Secretary of State Charlie Daniels violated free speech rights when he rejected a request by the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers to erect a secular display that describes the meaning and history of the winter solstice and includes a list of famous “freethinkers” — atheists and others who question the tenets of religion.
The display was erected Wednesday, near a nativity scene that is erected annually at the Capitol by a private group.
Rep. John Lowery, D-El Dorado, who offered the proposal to object to Wright’s ruling, noted that students from across the state were singing Christmas carols in the rotunda during the holiday season in what he described as a “tradition of hundreds of years.”
“The other is not, so when we allow idols to be set up on government grounds and we don’t voice our objections, I fear for our country,” he said.
“I’m not speaking just from a private belief, but I’m speaking for the district I represent, the people … that are upset, dismayed, angry and actually fearful,” he said.
History reflects that “when this is allowed to happen in high places by people in authority, this is what happens: Societies become chaotic, economies collapse and those nations are taken over by other nations. So, I’m fearful for our nation if we don’t rise to this occasion,” Lowery said.
The vote came at the end of the meeting. Rep. Nancy Blount, D-Marianna, was the only lawmaker who voted “no.”
“I think people ought to have the right to believe in whatever they want to believe in,” Blount told reporters at the meeting. “The Constitution says they are allowed to do that … then, unless we change the Constitution — we say we will uphold the Constitution — we would be double-talking if we then turned around and voted against the Constitution.”
Todd Billings, president of the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers, said he was “saddened” by the panel’s vote and said lawmakers failed to support the right to freedom of speech.
“I personally would not want to see the nativity scene come down and I would stand by the Christian supporters to keep it up,” Billings said. “I believe that our ruling involved no losers … it made it more inclusive, the display is on public land on a public holiday we all share in common, and that means it’s for all Americans, and if we choose to celebrate it in a way that is different and present a message that they disagree with, that is our constitutional right.”
Natasha Naragon, spokeswoman for the secretary of state, said Friday that no decision had been made on whether to appeal the judge’s decision. She also said the policy used to allow temporary exhibits on the capitol grounds during the holidays will be reviewed, but she did not know when.
