Those who drive Route 66 in Illinois know of the Our Lady of the Highways shrine on a farm near Raymond, Ill. Many a person on the Mother Road has stopped at the well-tended landmark to pray or give it a moment of respectful silence.
A second sort of shrine — a nativity scene — has been erected in the 1800 block of South Fifth Street (map here) in nearby Springfield, which is on a 1932-58 alignment of Route 66.
According to the Springfield Journal-Register, Charles Dees erected the nativity as a sort of protest against Christmas commmercialism, his declining neighborhood and what he considers the city’s indifference towards that area.
But the city wants the nativity gone:
He was recently notified via a letter from the city that his nativity scene is in violation of Article 2, 99.10, “unauthorized obstructions and encumbrances.” Though this is a small nativity scene rather than, say, a large brick structure, it still is deemed to be in violation of the code. […]
The city’s problem with the nativity scene is that it is too close to the street. Charles responded to the city’s letter with a letter of his own, including photographs of other nearby curbside obstructions, one of which caused a blind friend of his to fall. […]
His display at the curb was carefully created. For the base, Charles transported indigenous Illinois rock from the Pere Marquette area. Around the base are cactus plants that Charles brought to town from the banks of the Sangamon River. Mary and the baby Jesus are atop the rock.
“It’s the softness of Mary, but showing the hard and brittle earth,” Charles explains. “This time called ‘life’ is no bed of roses.”
Based on the rest of the article, it sounds like Dees may have a legitimate beef against the city. And the citation seems ridiculous, given that all kinds of elaborate and eye-catching Christmas displays are put up in yards this time of year.
However, Dees also has refused to pay his property taxes, which doesn’t put him in good moral standing, either.
In the meantime, like Our Lady of the Highways, a few travelers stop at the Springfield display and sometimes pray there before proceeding on their journey.
In the street next to the display he has stenciled a Route 66 symbol. He says that, too, fits with his statue of Mary.
“What do they always call Route 66?” he asks. “The Mother Road.”
If your going to fight city hall, you have to go in unblemished. You can’t have unpaid taxes on your record and make a case for the nativity, regarless of how correct you may be.
Is this on his property or public property?
I’m not sure. But if it’s in violation of city codes, it doesn’t really matter.
No, it should not be removed. What has happened to freedom of expression of one’s religion in our U.S.? I know of no-other religion that is required to be “tolerant”, other than Christianity, in this Nation. Yes, even on government property. Doesn’t our right of freedom protect such? Don’t our armed forces fight and die for it? I am one of the millions that is tired of “can’t do that because someone may be offended.” Let them be offended, that too is a freedom in this country. Try and be such in another country.