Irv Sutley Fights Christmas and Wins: Santa Rosa Removes Angels from Government Buildings
This holiday season, the self-proclaimed atheist has won a victory against the Sonoma County government, which has ordered officials to remove angels, stars and other religious symbols from Christmas trees in county buildings after Sutley filed a complaint.
County Administrator Chris Thomas issued the order Monday to managers of all 26 county departments, saying it is not the government's role to endorse religion.
Photo: Irv Sutley, most popular man in Santa Rosa, Calif.
"People can worship in their homes. They can celebrate Christmas in their church. They can do all that," he told the Press Democrat. "They just don't have the right to intrude on government property."
The Supreme Court has ruled that governments can celebrate Christmas but cannot support Christian doctrine.
Sutley, of Santa Rosa, heads the county's socialist Peace and Freedom Party.
He says the government should not show favoritism to any religion.
Sutley has previously been successful in stopping prayers at government meetings in several cities.
"I just don't believe government has the right to intrude on anyone and force them into sectarian behavior," Sutley told FoxNews.com. "I've opposed Buddhist statues, the star of David — anything of a religious nature."