Freethinkers Sue Fargo Over Refusal To Pemit Monument Near City Hall

In Fargo, North Dakota last Friday, the Red River Freethinkers filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the city of Fargo violated their constitutional rights when it refused to permit the Freethinkers to place their own monument near a 10 Commandments monument that has been on City Hall mall since 1961. (See prior posting.) The Freethinkers want to put up a monument reading "The government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion." Also at issue in the lawsuit is an initiated measure adopted by Fargo City Commission that prohibits the city from removing monuments-- like the 10 Commandments-- that have stood on city property for 40 years or more. A series of article in the Fargo Forum over the last few days discuss the new lawsuit filed in federal court alleging freedom of expression and Establishment Clause violations. (1, 2, 3, 4.)