News ReleaseLehigh County Seal
For Immediate Release: March 26, 2015
Contact: Diane Gramley 1.814.271.9078 or 1.814.437.5355

Lehigh County Commissioners Thanked for Helping Preserve County History

(Harrisburg) — Today the American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA), a statewide group that seeks to protect the original intent of the Constitution, thanked the Lehigh County Commissioners for not giving in to pressure from the anti-religious Freedom From Religion Foundation to remove a cross from the county seal.

“The Freedom From Religion Foundation is very good at skewing the original intent of the Founding Fathers and the role Christianity played in the establishment of this nation. Maybe they should go visit Washington, DC or our state capital in Harrisburg where Christian references abound. I wonder if they know the Washington Monument is capped with the words Laus Deo which is Latin for ‘Praise be to God.’ General George Washington’s General Orders of May 2, 1778 noted, “To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian.’ I guess they’ll go after the Liberty Bell next because it quotes a verse from the Bible. Any attempt to rewrite the history of Lehigh County, of our Commonwealth or the United States is tragic and does a disservice to future generations,” noted Diane Gramley, president of the AFA of PA.

The email to the Lehigh County Commissioners says in part:

“Thank you for not bowing to the Freedom From Religion Foundation in their effort to force you to rewrite Lehigh County’s history through the removal of the cross which is one of many symbols on your county seal.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has been listed on the American Family Association’s bigotry map as an Anti-Christian group that “Threatens, intimidates and sues local governments and public schools to abolish all public references to the Christian faith. Most notably, Freedom From Religion Foundation targets displays of crosses, the Ten Commandments and public prayer.”

As you are aware, the words “separation of church and state” do not even appear in our Constitution. Our Founding Fathers would be appalled at the idea that the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment is being used to eradicate all public references to Christianity, which played such a significant role in their lives and the founding of this nation.”

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